Are Successful Lab Designs Copying Flexible Office Trends?

AUSTIN, Texas - Sept. 24, 2019 - PRLog -- What were the key takeaways from the lab design conference?

Valencia Dussault, Formaspace Design Consultant for the US Southeastern Region, and Corey Hutchinson, Formaspace Sales Director, found that today's lab facility designers face many of the same challenges as architects and designers creating modern office spaces in the business world.

In their session "The Evolution of Next-Generation Labs," architects Abigail Alexander and Robert DeGenova explained how laboratory research is in the midst of a radical transformation in both organization and methodology.

Why is this happening? There is increased pressure for laboratories to be more productive, to take advantage of the latest technology and to engage with others in a more collaborative approach.

Just as in the business world, advances in digital communication are driving changes in the laboratory work environment. Technology has allowed today's workers – whether in the office or in the laboratory – to work from anywhere, even from home.

Flexible office designs are a bit further ahead in taking advantage of this, by offering open workspaces (where employees are no longer tied to a single office desk or cube) and a variety of meeting spaces to encourage collaboration.

Continuing with this theme, architects Steven G. Copenhagen and Toni Loiacano conducted a session titled "A Glimpse into the Scientific Workplace of the Future." Copenhagen and Loiacano pointed out that scientific organizations have generally lagged behind the dynamic workplace transformations that are taking place in today's business environments.

To illustrate the point, they looked at several case studies, including CJ Blossom Park, the 2018 Lab of the Year, which provides a boundary-less laboratory environment designed to increase productivity, efficiency, and creativity.

According to Steve Copenhagen, a principal with CannonDesign, "the design of CJ Blossom Park is rooted in the 'New Scientific Workplace' concept—a radical design approach designed to offer best-in-class research technology and remarkable amenities to boost recruitment and retention of top researchers."

What Are The Key Elements That Distinguish The Modern Laboratory Design?

1. Integrated Science Parks Encourage Maximum Collaboration Between Scientific Researchers.

CJ Blossom Park is a classic example of a built-for-purpose science park – designed to bring together as many laboratory research scientists as possible under one roof. The facility incorporates approximately 750,000 ft.² of dedicated laboratory space for its 900 research employees.

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