Bioterra Life Sciences Building

San Diego’s Sorrento Mesa district has become a dense hub for biotech innovation, creating demand for flexible research space that supports collaboration and well-being while offering access to leading institutions. Bioterra wanted to provide adaptable laboratory and office environments paired with amenities and sustainable systems that support scientists’ daily work and long-term growth. HOK worked with Longfellow Real Estate Partners and general contractor McCarthy Building Companies on the project, Longfellow’s first ground-up life sciences development in San Diego.

Design Solutions

HOK grounded the design in its Southern California setting, drawing on the region’s arroyos, Torrey pines and coastline. Variegated terra cotta tile on the facade echoes the tones of the arroyos, and wood-look panels wrapping the terrace edges reference the native Torrey Pine. The building takes the form of slender parallel wings that slip past one another, an arrangement that shades itself, reduces glare and maximizes daylight across the extended floor plates of lab and office space.

The layout gives researchers visibility and comfort while allowing labs to adapt as scientific needs evolve. Designed to Class A lab standards, the building can serve a single tenant or multiple users. Projecting terraces line each floor, shading the level below while extending the workplace outdoors for informal meetings and individual respite, and supporting focus and informal collaboration.

Amenities support daily routines and social interaction. A ground-floor lobby with a coffee bar and collaboration space creates an active entry sequence and clear wayfinding, while a top-floor café, fitness space and conference center open to a rooftop patio overlooking Sorrento Mesa, with food and beverage options open to the public.

The LEED Gold and Fitwel certified building features San Diego’s first all-electric HVAC system in a life sciences building, reducing operational carbon and supporting long-term resilience. Its location near Interstate 5, UC San Diego, the Salk Institute and Scripps Research strengthens access to talent and industry partners.

Impact

The new building gives life sciences tenants in San Diego’s biotech cluster a new option that combines flexible lab space with integrated amenities and access to regional research institutions. The design received a 2023 Honorable Mention in the American Architecture Awards from The Chicago Athenaeum.