On a four-acre parcel of MIT-owned land at 181 Massachusetts Avenue (corner of Albany Street) Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research has completed a new campus to augment its global research headquarters. By expanding in proximity to MIT and other research institutions, Novartis has created an environment that supports interdisciplinary collaboration, open communication, and the exchange of knowledge. 

The project encompassed the construction of two new buildings with 550,000 square feet of laboratory, office, and retail space, and the renovation of an existing structure (Building N42). Its visual centerpiece is an unusual perforated stone screen that wraps around the main building’s exterior and is supported by an aluminum curtainwall. 

The new Novartis campus forges an important connection between Kendall Square and Central Square. Per an agreement with MIT, Novartis plans to include active ground floor uses on Massachusetts Avenue, helping to add vibrancy to this important commercial corridor through street-level retail space, pedestrian connections, and new green space areas. Novartis is seeking LEED Gold certification for its new buildings.