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Connecting Campus and Community at George Mason University: Special Mention—Campus to Community Integration
The Life Sciences and Engineering Building at George Mason University redefines academic lab design by using transparency, shared interdisciplinary spaces, and community-facing features to seamlessly connect campus research with public engagement and regional innovation
Breathing New Life into an Old Asset: University of Waterloo Wins Excellence in Whole Building/Holistic Design—Renovation
The University of Waterloo’s Earth Sciences & Chemistry Building Level 3 renovation modernizes a 1960s-era research facility through major spatial reconfiguration and high-performance infrastructure upgrades while maintaining live operations, earning the Excellence in Whole Building/Holistic Design—Renovation prize in the 2026 Design Excellence Awards
Aggie Square Wins Excellence in Whole Building/Holistic Design—New Build in Design Excellence Awards
Aggie Square at UC Davis, winner of the Excellence in Whole Building/Holistic Design—New Build category in the 2026 Design Excellence Awards, brings together research, industry, education, and community functions within a connected ecosystem, where shared spaces and “soft” programmatic connections support everyday interaction and large-scale collaboration
Rapid Response, Lasting Asset: LSU Health’s EVT Wins Excellence in Small Project Design
The LSU Health Shreveport Center for Emerging Viral Threats demonstrates how a tightly integrated, budget-conscious design successfully delivered a flexible, high-containment BSL-2/BSL-3 laboratory that earned recognition for Excellence in Small Project Design
Powering Food Safety Science: University of Nairobi Opens Advanced Analytical Lab
The University of Nairobi has launched a new GC/MS food testing laboratory under the Food Leader project, expanding Kenya’s research capacity and strengthening international collaboration to advance food safety science and training
What It Takes to Plan a Modern Lab Renovation
Complex laboratory renovations require careful planning, phased budgeting, flexible infrastructure, and proactive strategies to address code conflicts and unforeseen conditions, enabling facilities to adapt to evolving research needs and emerging technologies
Modernizing a Science Hub to Enhance Lab Safety and Research Infrastructure
NJIT is investing nearly $20 million to modernize Tiernan Hall’s mechanical, life safety, and laboratory systems, upgrading aging infrastructure to meet current codes, support advanced research, and improve energy efficiency while preserving the building’s legacy
Implementing Ventilation Risk Assessment and Energy Improvements in a Renovated Academic Lab
A recent academic teaching lab renovation, presented in a webinar at the Academic Lab Design Digital Conference, illustrates how a structured Laboratory Ventilation Risk Assessment, early stakeholder engagement, and targeted HVAC upgrades can help institutions modernize aging labs by balancing teaching needs, safety requirements, and energy performance goals
Modernizing Mid-Century Research Buildings
Modernizing mid-century research buildings requires updating infrastructure and lab systems for safety, efficiency, and collaboration while preserving architectural character and enabling flexible, future-ready research spaces
Fostering Interdisciplinary Research: How Flexible Design Unlocks the Future of Science
As scientific research becomes increasingly interdisciplinary, academic institutions face the design challenge of creating laboratory environments that break down traditional silos while remaining flexible, modular, and sustainable enough to adapt to evolving technologies and modes of collaboration