10 Tips For Choosing Lab Design Architects

1) Creativity & Safety

Architects should be highly creative to understand the user requirements and translate it into designs. As laboratories and workplaces are becoming more human-centric & user-friendly, the architect must maintain the right balance between safety and outside-the-box unique ideas.

2) Aesthetics & Sustainability

The lab design architects must help design aesthetic buildings which are scientific and sustainable. The ability to combine the visual appeal of the building with environment friendly functionality is a fine and well-honed skill.

3) Multi-disciplinary Knowledge

Do not limit the field of architecture to drawing and designing. A good architect should have a multi-disciplinary knowledge of construction, safety, sustainability, and, importantly, understanding the science & research business to design a perfect laboratory.

4) Use of Correct Method

Laboratories, unlike a typical workplace, demands highly specialised internal conditions. Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC systems, along with the equipment used for research, require choosing the correct method to create the internal environment.

5) Geography

Knowledge of geography may sound trivial, but it isn’t. A good architect must know the local processes and regulations that govern the construction of buildings. An architect’s knowledge of with the processes and proven experience in the area will be of immense help.

6) Portfolio

Look for architects with a strong portfolio, as it shows a deeper experience in the field. A battle tested architect should be able to give adequate references and testimonials to cross-check and verify their previous work.

7) Team Size

Architects are not superhumans to do everything as an individual. Given the high demand for multi-disciplinary skills, the need to stay abreast with constantly growing and changing regulations, excellent architects have an army of specialists to support them. The best building projects are created when the client and architect work together as a team. Do enquire about the architects’ team size, the skills, and the range of expertise available to support during the project.

8) Support beyond the Design Stage

Laboratories are extremely complex projects. Challenges may crop up at any point in time – during construction or after. Your architect must be available to provide guidance to the execution and operations team when needed to accommodate or fix a developing situation.

9) Open for Learning

Good design is personalisation. To design a suitable building for the laboratory, the architect must understand the research and experiments in the space. The architecture must learn from the users and stakeholders and incorporate the learning into the designs.

10) Finally, Quality, Budget, and Timeframe

Need we say more? Enjoy your lab journey with an architect who can keep all three under control and in fine balance.

While design signifies the start of a new lab project, good design endures the test of time. To design a laboratory with great infrastructure expertise, connect with Kewaunee. We use industry 4.0 Lab technology to deliver high-quality products and have a centralised approach to lab design, planning and construction. Our experience of building 25+ million square feet of lab space and 5,000+ satisfied customers are the evidence for our lab design and architecting skills.