Located on the former site of McKinly Hall, the research and teaching facility will transform the north edge of campus along E. Delaware Avenue
Acclaimed interdisciplinary firm HGA congratulates the University of Delaware on the opening of its new Building X, a 132,500-square-foot academic facility that brings faculty and researchers together in an interdisciplinary hub of collaboration and discovery.
Designed by HGA, the contemporary brick building includes over 35 teaching and research labs, 35-plus faculty offices, 25-plus graduate student workspaces, along with conference rooms and communal lounges. In addition to advancing research and discovery, Building X will support Delaware’s healthcare workforce and bolster the state’s resilience in future public health emergencies.
Building X convenes some of the best scientific minds in the fields of psychological and brain sciences, biological sciences, linguistic and cognitive sciences, mathematical sciences, physics, and quantum science and technology. Following a fire that destroyed the original building in 2017, university faculty members, researchers and professors continued their work dispersed across nine different buildings throughout campus. Now complete, Building X offers 8% more space, can accommodate 66% more faculty than McKinly Hall, and reunites researchers under one roof. Open lab environments encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration while flexible, mixed-use spaces integrate teaching and research, bringing students closer to advanced faculty work.
“Building X is a powerful convergence of disciplines, where researchers from fields such as physics, biology, psychology, and more are uniting to address the complex challenges of our time,” said Samir Srouji, Science + Technology principal and design principal at HGA. “We’ve designed a space that not only supports cutting-edge research but also fosters collaboration and innovation, empowering scientists to push boundaries and create meaningful change. HGA is proud to have had the opportunity to contribute to a facility that will shape the future of scientific discovery and have a lasting impact on humanity.”
Part of The College of Arts and Sciences, Building X connects to the Life Sciences Research Building via a bridge and comprises three above-ground floors, a mechanical penthouse, and a full basement dedicated to physics laboratories. The building accommodates workspaces for scientists from physics, biology, and psychology and is organized around thematic areas rather than departments. Offering a blend of damp and dry lab space, the facility’s configuration enables physics and life sciences researchers to share these core facilities. HGA also incorporated ample space for offices, conference rooms, and social areas to support the work of numerous students and postdoctoral researchers.
A 180 kW-DC rooftop solar photovoltaic array will generate over 220,000 kWh annually — equivalent to the energy usage of 20 typical homes per year. The design targets a 12.5% energy cost saving with a target pEUI of 184 kBTu/sf/yr and an 8.8% reduction from baseline greenhouse gas emissions.
Building X is located in close proximity to the University of Delaware’s iconic main quad, The Green. The new building forms an intimate quad east of Wolf Hall, which links visually and physically to The Green. The quad redefines the northern edge of campus with an open and welcoming landscape leading to the main entrance of Building X.
The university’s capital investment in Building X, along with several smaller projects, is anticipated to support 16,700 direct, indirect and induced jobs, as well as create demand for services and generate statewide tax revenues for Delaware. The construction of the facility was partially funded with assistance from the state’s portion of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a federal stimulus, with the remainder paid for by the university’s fundraising efforts.
About the University of Delaware
One of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States, the University of Delaware has a rich history of contributing scientific insights and new ideas, fostering enlightenment, transforming lives and changing the world. Today under the leadership of President Dennis Assanis, the University is committed to building on this legacy to meet the complex challenges facing the globe. The University’s foremost priority remains to ensure the success of every student, and this commitment dates back to our roots as a small private academy founded in 1743. From that early school, which educated three signers of the Declaration of Independence, UD has grown into a research-intensive, technologically advanced institution that is at the forefront of innovation in the classroom, in the laboratory and in the community.
About HGA
HGA is a national interdisciplinary design firm committed to making a positive, lasting impact for our clients and communities through research-based, holistic solutions. We believe that great design requires a sense of curiosity—forming deep insight into our clients, their contexts, and the human condition. We are a collective of over 1,200 architects, engineers, interior designers, planners, researchers, and strategists. Our practice spans multiple markets, including science and technology, corporate, cultural, education, local and federal government, and healthcare. Visit HGA.com or follow on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
HGA Media Contact
Michelle Nelsen, Public Relations Director
mnelsen@hga.com