Hospira Research and Development Center
Lake Forest, Illinois, USA

Hospira is an international pharmaceutical company. The program for the project included 190,000 sq. ft. of R&D laboratories, a pilot plant, and offices for 350 employees. Each definitive function within the building influences the overall layout and organization of the plan.

The property itself dictates a visual hierarchy from vehicular movement at the periphery to human activity within the facility itself. The building is massed in two bars around a central courtyard at the edge of a lake. It projects a public presence, but maintains a more private intimate scale for employees in the interior. Similarly, the connection of buildings around an outdoor space bonds the site with the occupants to create a sense of community.