Biodesign Institute Named Lab of the Year

The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ, USA; www.biodesign.asu.edu) has been named "2006 Laboratory of the Year” by R&D magazine.

The annual competition includes industrial, government, and academic laboratories across the United States and abroad. The award, which recognizes innovative design that creates a superior working environment and supports research excellence, is presented for new laboratory construction completed during the prior year.

Conditions for winning the award are that the research performed is enhanced by the facility surroundings, the environment is safe and productive, walking into the facility is an uplifting experience, and the facility attracts top researchers. Specific judging criteria include hazard control and access for people with disabilities.

The Biodesign Institute is master-planned as four interconnected buildings of which the first two are complete. One of the innovative aspects of the facility design is a central atrium that allows natural light to flow into all four levels of the buildings. Though it houses a dozen separate research centers, there are few walls between the labs, and an extensive use of glass creates a visual connection between the labs, offices, and atrium. The lab benches are on wheels, with all utilities and data lines accessed through the ceilings. This allows a maximum "plug and play” flexibility. Special construction techniques reduce vibration and electromagnetic interference that could negatively impact sensitive equipment settings.

Designed by the Atlanta office of Lord, Aeck and Sargent Architecture (Atlanta, GA, USA) and the Phoenix office of Gould Evans (Phoenix, AZ, USA), the general contractors were Sundt Construction, Inc. /DPR Construction Inc., (Tempe, AZ, USA) a joint venture.



Related Links:
Arizona State University