Architectural Alliance designed The Cargill Building for Microbial and Plant Genomics on
the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus. Its mission is to become a world leader in genomics by fostering University-wide research, education and outreach. Responding to input from University planners and building users,
the design is informed by four key principles: connectedness, openness, interaction
and flexibility.

The building is a 64,000 SF, 3-story structure; the main building is set back from the street creating a garden space featuring native prairie grasses. The Seminar Room and Bioinformatics Laboratory wing is an oval floor plan that provides a sense of enclosure for the garden space. The building includes wet labs, computer visualization, computer support center, 100-seat seminar room, High Through-Put screening lab and plant and microbial growth areas. An atrium, featuring a striking glass custom skylight, is at the connection of the wet laboratories and the Bioinformatics wing. The atrium provides spatial connection of all three floors and is the public entrance to the building and is an inviting gathering space. The building is designed to fit in with both the existing academic buildings and the agrarian character of the campus.

Designed to be open and inviting, but maintain secure access to its sensitive research laboratories, the Microbial and Plant Genomics Building successfully encourages, fosters and supports collaborations between scientists.