Davella Studios contributes conference hospitality and foodservice planning to the 570,000-square-foot research and development facility designed by HOK and Pickard Chilton.
AstraZeneca has opened its newest research and development center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, bringing together scientists, researchers, and staff in a purpose-built environment designed to advance collaboration, innovation, and scientific discovery.
Located in the heart of Kendall Square, one of the world's leading life sciences districts, the 18-story, 570,000-square-foot facility accommodates approximately 1,800 employees and integrates state-of-the-art laboratories, flexible workspaces, and shared amenities.
HOK led the interior design, laboratory programming and planning, sustainable design, experience design, landscape architecture, and lighting design, while Pickard Chilton designed the building's core and shell.
Davella Studios contributed to the project's hospitality experience through conference center foodservice planning, developing service and infrastructure considerations to support meetings, receptions, and corporate events throughout the facility.
Hospitality Designed for Collaboration
A central objective of the new AstraZeneca campus is to encourage interaction across scientific disciplines while creating a more connected workplace experience.
Beyond its research laboratories and flexible office environments, the building includes shared gathering spaces, an auditorium, and a second-floor café designed to bring employees and visitors together.
For Davella Studios, the project presented an opportunity to consider how food, beverage, and hospitality services could support the building's collaborative environment.
The firm's conference center experience program explored an elevated approach to meeting and event hospitality, addressing everything from in-room beverage service to buffet presentations and full-service receptions.
The goal was to create a flexible hospitality framework capable of accommodating different meeting formats, service expectations, and event sizes while maintaining a consistent guest experience.
Integrating Foodservice into the Conference Experience
Davella's planning examined the operational infrastructure required to support hospitality throughout the conference center and designated meeting areas.
Key considerations included integrated coffee and beverage service, refrigerated storage, hot and cold water dispensing, and flexible food presentation systems.
The program also explored countertop and integrated induction equipment, chilled presentation surfaces, and credenza-based buffet stations that could accommodate a range of catering and reception formats.
Equally important was the relationship between hospitality service and technology. Davella evaluated opportunities for mobile-enabled meeting and menu selection, along with in-room service capabilities designed to make food and beverage hospitality more accessible and efficient.
The planning extended across meeting and conference spaces on Levels 2, 13, and 14, with attention to how hospitality infrastructure could be incorporated into different room configurations and service environments.
Supporting a Human-Centric Workplace
AstraZeneca's new R&D center reflects a broader shift in workplace design toward environments that support collaboration, wellness, and employee experience alongside organizational performance.
Throughout the building, flexible work settings, shared community areas, natural light, and wellness-focused amenities create opportunities for employees to connect beyond their individual research activities.
Hospitality plays an important role in supporting that experience.
Thoughtfully planned food and beverage services can transform meeting rooms and conference facilities into more welcoming, functional environments, supporting everything from everyday team collaboration to larger organizational gatherings.
For Davella Studios, the AstraZeneca project demonstrates how early consideration of hospitality operations, service infrastructure, and guest experience can contribute to the overall performance of a sophisticated workplace.
A New Environment for Scientific Discovery
Designed to support the evolving needs of scientific research, AstraZeneca's Kendall Square facility brings together flexibility, sustainability, and human-centered design in one of the country's most prominent innovation districts.
Through the combined expertise of HOK, Pickard Chilton, and the project's broader consultant team, the new center establishes an environment where scientific discovery and workplace experience are closely connected.
Davella Studios is proud to have contributed its foodservice planning expertise to a project that recognizes the importance of hospitality in bringing people together.