Scientific rigour within a person-centred, biophilic setting

Designed by HDR for Health Infrastructure in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer, NSW RNA Bioscience Alliance, Hindmarsh Construction and industry partner and operator Aurora Biosynthetics, the $96 million, 4,500 square metre RNA Research and Manufacturing Facility has opened within the Macquarie University Innovation Precinct.

Grounded within the surrounding eucalypt landscape, the RNA facility is designed to establish a calm civic entry that balances advanced manufacturing precision with warmth, shadow and a strong sense of place. Credit: HDR

Intended to translate Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) technologies into clinical-grade vaccines, therapies and diagnostics for viruses, cancers, genetic diseases and other health-related issues, the purpose-built facility — designed to support TGA approval pathways and GMP-aligned operations — includes pDNA and mRNA production suites, lipid nanoparticle encapsulation, pilot-scale fill-and-finish capability, and integrated QA/QC laboratories.

Generous daylight, clean planning and mobile laboratory infrastructure are designed to create a calm, adaptable research environment for mRNA, pDNA and LNP production. Credit: HDR

“The facility is designed to evolve alongside emerging scientific technologies, with rapid adaptability and carefully managed visibility into active spaces, maintaining the precision and containment requirements of RNA production,” HDR Project Lead Ady Chen said. “Our approach also grounds the building in its surrounding landscape, creating a humane and restorative environment that supports the wellbeing of the people who work here.”

Minimal detailing and precise signage are designed to give the pDNA upstream suite an architectural clarity that makes complex science visible. Credit: HDR

Setting out to embed scientific rigour within a person-centred, biophilic setting, the facility was conceived as a high-precision pavilion within a grove of mature gum trees. “The building’s horizontal form is articulated with slender vertical elements that reference the surrounding forest and draw natural light deep into the interior,” HDR Design Lead Alan Boswell said. “This creates a calm, grounded environment for complex RNA science, and respects the cultural and ecological character of the site.”

Rooftop plant, gantries and screened equipment are carefully organised against the sky, designed to balance servicing intensity with a disciplined architectural profile. Credit: HDR

HDR Principal of Education and Science Graeme Spencer said: “Purpose-built environments like this are critical to Australia’s ability to develop RNA-based therapeutics at speed. By bringing flexible pilot manufacturing together with collaborative research spaces, the facility strengthens sovereign capability and supports real-world health outcomes.”

Timber-lined collaboration spaces and soft internal daylight are designed to provide a humane counterpoint to the facility’s high-performance laboratory and manufacturing environments. Credit: HDR

Top image caption: Set behind a glade of eucalypts, the facade’s vertical rhythm and tonal palette is designed to allow the RNA facility to sit quietly within Country, using shadow, light and restraint to reduce its presence in the landscape. Credit: HDR