Born from the 2020 Campus Master Plan and the 2021 Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility Study we conducted for Missouri University of Science and Technology, the Missouri Protoplex is the inaugural building in a new research and innovation campus. Spanning 117,475 gross square feet across two stories, the facility embodies Missouri S&T’s commitment to innovation and growth. In collaboration with design architect Perkins&Will, we created a cutting-edge facility that supports Missouri S&T’s continued advancement in research, manufacturing, and technology.
Shape
Central to our design process was a commitment to fulfilling the project’s ambitious goals: fostering innovation, supporting entrepreneurship and economic development, and strengthening workforce capabilities throughout Missouri and the broader region. We actively engaged end-user groups and manufacturing partners throughout the process. The design balances openness with security, providing visibility and accessibility while maintaining the separation necessary for specialized processes. We also prioritized long-term flexibility, planning utilities and building systems to accommodate evolving technologies and the future replacement of equipment as manufacturing capabilities advance..
Inspire
The Missouri Protoplex supports three key strategic objectives established for Missouri S&T by Chancellor Mo Dehghani: enhancing student recruitment and retention through corporate partnerships, serving as a hub for Missouri’s manufacturing ecosystem, and cultivating a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation across campus and throughout the state. The facility represents a significant step forward in integrating manufacturing and technology, creating opportunities for collaboration between industry and academia to explore innovative materials, prototype advanced manufacturing processes, strengthen workforce skills, and integrate cyber-physical manufacturing systems into real-world applications.
The equipment and expertise that will be housed in the Protoplex will provide a unique opportunity for manufacturers to learn about new methods and technologies and for students to develop skills that are increasingly critical to their ability to excel.
