Sessions

Artificial intelligence (AI), work-from-home (WFH), and new programmatic drivers are upending legacy space planning metrics for life science laboratories, and here you’ll see where industry trends are now pointing for the scientific workplace space metrics. Session leaders profile the latest benchmarking data from diverse institutional and corporate campuses that is informing space plans and analytics for the Broad Institute’s 1-million-square-foot campus. They demonstrate new inputs, processes, space data definitions, and examples for considering not just assignable lab space but off-site and WFH resources to determine the optimum fit and future flexibility for lab construction and renovation initiatives.

This session outlines a methodology for leveraging new computational tools to benefit owners and designers in generating test fits, allowing for both faster response and more responsive workplace design solutions. Presenters document the importing of existing conditions and programmatic data to generate a variety of workplace models that can be evaluated, fine-tuned for area, noise, adjacency, and spatial configurations, and exported to Revit. They illustrate the reduction in time required to design and document test fits, improving profitability for future projects. They highlight the efficiency opportunities achievable in automated workflows and parameter variation.

Whether faced with disrupted research funding streams, the lack of available capital for new construction, or accommodating program expansions, Step One is assessing the condition, capability and utilization of existing research space to chart a path forward. This presentation explores strategies for realigning research space utilization through comprehensive studies assessing the condition, capability, and use of existing facilities. Through case studies from campuses of varying sizes, presenters demonstrate the development of institution-specific metrics to evaluate laboratory spaces, provide insights on more efficient space assignment, and deliver building-specific guidance for aligning research activities with facility capabilities. They introduce an integrated planning framework and decision-making tools, to support both immediate and long-term research priorities, and they advocate for a shift from traditional, department-based space allocation to more flexible, synergy-driven models.

In this session, presenters deliver insights on bridging the gap between building design and operations by integrating people analytics with digital twin technology. They demonstrate how real-time operational data and human-centered research enhance Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE), enabling organizations to measure, maintain, and improve workplace performance. They detail strategies for making operational and behavioral data actionable, examine real-world applications in the life sciences and public sectors, and challenge the audience to rethink the value of operational data in design. Participants will see how continuous feedback and smarter handoffs optimize workplace outcomes and align design with real-world needs.

Early project decisions on spatial layout will determine the long-term productivity and relevance of technically complex facilities in healthcare, research, and education sectors. New technology is now enabling project teams to test-fit, optimize, and validate “expert intuitions”, and this session illustrates how to apply it to renovation and new construction initiatives to get the best project outcomes. Presenters chart a robust process that simulates occupant behavior and generates critical performance metrics to support data-driven facility planning decisions. They illustrate the effects of digital twin technologies and space syntax algorithms to improve space efficiency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness in real-world projects involving complex environments.

Workplace environments where people of all abilities can thrive must now go far beyond ramps and restrooms, incorporating physical, cognitive, and emotional inclusion as foundational project values rather than afterthoughts. Presenters profile the future-forward workplace transformation of United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon’s headquarters to support a neurodiverse workforce, center universal design principles, and cultivate dignity and agency for both employees and clients. They chart an inclusive planning process incorporating nuanced and forward-thinking elements to support sensory preferences, cognitive and perceptual access, enhanced special awareness, and emotional regulation across neurodiverse workstyles. They identify architectural solutions and workplace policies that deliver equitable experiences, improve usability, and future-proof spaces for flexibility, health, and human connections.