The Lab of the Future

Envisioning tomorrow's lab layout.

Published May 2007 Considerations for the evolution of laboratory planning and classification.

Fifteen years from now, new lab areas won’t look like they do today, so plan buildings and infrastructure with this idea in mind. Even now the distinction between labs and lab support is being blurred. A better classification for planning purposes may be common lab space vs. specialized lab space. More and more people coming to work at lab benches are requiring computer stations at the bench.  Think how you will accommodate knee space and proper height keyboard rests. When you are planning the details of lab areas, get the people who work in labs all day long (not just the senior researchers or directors) to provide key inputs from your user group for lab planning.

- From Tradeline's Research Buildings 2007 Conference