Design for Science: NIH's New Vaccine Research Center
SST Planners recently completed the laboratory programming, planning and lab design for the award winning and widely published Dale and Betty Bumpers Vaccine Research Center (VRC) at NIH. Intense interest in this innovative facility is due in part to the integral role the research plays in the preservation of worldwide public health stability. Recent breakthroughs include the development of preliminary AIDS and Ebola trial vaccines. In spite of its overall mechanical complexity, this interstitial style laboratory was developed as a design-build project and was started, constructed and occupied in only 30 months as part of a mandate to find and develop an AIDS vaccine within a decade. The design of the laboratories was specifically developed to promote multi-disciplinary teamwork for rapidly emerging priorities. The completed labs bring together such diverse groups as virology and immunology within a neighborhood. Casework flexibility and an overall pleasant ambiance contribute to the exceptional productivity of the facility.
Natural Light, flexible casework and immediate adjacency to desk areas make this a productive lab. For more about this [Featured Project]
An Innovative Planning Process: "Problem Seeking"
SST believes that defining the problem statement is the single most important step towards designing and constructing a successful facility. We believe that a highly communicative, consensus building programming heuristic such as the process developed by William Peņa in his book, "Problem Seeking" is ideal. SST uses this methodology to engage the project stakeholders in open communication to establish the goals, collect the facts, uncover the concepts, determine the needs, and ultimately to state the design problem to be accomplished.
Analysis cards developed during the process are posted in a wall display for all to see and comment on. This process builds consensus within the Team and seeks input from all of the groups that will have input into a new facility. Many surprises are thus avoided. For more about the [Programming Process]
Design Visualization: A Way to See Programming Implications
SST Planners can provide full motion video or still images early in programming and design process. Items such as material and color selection, location of offices relative to labs, furniture and equipment locations can be visually displayed to enable an informed decision making process.
The computer generated model illustrates casework, equipment, and the general organization of a corporate laboratory. For more about [Design Visualization]
Benchmarking and Trends Research: Promoting Innovation in Laboratory Design
SST's large project database is a proprietary tool that augments our methodology. It has been used to help our clients quickly compare their facilities with other peer institutions. SST has been able to provide an objective, insightful perspective on many facets of existing or proposed science buildings. This tool has been used in establishing space standards and order of magnitude costs for proposed buildings and it serves as a reality check during the programming and planning process. SST has provided benchmarking services to a variety of clients such as Eli Lilly, Johns Hopkins, NIH, and MIT.
SST maintains a library of laboratory and vivarium "vital statistics" for use during programming workshops. For more about [Benchmarking]
Problem Solving is the other side of Problem Seeking
"I implore you, take some interest in those sacred dwellings meaningly described as laboratories." L. Pasteur 1868
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