From Elk to Evidence: Building Missouri’s Next-Gen Laboratory Campus
The Missouri Multi-Agency Laboratory Campus in Jefferson City has reached a major milestone with its topping-out ceremony, signaling structural completion of the 220,000-sf facility designed to centralize state agency operations and advance public health and safety. All images: Courtesy of Multistudio
The Missouri Multi-Agency Laboratory Campus, currently under construction in Jefferson City, is a cutting-edge facility designed to centralize and enhance the operational efficiency of five state agencies. Spearheaded by Multistudio and managed by McCownGordon Construction, the 220,000-sf building is set to become a cornerstone for public health and safety advancements in Missouri. The facility will house a combination of laboratory spaces, offices, and shared common areas—including health and crime labs, wellness spaces, and field support rooms—crafted to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange. Scheduled to open in 2026, the project recently reached a key milestone with a topping-out ceremony marking the completion of its structural framework.
Technological innovation, sustainability, and security are core pillars of the facility’s design. Locally sourced materials, energy-efficient MEP systems, heat recovery, and water-saving fixtures contribute to a reduced carbon footprint and long-term energy performance. A robust security system—including access control, surveillance, and chain-of-custody tracking—ensures the integrity of sensitive lab work and data. By uniting researchers, policymakers, and practitioners under one roof, the campus aims to accelerate the delivery of solutions that directly impact the well-being of Missouri’s citizens. As a forward-thinking, cross-agency hub, the facility is poised to transform how the state approaches public health research, forensic analysis, and collaborative governance.
To understand how this forward-thinking facility came together, Lab Design News spoke to Galen Lif, vice president at Multistudio, the firm leading the architectural design of the campus.
Q: How did you gather feedback from the five state agencies that will be occupying the campus, and how did their input influence the overall design and layout of the facility?
A: Multistudio engaged the client in an eight-week programming effort where the designers and planning team met multiple times with each agency in order to determine their existing lab conditions, processes, and equipment used. The programming process provided the design team with all of the laboratory types needed, equipment to be supported, and staff needs for day-to-day work in the facility so we could accurately design the space and future-proof the space, as best as possible. These programming sessions were critical in understanding the needs of each agency and the day-to-day issues that they face, ultimately leading to design solutions that will help them with their work.
Q: Were there any specific requirements or preferences from the health and crime labs that significantly impacted the design plans? Can you provide examples?
A: Each of the agencies had very specific requirements, including one major requirement relating to the crime lab, which was intentionally kept separate from the other health agencies. This was crucial for establishing the reliability of evidence in future legal proceedings. This was crucial for establishing the reliability of evidence in future legal proceedings. Additionally, we needed to find a solution for all of the field equipment that the agencies use, either for their hazardous waste accident response teams; their air, water, and soil testing; as well as collecting fish/wildlife to examine in the necropsy facility. The field work required specific programming, including a garage space for the emergency response vehicles, boats, and trailers that are loaded and often taken to the field.
To support diverse agency needs, the Missouri Multi-Agency Laboratory Campus includes a dedicated crime lab for evidentiary integrity and specialized facilities like a garage for field response vehicles, boats, and trailers used in environmental and wildlife investigations.
Q: What special design features or unique equipment were incorporated into the health and crime labs to meet their specific operational needs?
A: The Missouri Department of Conservation required a necropsy facility in order to perform post-mortem examinations on animals to determine the cause of illness and/or death. The facility also evaluates tissue samples and other specimen types submitted to the laboratory for diagnostic evaluation. The facility needed to be able to accommodate wildlife up to the size of a male elk, so we had to design a hoist and rail with 15-foot-tall doors on the exterior of the building as well as include space for special equipment. It was important that the Department of Conservation’s labs and offices and the existing Missouri State Public Health Laboratory, were connected to the new building in order to bridge its expanding newborn screening labs and other chemistry labs. We introduced a fourth-floor skywalk connector so that their staff could easily move testing samples to both buildings.
Q: Can you describe any specialized furniture, lab equipment, or technological systems that were integrated to enhance functionality in the labs?
A: Most of the furniture and lab casework systems in the crime lab are designed with specialized features tailored to their specific functions. Dedicated rooms for DNA analysis, firearms examination, and trace evidence incorporated specialized lighting and other unique environmental controls. A clean lab for metals is equipped with FRP (fiberglass-reinforced plastic) fume hoods and exclusively non-metallic components to maintain purity. Several equipment labs feature custom benches that all allow for utility access and accommodate vacuum pumps, helping to manage both heat and noise. These systems are designed for flexibility, allowing easy access and straightforward replacement as equipment evolves over time.
Q: How does the design of the Missouri Multi-Agency Laboratory Campus accommodate future research needs and program expansion?
A: The programming process considered projected agency growth over the next 20 years, ensuring ample space for future expansion of both staff and lab equipment. The building is organized around two primary lab bars, each served by two main shafts to centrally house the laboratory and MEP systems—from the ground floor to the roof. This configuration enables efficient system distribution to the labs, with plug-and-play ceiling panels located above the benches for easy access and adaptability.
Q: Were any modular or adaptable design strategies employed to allow for flexibility in space usage and future technological upgrades?
A: The labs were initially programmed using a modular approach,then refined as specific equipment needs were identified, such as electron microscopes, DNA sequencers, mass spectrometers, and high-performance computing clusters to support and facilitate complex experiments and data analysis. All systems were carefully coordinated with flexible, modular bench design and adaptable MEP infrastructure, allowing the spaces to evolve alongside emerging research needs and technological advancements.
Q: Can you elaborate on the sustainability features integrated into the facility, such as energy-efficient MEP systems, heat recovery, and water-saving plumbing fixtures?
A: The building incorporates energy-efficient MEP systems, heat recovery, chilled water cooling, water-saving plumbing fixtures (27.52 percent), and continuous exterior envelope building insulation to reduce its carbon footprint. The design has a 12.97 percent energy cost savings and 23.4 percent energy use savings compared to the IECC 2021 baseline for laboratory buildings. It integrates environmental control systems to maintain optimal temperature, humidity, and air quality levels as needed in each particular laboratory to ensure the integrity of samples and testing.
MEP equipment N+1 redundancy on laboratory and fume hood exhaust fans, hot water boilers and pumps, water chillers, AHUs with heat recovery, full generator backup, and UPS for all critical lab equipment.
Designed for long-term adaptability and sustainability, the Missouri Multi-Agency Laboratory Campus features modular lab spaces with flexible MEP infrastructure, advanced research equipment, and high-efficiency systems—including heat recovery, water-saving fixtures, and N+1 redundancy—to support evolving scientific needs while minimizing environmental impact.
Q: How was the use of locally sourced materials balanced with the need for advanced technological infrastructure and energy efficiency?
A: The use of locally sourced materials—such as structural steel, curtain wall, and glazing systems—was strategically balanced with the project's investment in advanced technological infrastructure and energy-efficient MEP systems. Engaging local subcontractors and sourcing regional materials helped control construction costs, which in turn allowed for greater allocation of resources toward resilient infrastructure and high-performance systems that deliver long-term operational energy savings.
Q: Considering the collaborative nature of the campus, how were spaces like meeting rooms and collaborative areas designed to promote knowledge exchange among the five agencies?
A: The building is organized around a central shared core that connects all five agencies while maintaining necessary separation for the crime lab. This core includes a two-level lobby, a 200-person meeting room, a prefunction space, and an outdoor roof deck that looks out over a rock bluff and trees. Shared amenities like a fitness center, large communal breakroom, and outdoor seating further supports cross-agency engagement.
Each floor features shared conference rooms near main circulation areas, while collaboration zones with natural light and interactive displays are strategically placed at daylight shafts and corridor ends. Dedicated training labs are also available to all agencies, fostering ongoing knowledge exchange and professional development.
Q: What metrics or evaluation processes will be used to assess the success of the laboratory spaces and collaborative areas once they are fully operational, and how will user feedback be incorporated into future improvements?
A: Success will be evaluated through key metrics such as recruitment and retention rates, operational efficiency, and the facility’s ability to support interagency collaboration. A primary design consideration was the inclusion of a tour route for legislators and public officials to observe the work firsthand—supporting transparency and aiding in future state funding efforts.
Over time, the building’s effectiveness will be measured by the talent it attracts and retains, as well as how well it facilitates training and knowledge exchange through spaces like the 200-person meeting room. Operational success will also be assessed by the efficiency of shared resources—such as loading docks, chemical storage, and waste disposal areas—which are designed to reduce costs and promote collaboration. User feedback will inform future improvements, ensuring the space continues to meet evolving needs.
