An elongated internal courtyard serves as a social hub for this newly completed medical research centre designed for Stanford University by Foster and Partners. Shaded by louvres and featuring a bamboo thicket, the courtyard encourages interaction between the interdisciplinary research teams at the 20 000 m2 Center for Clinical Science Research in Palo Alto, California. On either side are two strips of laboratories and offices, which are arranged on a modular grid for flexibility. The interiors rely largely on natural ventilation and daylighting, and the structure incorporates earthquake-resistant concrete shear walls. Arup was structural and services engineer and Davis Langdon & Everest was cost consultant.
Grimshaw in Miami
A vast $1.9bn (£1.3bn) rail, light rail, bus, taxi and car-hire interchange has been designed by Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners for Miami Airport. The Miami Multimodal Center brings together road and rail functions on seven levels. Another 1.2 million m2 of commercial development is planned alongside the interchange. With Kaiser Engineers as lead consultant, construction will take place in phases over the next 12 to 15 years.
Farrell in Seattle
Terry Farrell & Partners has designed the $206 million Pacific Northwest Aquarium for Seattle. The 15 000 m2 centre, shaped like a split bowl and built on stilts over Puget Sound, is topped by a public park featuring rock pools and a sequence of waterfalls.
Hadid in Cincinnati
Skin/sculpture, urban carpet and jigsaw puzzle are the cryptic themes in Zaha Hadid's $19.3m (£13.3m) design for the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati. It is bounded by an translucent "skin" and a "sculpture" projected by the galleries behind. Inside, the "urban carpet" is a spiralling ramp to galleries that interlock like a 3D jigsaw puzzle.
Rogers in San Francisco
A wavy glass roof flows over Richard Rogers Partnership's design for an $890m (£615.9m) rail terminal in downtown San Francisco. The 60 000 m2 multi-level Transbay terminal will link inter-city high-speed rail, commuter rail and bus transit.
