A year after the historic announcement of the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, the University of Oregon is ready to show the world what the future of research, science education and innovation looks like.
Flyovers, animations and artist renderings of interior and exterior building designs of the $1 billion Knight Campus will be revealed to the public at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, in the Giustina Ballroom of the Ford Alumni Center. The event, which happens during the UO's Innovation Summit, is open to the campus community and the general public.
The initiative is designed to accelerate the process of turning scientific discoveries into innovations with societal impact. The architectural designs embody the promise of the Knight Campus, UO President Michael Schill said.
“With these designs, we will show the world what we have been talking about for the last year,” he said. “They truly illuminate the magnitude of the initiative, the potential for interdisciplinary discovery and the impact the University of Oregon will have for future generations. They are forward-looking, ambitious and spectacular.”
Construction is slated to start next year on the $225 million, 160,000-square-foot first phase, along the north side of Franklin Boulevard between Onyx and Agate streets. Researchers and students are scheduled to move into the world-class facilities in 2020. The Board of Trustees of the University of Oregon approved spending $225 million on the project at a special meeting Oct. 18.
The Knight Campus is made possible by a $500 million lead gift from Penny and Phil Knight, a 1959 UO graduate, and supported with $50 million in state bonds.
A building user group — made up of scientists, researchers, architects and construction experts — traveled the country to visit cutting-edge research facilities for inspiration. They then collaborated to make sure the UO’s interdisciplinary ideals informed the design.
The result will drive innovation for decades to come, said Patrick Phillips, acting executive director of the Knight Campus.
“We have designed a space that will inspire the scientists of tomorrow to translate their work into high-impact advances,” Phillips said. “It’s been an amazing, collaborative process, resulting in a place where discovery will flourish.”