Recapping Day One of the Lab Design Conference 2024

May 20

The first day of the Lab Design Conference 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona, began with a presentation after breakfast from keynote speaker Dr. Mehdi Nikkah, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering at Arizona State University.

Dr. Nikkah’s presentation focused on the innovative lab space in order to build better model systems for studying human disease progression. Approved for one AIA CES LU credit, the presentation included an in-depth understanding of the crucial role of lab design from the perspective of the lab end user, how a project team plays an important role in developing their groundbreaking research, and how communication and collaboration techniques can be used by laboratory project teams and lab management/lab end users, as well as how to design and construct a laboratory facility to house a multidisciplinary research focus (ranging from microfluidics technologies to advanced biomaterials to human disease modeling), and learning how to develop a flexible design plan for a lab facility that must accommodate both current research and technology, as well as future, unknown advancements in science and lab equipment.

Other presentation highlights included Yale University’s associate director of research operations, Kimberly Heard, and associate provost for science initiatives, Christopher Incarvito, sharing their journey of building a large volume aquatic testing lab for robotic turtle research and the new era of wellness by SmithGroup’s Diane Kase, a principal, and senior lab planner, and Holly Dezinski, an associate senior interior designer on the different thought processes used to accommodate for current and future needs of the lab user.

The day concluded with the fifth Design Excellence Awards ceremony, a program that honors achievements in research laboratory design, planning, and construction and acknowledges everyone who touches the lab design process—from the architect and lab planner to the engineer, as well as laboratory equipment and furniture manufacturers and the lab end user. Winners celebrated their achievements on stage with Lab Design’s managing editor, MaryBeth DiDonna, as they received their prizes prior to an exhibitor reception.

The fifth annual Design Excellence Award Winners:

Excellence in Whole Building/Holistic Design

Rice University Ralph S. O’Connor Engineering

Houston, TX

Submitted by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), in collaboration with Scientia Architects

Excellence in Interior Design

State of New Mexico Forensic Laboratory

Santa Fe, NM

Submitted by Dekker Perich Sabatini

Excellence in Small Project Design

NASA Asteroid Sample Curation Lab

Houston, TX

Submitted by RS&H

Lab Design is also happy to announce that the following lab projects have been awarded Special Merit recognition by our judges. The Special Merit awards are sponsored by El Sea LLC.

Special Merit: Technical Complexity

Australian National University Research School of Physics Stage 1 Building

Acton, Australian Capital Territory

Submitted by Hassell

Special Merit: Sustainable Practices in Design

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation

San Luis Obispo, CA

Submitted by ZGF Architects

Special Merit: Educational Lab Innovation

Tāwharau Ora–School of Veterinary Science

Palmerston North, New Zealand

Submitted by Lab-works Architecture