Duke University / Research Drive Masterplan

Duke University and its Medical School jointly developed a Master Plan to create a long-term vision for an integrated research and teaching precinct. This critical development focuses on a key parcel of land situated between the Medical Center and the University

The study’s primary goal was to assist Duke leadership in establishing a collective vision for the future of science, math, engineering, and medicine, specifically by blurring traditional departmental boundaries. The scope of the Plan is significant, initially encompassing 100 acres of land, 37 existing buildings (3.5 million Gross Square Feet) and involving 500 faculty members across the Arts & Sciences, Pratt Engineering, the Nicholas School of the Environment, and the Medical School.

The resulting plan proposes 5.9M gsf, with 49 total buildings (2 new, 6 replacement) and delineates a strategic, three-phase approach—short-term opportunities, mid-term capital projects, and a long-term. This large-scale growth shift of faculty and program strengthens the University’s research and teaching enterprise. It serves as a vital tool for prioritizing development options around a strategic sequence of move-chains.