OHSU Knight Cancer Research Institute

The 320,000-sf, seven-story Knight Cancer Research Building at Oregon Health & Science University sets a new benchmark for collaborative science and integrated project delivery (IPD). Designed to house up to 650 researchers and staff focused on cancer research and early detection, the LEED Platinum-targeted facility features an expansive mix of wet and dry laboratory spaces, tissue culture rooms, procedure rooms, microscopy suites, and computational labs. Supporting spaces include faculty and staff offices, a 200-seat auditorium for lectures and symposia, breakout rooms, cafes, and public retail on the ground floor. Each floor integrates “team neighborhoods” to co-locate research groups around shared lab and office areas, promoting cross-disciplinary interaction. Vertical connections, daylight-filled corridors, and open stairwells serve as visual and physical links throughout the building, turning it into a vertical campus designed for collaboration. The IPD team—OHSU, McCarthy/Andersen Construction JV, SRG Partnership, and 10 key trades—co-located early and remained embedded throughout the project, driving innovation and aligning around shared goals. Guided by “north star” principles prioritizing flexibility, interaction, and shared scientific resources, the team delivered a best-in-class facility that embodies the same collaborative energy it was built to inspire—bringing together people, ideas, and science in the fight to end cancer.