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The Victorian government has unveiled plans for a world-leading medical research institute designed as the centrepiece of Australia’s fight against infectious diseases and pandemics.
When completed in 2027 the proposed Australian Institute for Infectious Disease will be the biggest centre of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
To be built at Royal Parade, Parkville, in Melbourne’s inner north, the institute will house more than 1000 scientists, academics, students, and public health experts with the potential to support up to 5000 jobs across the research arena.
The project is expected to cost up to $650 million.
The early concept designs are by Wardle with Wilson Architects, international workplace specialist Studio O+A, and specialist laboratory designers Perkins and Will.
The new institute will be a partnership between the University of Melbourne, the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and Burnet Institute, which will relocate its headquarters to the new building.
The project brings the three foundation partners together in a single building and will house high-containment facilities, robotic bio-banking, vaccine development facilities, dry laboratories, as well as drug screening and critical imaging not now available in Australia.
The Andrews government is investing up to $400 million to deliver the institute, with $250 million coming from three foundation partners.
The building will be physically connected across several levels to the neighbouring Doherty Institute.
Wardle partner and project director Meaghan Dwyer said the co-location of the partners would help protect Australia and the region from infectious diseases and future pandemics.
“Interdisciplinarity is essential for ground-breaking research,” she said.
“This building will provide a home for the three foundation partners while supporting collaboration between them and their many precinct and industry partners. This vast collective intelligence will advance Australia’s capability for detecting, preventing, and responding to pandemics and infectious diseases.”
The relationship between Wardle and Wilson Architects—specialists in laboratory and medical research—goes back 14 years and includes several of Australia’s premier research bodies and six universities.
San Francisco-based Studio O + A brings workplace planning experience in life sciences to the project, while London-based Perkins and Will are responsible for the high containment laboratories.
Construction is due to start in 2025, and the building is expected to be complete in 2027.
