Wisconsin Institute of Discovery
New setting for breakthroughs
Construction of a $375 million research institute known as the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery may help anchor what planners refer to as UW-Madison’s “urban campus” — the areas south of University Avenue that are defined by taller buildings and busier streetscapes.
The institute would occupy the 1200 and 1300 blocks of University Avenue, replacing older, underutilized structures and physical plant buildings. It would bring together biology, bioinformatics, computer science, engineering, nanotechnology, and other fields in one setting to spark new scientific and engineering breakthroughs. The location, across from existing biotech and genetics research facilities and close to the College of Engineering and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, is ideal for the interdisciplinary effort, and it could serve as a catalyst for other developments in the area. Other changes may include redevelopment of Union South, a new parking garage, and possibly additional hotel guest rooms, all connected to the new institute by pedestrian overpasses. Inside, the facility will reflect its urban setting with contemporary design.
