Capital Strategies

After two years of construction, the Bakar BioEnginuity Hub opened its doors in February 2022. The world-class facility pairs the Bakar Labs incubator with fellowships and programming for Berkeley students and researchers, equipping current and aspiring entrepreneurs in the STEM world with labs, offices, equipment and shared community spaces that aim to encourage collaboration.

The Bakar BioEnginuity Hub is located in Woo Hon Fai Hall. Originally designed by Mario Ciampi, the cast concrete structure was built in 1970 in the Brutalist architecture style, with wings that fan out from its center. It was home to the Berkeley Art Museum until 2014; it also housed the Pacific Film Archive (PFA) beginning in 1971 and the PFA’s library and film study center in 1972. In 2012, the building was declared a City of Berkeley landmark, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

The design of the building’s retrofit began in 2016. Construction began in late 2019 and continued, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupancy of the building began in October 2021, and the grand opening was in February 2022.