The constant evolution of research methods, advancing technologies, and scientific creativity has impacted the world of research, discovery, and laboratory facility design. A skilled lab designer with scientific design experience, strategic design knowledge, and a fundamental understanding of lab users’ needs is critical in creating an effective research environment.
What Is a Skilled Lab Designer?
Identifying a skilled lab designer who can execute projects to meet laboratory users’ needs requires careful consideration of many factors. Experienced lab designers often have a strong portfolio of successful designs in various sectors, such as academic, clinical, forensic, government, and research and development. By reviewing past designs, you can identify designers with strong attention to detail, a focus on accuracy and precision, and a deep understanding of safety standards and laboratory innovations. A portfolio can also demonstrate the designer’s style, process, and approach to creative problem-solving for complex design challenges.
Can a Skilled Lab Designer Transform Your Scientific Research Environment?
Research environments designed by skilled lab designers enable collaboration, flexibility, and productivity. By hiring the right team, you can optimize a laboratory for specific research requirements to allow the team to achieve its objectives. Well-designed labs provide users with workspaces and storage that facilitate an effective workflow. Here are some additional benefits of using a skilled designer to transform a scientific research environment:
- Facilitates optimal functionality: It’s essential to consider the specific needs of the researchers, the type of research performed, and the equipment, tools, and storage requirements to create a functional design. Skilled and experienced designers understand the requirements of the space and can design a lab that fosters collaboration and allows users to perform their tasks.
- Increases safety: Skilled lab designers have knowledge of safety standards and regulations that facilitate compliance and ensure the laboratory is designed to minimize risks to users. Positioning safety features in appropriate places around workspaces can help prevent accidents and reduce the risk of harm in an emergency.
- Enables collaboration: Well-designed labs provide an environment that fosters communication and collaboration between researchers through open and flexible spaces, shared resources, and functional workspaces. Facilitating teamwork through communication tools and clear organization requires strategic lab design skills.
- Maximizes productivity: Experienced designers consider the researchers’ workflow and design the space to optimize the productivity of the laboratory by placing equipment and workstations strategically. Placing tools, equipment, and supplies intentionally and thoughtfully can improve the researchers’ efficiency and the lab’s output.
- Enhances adaptability: Designers interested in innovation and design trends are more likely to anticipate the research team’s future needs and design a laboratory that can adapt to technological advancements. Designing a space that can accommodate changes to research requirements or processes requires expertise and a deep understanding of scientific design.
- Reduces costs: Designers can work within budget constraints to create an ideal work environment for researchers by selecting cost-effective materials and equipment. Having the knowledge and ability to identify solutions helps designers eliminate unnecessary expenses while delivering a workspace that meets the research team’s needs.
Engaging with a skilled and strategic lab designer like HERA can help you transform your scientific research environment, foster collaboration, and ensure workplace safety for scientists and researchers. Reviewing a designer’s portfolio to see how they solved their clients’ problems with design is an essential part of the selection process.