The North Carolina State University Plant Sciences Building is the winner of the IIDA Carolinas Chapter's DesignWorks award in the Higher Education category. Designed by Flad, the Plant Sciences Building is home to the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative, an interdisciplinary research program whose mission is to improve the world through innovation and address agriculture's grand challenges.
The flexible facility is designed to support innovation, pioneering technologies, and new partnerships between academic, corporate, and government entities. Recognizing the evolving needs of research and education through this convergence of diverse ideas and expertise, the design was informed by the need to accommodate unassigned research faculty and rotating industry partners. As a result, the space program was developed around scientific capabilities, rather than specific, assigned investigators.
The building's interior design creates a holistic user and visitor experience that is welcoming, healthy, and accessible to all while capturing and celebrating the innovative future of agricultural science through a visual expression of purpose. Overall, the Plant Sciences Building provides the university with an energizing, flexible environment that inspires people, connects them to the future of agricultural science, and creates a modern interdisciplinary scientific workplace that fosters innovation and collaboration.
North Carolina State University 
Plant Sciences Building
February 01, 2024