The Human-Centric Laboratory: A Forward-Thinking Case Study
2025 Lab Design Conference speaker—Isabel Mandujano, director of laboratory planning at LPA Design Studios, Lab Design News editorial advisory board member
The laboratory has long been viewed as a realm of sterile precision, a place where the pursuit of scientific discovery often overshadowed the human element within its walls. However, as Isabel Mandujano, director of laboratory planning at LPA Design Studios, presented at the 2025 Lab Design Conference in Denver, a profound shift is underway. The human-centric laboratory is emerging as a responsive, healthy, and inspirational space where researchers can truly thrive, explore, create, and make groundbreaking discoveries. This forward-thinking case study delves into environmental interventions and strategies that elevate the human experience in the scientific workplace, expanding the definition of sustainability to prioritize human comfort, health, and well-being.
Mandujano (a member of the Lab Design News editorial advisory board) emphasized that while salaries and human capital are crucial, "people are our best resource, and so investing in the possibility that people can feel their mental health, their physical health and wellness is always the best investment we can do." This philosophy forms the bedrock of LPA Design Studios' approach, which focuses on laboratories that are not only functional and safe but also sustainable and, critically, human-centric.
Her presentation focused on five core elements that profoundly impact scientific environments: multisensory design; equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI); biophilia; technology; and the physiological implications of sustainable design.
Multisensory design: beyond the visual
When designing spaces, our minds often default to the visual. However, the human experience is inherently multisensory, encompassing sounds, smells, textures, and temperatures. Mandujano highlighted that "the memories that you make in a space are about what you hear, the sounds that you hear, the smells, the food that you eat, and how things feel the temperature of the space, and all of those add together to the experience that goes beyond the visual."
Read more about Isabel’s 2025 Lab Design Conference session in her Professional Profile interview!
The benefits of a multisensory approach are profound. It leads to more immersive, memorable, and engaging experiences, fostering a sense of welcome and wholeness that can elicit healthier, more creative responses. Crucially, considering neurodiversity—the understanding that not everyone responds to stimuli the same way—necessitates a variety of environments. Providing choices for quiet reflection, varied acoustics, or different textures can reduce anxiety and improve cognitive performance, a vital aspect for researchers. Strategies include creating "micro environments" or "tranquility focus rooms" with lower lighting and cozy furniture, or incorporating natural sounds and textures to offer respite from often sterile, harsh, noisy, and smelly lab settings.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI): fostering belonging
Creating inclusive environments is paramount to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. Mandujano acknowledged that STEM careers can be challenging to enter, and individuals may feel they "don't belong." A welcoming space removes barriers, improves the sense of belonging, and reduces burnout.
Key strategies for EDI in lab design include:
Activity-based work environments: Moving beyond traditional bench assignments, spaces are designed for specific activities (e.g., noisy instrument rooms vs. quiet, people-focused areas) allowing researchers to move between environments as their tasks dictate.
Privacy gradients: Recognizing that "the Open Lab is just like the Open Office. Not everybody is comfortable working on such an open environment," designs now incorporate a range of privacy levels, from fully open collaborative zones to private focused areas, catering to diverse working styles.
Wellness rooms: Evolved beyond spaces for new parents, these rooms offer medical privacy, a place to decompress for those with sensory issues, or simply a private moment during a challenging day.
Universal restrooms: Providing more privacy for universal design makes spaces better for everyone, ensuring individuals can "be who they are and bring that authenticity to work."
Biophilia: the innate connection to nature
The positive impact of nature on human well-being is scientifically proven. Mandujano noted in her Lab Design Conference presentation that "even like a picture of a mountain or a picture of a tree... can improve the feeling of wellness." While true nature is irreplaceable, elements that evoke it—like organic shapes, natural materials, and even bird song—can lower stress, reduce heart rate, and aid in recovery from anxiety, simultaneously improving social connection and mental health.
The easiest and most impactful biophilic strategy is access to natural light and views. As Mandujano asserted, "the benefit of just having a window... where you can look outside and understand the passage of time, the weather... there is immeasurable benefits to that. So I fight, I fight for windows everywhere I can." She cited an example where incorporating a window into a cleanroom, despite requiring multiple layers for ISO rating, "has been incredible for productivity" for those performing intricate assembly tasks. Other strategies include incorporating plant life (even a simple desk plant), using organic-feeling materials, designing with auditory and tactile variety, and providing equal access to nature across different building levels.
Technology: augmenting human potential
The rapid advancements in technology—automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality—are revolutionizing the workplace. Mandujano focused on what this means for human-centric design: technology as an augmentation of human capabilities.
Machines taking over repetitive, precision-demanding, or hazardous tasks frees humans to focus on uniquely human strengths: "empathy and collaboration and mentoring and reasoning creativity." This not only smooths workflows and reduces errors but also brings a greater sense of purpose to lab personnel. AI, for instance, is seen as a co-worker that can "help us burn that haystack so we can find that solution a lot faster," particularly in data processing and accelerating discovery. Augmented and virtual reality offer new avenues for remote collaboration, visualization, and training, allowing scientists to explore complex models or processes in immersive, shared virtual spaces.
Physiological implications of sustainable design: beyond energy efficiency
Traditionally, sustainable design has centered on energy savings and environmental efficiency. However, a human-centric approach expands this definition to prioritize the physiological and psychological comfort of occupants. Standards like LEED, WELL, and Fitwel are shifting this focus, rewarding designs that address basic human needs (air, water, food, thermal comfort) and progress towards emotional well-being, community, and even happiness.
Key considerations include:
Movement support: Encouraging physical activity by making stairs prominent and accessible, rather than hiding elevators.
Clean environment: Reducing "sick building syndrome" through good ventilation and air quality. Mandujano highlights that while labs traditionally have robust ventilation, "we can increase that, and look at the known lab spaces to increase that too." Using non-toxic and responsibly sourced materials is also vital.
Thermal and auditory comfort: Being mindful of noisy equipment placement and providing transition spaces to escape harsh, constant lighting, which can disrupt circadian rhythms. If windows aren't possible, "light fixtures out there that can simulate what a window might look like" can help.
Flexibility and control: Allowing individuals to choose and adapt their workspace reduces waste and downtime, fostering a sense of control over their environment.
Integrating strategies for a transformed future
The power of this human-centric approach lies in the synergy of these five elements. Mandujano and her team found that "a single strategy may be affecting five or six different benefits." Their case study illustrates a typical commercial lab transformed by introducing an "organic organization of the space along something that feels like a river or a trail," disrupting the traditional square grid with more fractal-based patterns, and integrating interconnected circulation stairs to encourage movement and connection across levels.
The future laboratory envisions technology as a partner, allowing automation to manage hazards while humans focus on observation and control. It promotes global collaboration through visualization technologies and AI-driven insights. Beyond the lab bench, spaces are designed for diverse needs: larger areas for collaborative work, single spaces for focused tasks, and access to green spaces, terraces, and natural light wherever possible.
Ultimately, the human-centric laboratory is about small, impactful changes. As Mandujano concluded, it's "not about changing the needle completely, but how do you get it a little bit better?" By integrating these research-based strategies and prioritizing human comfort, health, and well-being, laboratories can become truly inspiring environments that foster innovation, productivity, and a profound sense of purpose for the scientists who drive progress within them.
Continue the discussion on user-centric design at the 25th annual Lab Design Conference! Join us in Orlando, FL, on May 11–14, 2026 for educational sessions and networking opportunities with fellow leaders in the laboratory design-build industry—enhance your experience with optional add-ons. For more information on the agenda, networking events, workshops, and lab tours, visit us at https://www.labdesignconference.com/.
