The Biological Science Technology and Research Building

The Biological Science Technology and Research (BioSTaR) building will provide 9,500m²  of laboratory, small research scale-up and digital facilities to enable cutting-edge research and development (R&D) into sustainable food production, addressing global challenges around food security.

More than just a modern R&D building, the new facility has been designed as a ‘project space’ – uniting three previously disparate groups under one roof to enable new ways of thinking and working across disciplines.

Set within an established campus, the building and its associated landscaping has been designed to connect to the wider Jealotts Hill site, creating an active public realm and thriving hub for scientific excellence.

Early on, the importance of direct links between this new facility and existing buildings on site was established, and an intensive process of user engagement was critical to understanding how these connections could best benefit the community.

Central to the design is an open front-of-house area, including a town hall space and informal meeting spaces, linking to the primary circulation routes to encourage interaction throughout the building. The primary stair links formal and informal workspace across three floors and is set centrally within the atrium below a glazed rooflight. The building offers researchers genuine choice in how and where they work, selecting from a variety of collaborative and informal settings that support different modes of work, and enabling more fluid movement between laboratory and office settings.

Designing for neurodiversity has also been a key focus of the development, considering the different needs of individuals, and providing spaces which offer differing levels of light, acoustic quality, and social conductivity.

Building on this internal variety, the external spaces extend the same principle of choice into the landscape, supporting a wider cultural shift in ways of working. The grounds are organised into six distinct settings, each encouraging a different type of social or individual activity. The ‘Plaza’ and the ‘Terraces’ provide outdoor green spaces for formal events and informal interaction; the ‘Gallery’ and the ‘Workology Hub’ offer larger- and smaller-scale outdoor working zones for individuals and teams; while the ‘Campus Green’ and the ‘Creek Bed’ prioritise biodiversity and quieter, more reflective connection to nature through natural walking routes.

Economically, BioSTaR solidifies Syngenta’s position as a leader in agricultural innovation. By unlocking enhanced R&D capability within an agile environment –configured to respond to evolving research demands, technologies and team structures – BioSTaR strengthens the company’s competitive advantage and reinforces its long-term investment in scientific advancement.

With the new building and the associated landscaping completely redefining the campus to create a new thriving destination for research, the project also enhances Syngenta’s ability to attract and retain highly skilled talent in a competitive global market.

For the scientists at the Jealott’s Hill campus, BioSTaR introduces a new generation of research environment – one that better supports varied working patterns while physically and socially connecting previously disparate parts of the campus. By strengthening links between buildings and creating shared destinations for interaction, the development makes the campus a more engaging, stimulating and cohesive place to work.

Looking ahead, BioSTaR is set to make a significant impact within the agritech sector. By enabling advanced interdisciplinary research into sustainable food production and agricultural innovation, the facility positions Syngenta at the forefront of efforts to address global food security and resource challenges.

BioSTaR is a physical reflection of Syngenta’s commitment to sustainability, embodying the same environmental responsibility that underpins its research. As a significant upgrade to the previous facilities, the building translates these values into built form through a low-carbon, high-performance design approach. Energy-efficient strategies – including optimised floor-to-floor heights, a central lightwell that maximises natural daylight, and carefully integrated solar control measures – work together to reduce energy demand and lower long-term operational costs.

Environmental stewardship extends beyond the building envelope. Biodiversity enhancement and sustainable surface water management were central to the landscape strategy, achieving biodiversity net gain through the introduction of native planting and the careful preservation of the site’s existing topography to minimise impact on the local biome.