DESIGNING HEALTH AND VITALITY INTO EVERY ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDY RICE NEST

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Hilary Cross
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1 DESIGNING HEALTH AND VITALITY INTO EVERY ENVIRONMENT CASE STUDY RICE NEST

We are sharing resources, and students and faculty from different groups can collaborate on bold new projects We have established, decorated faculty rubbing

2 We are sharing resources, and students and faculty from different groups can collaborate on bold new projects We have established, decorated faculty rubbing elbows with emerging young faculty, and they will all be better researchers because of it Ned Thomas, Dean George R Brown School of Engineering Rice University

CASE STUDY: THE NEST IMPACT: 20% more labs 95% increased efficiency 30% more bench space $12/sf below budget NEST is a renovated lab housed within the George R Brown Bioengineering Lab, a 1992 Lab of

3 CASE STUDY: THE NEST IMPACT: 20% more labs 95% increased efficiency 30% more bench space $12/sf below budget NEST is a renovated lab housed within the George R Brown Bioengineering Lab, a 1992 Lab of the Year winner The NEST layout is a radical departure from existing labs at Rice University The Owner challenged FKP to design a space that would better foster the business of research The application of workplace design thinking resulted in almost 20% more lab area, 95% increased efficiency, 200 LF (30%) more bench space, three different types of work areas, and 10 collaboration portals, at a final cost of $12/ SF below the budget target for 15,000 SF lab 5

Existing to Remain CASE STUDY: LABORATORY Services Student Open Office PROJECT STATISTICS Laboratory PI Offices

New Emerging Science and Technology Center LOCATION Rice University George R Brown Hall Level 2, East Wing

(includes fixed equipment) $5,075,000 COST PER SQUARE FOOT $33800 TOTAL PROJECT COST $6,200,000 ARCHITECT FKP

4 Existing to Remain CASE STUDY: LABORATORY Services Student Open Office PROJECT STATISTICS Laboratory PI Offices The most important thing about this new lab will be how it changes the culture of research PROJECT NAME NEST: New Emerging Science and Technology Center LOCATION Rice University George R Brown Hall Level 2, East Wing PROJECT OWNER Rice University DATE OF COMPLETION October 2016 TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE 15,013 SF CONSTRUCTION COST (includes fixed equipment) $5,075,000 COST PER SQUARE FOOT $33800 TOTAL PROJECT COST $6,200,000 ARCHITECT FKP MEP Wylie Consulting Engineers STRUCTURAL Walter P Moore CONTRACTOR DPR Construction CABINETRY MGC Ned Thomas, Dean 7

CASE STUDY: LABORATORY CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Existing Floor Plan Existing Student Work in lab Existing to Remain FKP responded to the dean s

and design, specific users, research and equipment were not known at project kickoff Rice wanted flexibility, plug and play infrastructure, and no

of flexibility: existing benches were fixed and labs did not allow for generational differences in work style Inconvenient maintenance access:

shut down the entire lab wing High energy use due to two-position HVAC control of the fume hood and make-up air valves Labs and offices located

5 CASE STUDY: LABORATORY CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Existing Floor Plan Existing Student Work in lab Existing to Remain FKP responded to the dean s request to maximize lab space with a challenge to think about labs differently and encourage new workplace design Further complicating programming and design, specific users, research and equipment were not known at project kickoff Rice wanted flexibility, plug and play infrastructure, and no interruption in M/E/P services due to adjacent lab use Existing conditions included: Faculty and students divided in separate offices and labs Lack of flexibility: existing benches were fixed and labs did not allow for generational differences in work style Inconvenient maintenance access: mechanical and plumbing infrastructure located in the ceiling above lab benches Single point of failure: the single-fan air-handling unit could shut down the entire lab wing High energy use due to two-position HVAC control of the fume hood and make-up air valves Labs and offices located along perimeter walls completely blocked natural light Lack of color and finish materiality produced a bland, sterile environment Existing Corridor Existing Lab 9

CASE STUDY: LABORATORY OPTION 1 AREA TABULATION KEY ADMIN & PUBLIC - 2144 SF ADMINISTRATIVE & PUBLIC LABORATORY - 7534 SF LABORATORY OFFICE - 472 SF OFFICE SUPPORT - 1670 SF SUPPORT BENCH SPACE: 990

6 CASE STUDY: LABORATORY OPTION 1 AREA TABULATION KEY ADMIN & PUBLIC SF ADMINISTRATIVE & PUBLIC LABORATORY SF LABORATORY OFFICE SF OFFICE SUPPORT SF SUPPORT BENCH SPACE: 990 LF EQUIPMENT SPACE: 80 LF OPTION 2 AREA TABULATION KEY ADMIN & PUBLIC -2528SF ADMINISTRATIVE & PUBLIC LABORATORY -7185SF LABORATORY OFFICE -494 SF OFFICE SUPPORT SF SUPPORT BENCH SPACE: 858 LF EQUIPMENT SPACE: 324 LF OPTION 3 AREA TABULATION KEY DESIGN OBJECTIVES AND OPTIONS The vacated space had been assigned to two departments Rather than claim individual territories, the two deans agreed that the primary goal was to maximize lab space They quickly realized the bigger opportunity in co-locating would be the potential to promote interdisciplinary research Thus the overarching project goal became a fundamental change in the research mindset away from individual research and toward collaboration, a new way of conducting the business of research This also became an opportunity to change in the way the physical lab supports the work of researchers The students were able to move from disparate workstations in enclosed rooms or in labs where they could eat or drink to a light-filled open group room This shared space would also bring together established, decorated faculty with emerging young faculty, potentially a generation apart Such generational gaps had to be supported with flexible work areas, conducive to different work styles Rice also wanted the NEST to be a recruitment showcase, one that positioned Rice at the forefront of leading research institutions From an operational standpoint, the mechanical and plumbing infrastructure had to keep pace with equipment evolutions The new design had to allow easy access with no interruptions to the occupants FKP presented four options to maximize both lab and student space The group selected Option 1 for the large open lab space that maximized daylight even though it pulled the desk space a little further from the lab The deans felt it was more important to bring the lab and desk spaces together and not have separation ADMIN & PUBLIC -3278SF ADMINISTRATIVE & PUBLIC LABORATORY SF OFFICE -494 SF LABORATORY OFFICE SUPPORT SF SUPPORT BENCH SPACE: EQUIPMENT SPACE: 628 LF 191 LF OPTION 4 AREA TABULATION KEY ADMIN & PUBLIC SF ADMINISTRATIVE & PUBLIC LABORATORY SF OFFICE -494 SF LABORATORY OFFICE SUPPORT SF SUPPORT BENCH SPACE: EQUIPMENT SPACE: 778 LF 101 LF Breakout Space 11

collaboration in the existing lab were the walls The design maximizes lab space by clustering all bench and support space into one wing and all work areas in the other perpendicular wing, in a

7 CASE STUDY: LABORATORY DESIGN SOLUTIONS What does Collaboration look like in a lab? FKP turned to workplace design thinking to illustrate the possibilities to Rice FKP first immersed themselves in the users shoes to walk through a day in the life at the lab The biggest hurdles to collaboration in the existing lab were the walls The design maximizes lab space by clustering all bench and support space into one wing and all work areas in the other perpendicular wing, in a completely open floor plan, thereby reducing the amount of dedicated corridor space needed The enclosed support spaces flank both ends of the lab Faculty offices are relocated across from the work space To address the differing work styles of all users, there are several types of work areas By clustering the individual study carrels into one area, NEST can now accommodate 57 desks, almost double the number of previous graduate student desks Two teamwork tables are interspersed with the carrels, making an impromptu group gathering very easy There is also a large conference area immediately outside the faculty offices Soft lounge seating is nearby, as well as a coffee shop setup at the break area Ample technology is provided throughout the whole space to truly make taking work with you easier The openness now brings daylight through the whole floor Where walls are needed, clear glass is used to the extent possible, and frosted glass where necessary Transparency is the overt intention in all areas of NEST 13

CASE STUDY: LABORATORY LAB DESIGN NEST opened the door for other Rice administrators to reevaluate the status quo of lab design It will be used as a template for renovating the remaining floors in

benefits beyond Collaboration: Concealing the electrical infrastructure behind Portal access panels eliminated the need to dedicate a portion of the space for an electrical room, and conserved wall

8 CASE STUDY: LABORATORY LAB DESIGN NEST opened the door for other Rice administrators to reevaluate the status quo of lab design It will be used as a template for renovating the remaining floors in the George R Brown Lab building Collaboration will no longer be an idea, but a tangible practice fostered by the intentional incorporation of workplace design ideas The Portals provide important benefits beyond Collaboration: Concealing the electrical infrastructure behind Portal access panels eliminated the need to dedicate a portion of the space for an electrical room, and conserved wall space The Portals effectively allow the hallway to be circulation and work space, producing greater efficiency The width of the Portal hallway makes it the main circulation corridor, eliminating the need for additional circulation space 15

CASE STUDY: LABORATORY COLLABORATION PORTALS The anticipated outcome is that the open plan will naturally encourage collaboration FKP leveraged the challenging location of the structural columns into

were relocated against each Portal, along with the control valves and gasses The consolidation solved two issues: accessibility to infrastructure is improved, making maintenance and upgrades easier,

a large writing area where multiple people can gather FKP deliberately chose the bright green for the Portals to energize the space, along with other pops of color in some of the flooring and soft

9 CASE STUDY: LABORATORY COLLABORATION PORTALS The anticipated outcome is that the open plan will naturally encourage collaboration FKP leveraged the challenging location of the structural columns into the most notable collaboration feature in NEST the Portals The seven Portals form the natural circulation spine through the center of the lab space The electrical panels and emergency shower piping were relocated against each Portal, along with the control valves and gasses The consolidation solved two issues: accessibility to infrastructure is improved, making maintenance and upgrades easier, and square footage is saved The real stroke of design ingenuity is the Portal coverings, bright green, writeable laminated glass access panels This allows users to walk mere feet from their bench to a large writing area where multiple people can gather FKP deliberately chose the bright green for the Portals to energize the space, along with other pops of color in some of the flooring and soft seating Choosing a color other than the standard Rice blue used across campus was such a bold move that the users deferred final approval to the campus architect! The resulting aesthetic, between the openness, clean lines, flexible work spaces and overall brightness, is that of a Tech Start-up and a very deliberate intent of the FKP design Portal Locations 17

By using open floor plans, we gained nearly 20% more lab area than before the renovation, and we will be able to accommodate almost double the number of graduate student desks as before Dean Thomas

10 By using open floor plans, we gained nearly 20% more lab area than before the renovation, and we will be able to accommodate almost double the number of graduate student desks as before Dean Thomas We literally tore down the walls that prevented researchers from collaborating, and in the process gained new square footage by taking out hallways, doors, and walls Ned Thomas, Dean George R Brown School of Engineering

11 wwwfkpcom

Georgia Institute of Technology Advanced Computing Technology Building. Draft Program. Vision Program Outline

Georgia Institute of Technology Advanced Computing Technology Building Draft Program Vision Program Outline Issued April 2, 2001 I N T R O D U C T I O N Scope This document is a summary of the Vision Session