IFF Global Citrus Innovation Center

The Global Citrus Innovation Center is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the research and development of citrus-related scents and flavors for leading brands in the food and beverage industry. Located on the campus of Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland, FL, the 27,000-SF project provides innovative research, batch processing, office and community space for International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. (IFF). Developed, designed and constructed by Ryan Companies, the center is expected to take about 11 months to complete and features spaces to inspire collaborative discussion, connect with students, and showcase special projects and employees.

The single-story, concrete tilt panel facility is designed to both meet IFF’s needs as a tenant and the design standards of the university campus, while also complying with LEED Silver requirements. The project features a parapet that gives the impression of a second story, a private citrus garden with potted citrus trees and tasting table for events, and a terrace with café for larger gatherings. The design highlight of the center is a perforated metal panel scent ribbon that encapsulates the structure, flowing around the exterior, entering the interior, traveling through community spaces and exiting out the other side of the building. Designed with assistance from our computational design team and inspired by the industry’s scent-mapping technique which illustrates how air carries smells among a cityscape, the ribbon morphs between ceiling, shading canopy and perforated wall system as it twists in and around the center.