San Diego is one of the US’ top life science clusters, with strong demand for office and lab space. To serve this dynamic sector, asset management company The RMR Group wanted to completely redevelop an existing 186,000 square foot science campus to offer modern, Class A work and collaboration spaces that could accommodate a range of tenants. The transformation has been very successful: at completion, it is expected to be 85% leased to pioneers in digital surgery, regenerative medicine, and biotechnology.

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All three buildings were stripped back to the slab and structural steel and given new facades. The RMR Group engaged tk1sc, a WSP company, to evaluate the existing infrastructure, upgrade central systems and carry outengineering design for common areas and tenant improvements. The layouts and supporting infrastructure were designed to provide maximum flexibility for the owner and prospective tenants. For example, We designed the office and lab space to be customizable to suit various configurations and activities. Each could be leased wholly or as half- or full-floor suites, with a mix of collaborative workstations, private offices, and conference rooms depending on the occupants’ requirements. The lab spaces are equipped with fume hoods, vacuum, compressed air, lab benches, and lab support rooms.

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“The goals were a campus transformation with very energy-efficient systems to serve a state-of-the-art lab environment,” explains Joe Ross, senior principal at tk1sc. “We provided comprehensive knowledge of the site with boots-on-the-ground field investigations, and our team spent considerable time with the owner and with contractors, equipment vendors, and testing agencies to completely understand the existing building and its systems.”

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This attention to detail proved valuable: they discovered that many parts of the systems were still viable and could be reused, which delivered a particularly cost-effective solution for a utility-hungry sector. “The MEP and low-voltage systems were a significant part of the project scope,” says Ross, “so our role helped keep the project budget and schedule aligned with the owner’s expectations.” As life sciences companies begin to occupy the buildings, tk1sc continues to assist The RMR Group with multiple tenant test fits and ongoing tenant improvements.

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tk1sc has also been a key player in helping the project to achieve LEED certification – it is tracking as a Silver Certified project under LEED v4for core and shell. This is important not only for operational efficiency and for The RMR Group’s corporate sustainability aspirations but as a differentiator for tenants and talent in this competitive sustainability and lifestyle-conscious location. The updated campus buildings have an abundance of natural light and fresh air, with a choice of indoor and outdoor areas and a café serving healthy, locally sourced food, and are surrounded by natural landscaping and walking paths with artwork by local sculptors. In addition, there is a fitness facility with plenty of bike and surfboard storage and charging for electric vehicles on-site. The intention is that Muse at Torrey Pines will set a new standard for science space in San Diego, and the rejuvenated campus more than justifies its prime position overlooking this exciting community.