Lab Design Conference Speaker Profile: Isabel Mandujano
Lab Design spoke to Isabel Mandujano, director of laboratory planning at LPA Design Studios, and a speaker at this year’s Lab Design Conference. Isabel spoke about her career, her pandemic pastimes, and her favorite building she discovered while studying abroad.
Q: How did you get started in your career? Did you major in your field in college, get an internship, switch careers mid-stream, etc.?
Isabel Mandujano
A: I started out my architectural career designing buildings for higher education, and that is where I first became aware of laboratory planning as an expertise. I was lucky to have great mentors very early on, who helped me find a career path that aligns so well with my interests and strengths. Later, when I had the opportunity to work on a very large project for a pharmaceutical research company, I knew that I really found my calling. It gives me a great sense of purpose to work on spaces where scientists are finding innovative ways to cure cancer and other important diseases.
Q: What are some of your career highlights so far?
A: I have been fortunate to design multiple tenant improvement laboratories for early-stage life science companies and incubator-type lab co-working spaces, as well as large ground-up research and innovation centers for biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies across the country. Each project brings its own design challenges and I especially welcome the opportunity to learn from engineers and scientists that work in these settings.
Q: What is your favorite building, lab-related or not?
A: One of my old favorites is the library at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, designed by Mecanoo, which I had the opportunity to spend time in when I was a student there. There is a whimsical quality to it, and it’s a true community space that really stood out to me as a fantastic design inside and out. Last year I had the opportunity to tour the new Harvard University Science and Engineering complex which is an impressive example of commitment to sustainability and human-centric design in an academic laboratory setting.
Q: What do you think is crucial for the success of lab design in the future?
A: In an increasingly complex world, true collaboration and an integrated design process including all stakeholders are critical. I’m especially interested in human-centric design principles that enable creativity and innovation, health and wellness, and equity and inclusion in scientific workplaces.
Q: In an elevator-style pitch, can you tell me a bit about your session at the conference?
A: Decarbonization is an important topic on the next frontier to address climate change. Our presentation will address strategies to reduce embodied carbon on structural elements without compromising the unique performance requirements of laboratory facilities.
Q: What are you most looking forward to at this year's conference?
A: The opportunity to gather with peers and make personal connections is something that I appreciate even more post-pandemic.
Q: What kinds of hobbies or interests do you have outside of work?
A: I’ve always wanted to play the drums. The pandemic was the perfect opportunity to get a drum set and get started. I’ve enjoyed learning how to play, in addition to continuing to play the flute, piano, and guitar—which I’ve done since I was younger.