With the FDA and NIH accelerating their push toward New Approach Methodologies — and federal funding cuts already increasing pressure on animal research programs — the question isn't whether animal research facilities need to accommodate non-animal models. It's how to build that flexibility in from the start. Michele Cunneen presents a design framework for facilities that can pivot between live animal work and in vitro systems without major renovations. She explores modular mechanical strategies, utility planning, and barrier adjacencies that preserve optionality. She also explains why full animal model replacement within five years remains an unrealistic planning assumption despite current policy momentum.