Translating User Feedback into Smarter, More Flexible Labs
A common complaint from lab users was that workflows were interrupted by poor spatial connectivity. At Prime Medicine in Cambridge, MA, a dedicated connecting stair makes the flow between labs seamless. Image: Courtesy of Perkins&Will
Incorporating end-user feedback into laboratory design is essential for creating spaces that support scientific workflows, adapt to future needs and foster collaboration. By engaging scientists, operations teams, and facilities staff early in the process, design teams can better align physical spaces with both research goals and day-to-day functionality. Recent conversations with lab architects and planners underscore the importance of listening closely to lab users—and understanding not only what they need but also what they do—can lead to more thoughtful, flexible, and sustainable design strategies.
In a discussion with a group of Boston-based scientists, Perkins&Will's Bill Harris, AIA, LEED AP, principal and regional director; Derek Johnson, AIA, principal; and Steve Webster, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, associate principal in science and technology gathered firsthand insights into the evolving needs of laboratory users. The conversation highlighted what scientists value in their current labs, the challenges they face, and the improvements they hope to see going forward.
Understanding the lab user
"We love the question," says Harris, when asked how the team translates scientist feedback into design. "It made us think about the process because it really works at three different levels."
Harris describes how understanding the strategic goals of an organization lays the groundwork for aligning leadership's vision with facility capabilities. From there, programming involves a detailed exploration of the science itself—what researchers actually do, not just what they claim to need.
The team then moves into client engagement. Webster elaborates on this point: "When you step them back and ask them about what they're doing, it gives us an opportunity to help them with their process and their flows. It also gives us an opportunity to connect it back to that point—making sure the vision of the space is aligning with how the science is going to be filling that vision."
A survey of scientists identified five key takeaways to guide future lab design. Human-Centered Design topped the list, with scientists seeking more comfort, color, daylight, and privacy, along with better spaces for collaboration. Functionality was a close second—labs must support efficient workflows, with accessible power, ample storage, and strong spatial connections. Technological Preparations are essential as AI and automation reshape lab environments. Scientists also encouraged Adopting New Models, pointing to European lab benches with integrated features as examples. Finally, Sustainability emerged as a core value, with growing demand for energy-efficient equipment, greener buildings, and smarter waste practices. Image: Courtesy of Perkins&Will
One standout example came from a recent project in a repurposed Sears department store. With deep floorplates and no natural light on several levels, the challenge was to create a lab that was both collaborative and humane. "We introduced the stair—but not just a stair that was in the office space, but one that was dedicated and designed to support laboratory circulation," Webster explains. "That alone saved them on the order of four minutes every time [scientists] had to do that." Multiply that by hundreds of scientists and daily trips, and the impact becomes immense.
Flexibility, functionality, and future-proofing
Designing for future technologies, such as AI and robotics, also requires a forward-thinking infrastructure strategy. "In labs, it's about infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure," says Harris. That includes power, exhaust, vibration control, and mechanical capacity—all essential to support emerging technologies without requiring costly renovations later.
Webster notes the importance of making day-one decisions that enable day-two possibilities. "Let's plan in the pipe rack locations. Let's plan in the valve location so that when you shut that air system off, you're not shutting the whole entire lab down."
Adaptable lab environments, such as ballroom-style layouts with mobile casework and ceiling-fed utilities, are increasingly common. "These automated labs ... it's all about the power in the ceilings and the utilities in ceilings, and it being distributed horizontally, and nothing else being in the way," says Webster. This level of flexibility allows for complete reconfiguration when large robotic assemblies or new processes are introduced.
Optimization and the cost of misalignment
Sustainable technologies are integrated into every aspect of the LEED Platinum and WELL Gold certified building design at Assembly Innovation Park in Somerville, MA, from triple-glazed curtain wall to high-efficiency mechanical systems. Image: Courtesy of Perkins&Will
On the topic of lab optimization, Johnson emphasizes designing with "residual value in mind." Beyond sustainability, flexibility saves time, cost, and materials over a lab's lifetime. Reusing elements like benches and phenolic tops helps reduce environmental impact, which is especially important as more clients seek to meet sustainability goals.
However, Johnson acknowledges that understanding the carbon footprint of laboratory components remains a challenge. "There's little to no information on things like fume hoods, lab casework, and sinks," he says. "We're actively trying to not only push the industry to look into these but gain the information and help it inform our design."
Physical optimization also plays a role. Harris describes a project where 35 percent of space was reclaimed simply through layout improvements. "Even though only seven to eight percent became additional lab space, that was incredibly valuable—and avoided the need to lease more space or build a new building."
Communication, both with clients and internal teams, is another key ingredient. One of the most common causes of costly change orders in lab construction happens when users begin moving in equipment and realize they want it arranged differently, says Webster. "Oh, no, I really want mass spec, or whatever it may be, to be over here, not over there," he recalls. Specialized equipment such as mass spectrometers often requires specific infrastructure, and relocating it after construction can be expensive. Misunderstandings usually stem from users misreading floor plans and mistaking benches for equipment placement.
The lesson: cutting costs without context can undermine the entire project. To avoid such missteps, the team uses tools such as 3D models, virtual reality, Revit, and mockups to allow users to experience spaces before they're built. "Moving something digitally is far less expensive than moving something in the field," Webster says.
Designing for culture and community
When it comes to the much-discussed balance between transparency and privacy in labs, the team emphasizes offering choices. "Science on display" may engage investors and internal teams, but users still need quiet, comfortable spaces. "You can't design the laboratory without designing the workplace and vice versa," says Webster.
Color, art, lighting, and even music all play into human-centered lab design. Harris notes that many scientists he has worked with are also musicians, and some clients have even requested that soundproof rehearsal rooms be included in their lab designs to accommodate in-house bands. This overlap between science and music led Harris and his wife, Marcia, to launch the Battle of the Bio\Tech Bands in 2013—a charitable event where bands made up of life sciences professionals compete to raise money for various causes. Held annually in Boston, the event has grown in popularity and community impact. This year, the organization will celebrate its 10th anniversary by expanding to the West Coast with the first-ever Battle of the Bio\Tech Bands West, scheduled for October in San Diego.
Ultimately, user-centric lab designs reflect a broader ethos: that science doesn't happen in isolation, and spaces that foster community, collaboration, and comfort make the work—and the people behind it—more successful.
"The amazing thing about these organizations is that they are so engaged and so committed to a world that is outside of their own tasks," says Harris. "They're all focused on their patient populations. They care about them deeply."
