Architectural firm Woods Bagot has been commissioned to design a new $200 million Biosecurity and Agricultural Research Facility at Murdoch University.
The project, for the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, was awarded by the Department of Housing and Works.
Woods Bagot has teamed with lab specialists Research Facilities Design of San Diego, California, who have worked on over 1,000 laboratory projects spanning 23 years, to ensure the new facility is benchmarked against the best internationally.
Woods Bagot principal and Perth studio leader Andrew Lian said the innovative project was expected to become the benchmark for a roll-out of similar facilities in other states.
"The DAFWA Facility will demonstrate world's best practice in laboratory design, and the sustainable design aims to achieve the equivalent of a 5 Star Green Star GBCA Rating," Mr Lian said.
"The recent outbreak of the equine flu and its devastating effect on the horse-racing industry really highlights how important biosecurity is for protecting our primary industries."
DAFWA's new 37,000 square metre Biosecurity and Agricultural Research Facility will include 15,000sqm of laboratory space and will cater for over 800 staff.
It will be built alongside Murdoch University's Veterinary and Agriculture Schools and will anchor Murdoch's new Biohub.
The project is expected to commence construction at the beginning of 2009, with completion scheduled for 2011.
The new complex will incorporate a relocation of DAFWA's current offices in South Perth as well as vastly expanded biosecurity and R&D facilities.
Woods Bagot's Perth studio is a leader in education and science architecture and has now established a dominant market share with large scale projects on all three major university campuses in Perth.
The firm has been commissioned to design The University of Western Australia's Business School, Curtin University's Resources and Chemistry Precinct and the new Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
