The DI facility is the focal point of HMR's Drug Innovation and Approval concept, a new approach to R&D that employs an overlapping value chain and clusters key competencies to leverage synergies, stimulate collaboration, and foster quality decision making. The three-story, building supports 200 researchers with 70 laboratories, an atrium, and pedestrian bridges connecting to other buildings on the campus.

A modular laboratory design, supported by service corridors for distribution and access to the building's support systems, optimizes the building's flexibility, adaptability, and maintainability. The primary frameworks of safety and flexibility are part this facility's design.

The lab design includes extensive visibility for a safety-buddy system and methods and procedures to control spills and obtain emergency treatment, if needed. Labs also have appropriate contamination control and separate material and waste handling corridors for maintenance and service. Every laboratory contains two exits, eyewashes at every sink, safety showers, ventilated weighing stations, shields on rotovaps, and carefully managed wire and supply systems.

All piped services to laboratories (compressed air, nitrogen, vacuum, natural gas, specialty gasses, hot and cold water, and deionized water) are routed through a central service corridor shared by all labs. As a result, the labs are served without exposed piping to the lab below. To enhance safety and ease of operation, services, materials, gas cylinders, and chemical waste are separated from the offices and staff.

A high degree of flexibility allows for lab interchangeability among various functions including biotechnology, chemistry, robotics, and instrumentation. Movable benches supported by modular services are a direct response to the researchers' need for easy-to-rearrange work areas and equipment, easy-to-access services, as well as flexibility and adaptability for future changes. Abundant natural daylight and artificial (direct and indirect) lighting provide a glare-free environment.

The open floor plan provides a flexible team-based community environment. It also allows easy adaptation to changing technologies and processes. Identical lab modules of 11' x 29' 7" and office modules of 11' x 9' 4" facilitate flexibility for the interchanging of staff and functions.

The DI building is a two-wing configuration with scientist and administrative offices at the perimeter. A glazed, looped personnel corridor allows visual access into the lab modules that connect to a central service corridor. At the junction of the two wings is a central, skylighted interaction hub that houses an open stairwell, elevators, kitchenettes, copy centers, a break room, a conference center, and rest rooms. All built spaces and functional flows are designed to enhance interaction, efficiency, productivity, and creativity.

The new building is part of a larger $65-million project which includes an upgrade to the central utility plant and renovation of 80,000 sf in three existing DI laboratory buildings.