Professional Profile: Andrea Ingersoll Totte

Andrea Ingersoll Totte, lab planner with HERA Inc. in Austin, TX

Andrea Ingersoll Totte has joined HERA Inc. as a lab planner in Austin, TX. Lab Design News spoke to Andrea about her path into lab design, how emerging technologies are reshaping the field, and the trends she sees driving the next generation of laboratory spaces.

Q: What sparked your interest in designing labs—was there a defining moment that led you to this career?

A: At the age of five, from my purple Little Tikes convertible, I announced to the world that I would be an architect, so my commitment to the craft began early in my childhood. I first discovered lab design during my studies at the University of Illinois. After gaining experience in healthcare and institutional architecture early in my career, I confirmed my specialization through a project for a museum’s conservation laboratory. I am captivated by the process of designing these highly technical environments and am driven by a deep curiosity for how each unique space supports its users.

Q: How do you see AI and automation influencing lab design in the coming years?

A: The influence of AI and automation on the design of laboratories will be profound, fundamentally reshaping the philosophy of this market sector and the spaces themselves. I believe we will begin to see more modular, reconfigurable systems which adapt to changing workflows. High-input automation processes, collaborative data analysis, and hands-on manual work require adaptable zone creation. An increase in the extent of conduit planning, data storage areas, water usage, and connectivity solutions will coincide with the increase in data flow and processing.

I think we will see an increased need for immersive data visualization, collaboration, and cognition spaces (focus pods) for data interpretation and creative problem-solving as repetitive high-volume tasks become more commonly handled by robotic tools. Clearance pathways, structural loads, and ceiling heights may be influenced by architectural-scale automation as things like ASRS (automated storage and retrieval systems) are used more often for samples and materials.

AI-optimization tools may influence the sustainability and efficient use of resources in lab environments. Predictive safety tools, like spill sensors, practice monitoring, or bio-feedback monitors may be implemented to alert users of unsafe conditions before incidents occur. I believe we will see an increase in physical access controls and secure network segmentation design to protect intellectual property and data. The impact of AI on laboratory design will be characterized by adaptability over rigidity, and increase in human-robotics collaboration, and predictive intelligence over reactive systems.

As a laboratory planner, I see this as a thrilling shift. This moves the focus from providing functional space to the creation of integrated, intelligent ecosystems that actively accelerate discovery. My passion lies in understanding these unique workflows and translating them into a physical environment that is not simply a container for space, but a catalyst for it.

Q: What is one important “soft skill” that all lab design experts should have?

A: The most important skill a lab design expert can have is the ability to actively listen. This is paramount as the finished space must reflect the nuanced and sometimes unspoken workflows of its users. By truly hearing and understanding both the stated and underlying needs, the designer can translate complex processes into an efficient and inspirational environment. This ensures the laboratory doesn’t just meet specifications but actively enables the groundbreaking work that will occur within it.

Q: What’s one feature you think every modern laboratory should have, but many still don’t?

A: One feature every modern laboratory should have, but may often be overlooked, is dedicated space for “soft” collaboration zones interspersed directly within the footprint of the laboratory. While open plans are common, these may often be just open benches or tables. True collaboration zones with comfortable, non-technical seating, writable surfaces, and acoustic buffering are frequently sacrificed for equipment space. This ignores the crucial need for spontaneous, face-to-face interaction that drives scientific innovation, allowing users to pause and problem-solve without leaving the lab environment.

Q: What trends are you seeing in lab design that you think will shape the future of the industry?

A: The most forward-thinking trends shaping the future of lab design focus on creating integrated, human-centric ecosystems for discovery. To me, the most impactful trend is the deliberate design for serendipitous interaction and well-being. As a market sector, we are moving beyond the “open plan” to intentionally create economies of collision with strategically placed hubs that encourage spontaneous discourse between disciplines. Coupled with sustainable product specification and a deep focus on biophilic elements (those which provide access to natural light, fresh air, and greenery) have proven to reduce cognitive fatigue and boost creativity, directly impacting research outcomes and talent retention. Ultra-flexible utility distribution, modular casework, and structural systems strong enough to support high dense equipment loads anywhere on the floor plate offer hyper-resilience and agility in lab spaces.

Laboratories are now core data nodes. Modern lab design prioritizes robust data infrastructure as a primary utility, with dedicated spaces for computation and immersive visualization facilitating improved analysis and processing of complex datasets. A focus on circular economy and radical sustainability is becoming more commonplace. Beyond energy efficiency, this involves material selection based on ability to be disassembled and reused, design for adaptive reuse, and the implementation of systems which recycle heat and water where possible.

The future of lab design is not just about increased efficiency, but about building smarter, healthier, and more adaptive environments which actively foster human collaboration at the heart of innovation.