the field of global research. Located in a rural
community of less than 6,000 residents, WSU
quietly attracts world-class research faculty.
As public institutions nationwide compete
for limited resources, faculty and graduate
students, the new building breaks through the
challenges of a harsh climate, isolated location
and limited construction and operating dollars
and provides a dramatic new presence for WSU;
a major entrance to its emerging six-building,
750,000-sf research complex and a bold and
distinctive identity for the College of Veterinary
Medicine.
The design-build team—including SRG
Partnership (architect/interiors), Jacobs
Consultancy (lab planner) and Arup (MEP
engineer)—alternated bands of open and closed
labs and offices to bring daylight and views deep
inside the building, and created research “neigh-
borhoods” with visual connections between
zones and a sense of collegiality. Support space
along with open labs and the linear equipment
corridors promote movement and connec-
tions, as well as a specified location for noisy,
heat-producing equipment that requires stand-
by power. Custom-designed overhead service
carriers provide the movable lab benches with
utilities and linear fixtures for ambient lighting
when needed. The light-filled circulation spine
encourages movement between the VBRB and
adjacent science complex, and is both a physical
connection and a means to promote interaction
between wide ranges of scientific disciplines. A
two-story Science Forum creates the signature
gathering place for WSU’s entire six-building
research complex. The building includes sus-
tainable features such as glazed transom lights,
fixed/operable internal shading, user-controlled
shades, runaround glycol solution loop and
low-temperature radiant systems.
Lab of the Year Award
winners represent excellence
continued from page 4
for execution of this concept, and it was quickly determined that a more permanent solution
would be required to support the goals of the
project. Through over six iterations of the
design, the project would change from a basic
BSL- 3 facility, consisting of two research labs
and support space, to a 22,395-gsf facility for
select agent work in animal models.
Providing transparency, natural light and
a connection to the surrounding natural
landscape in an intense biocontainment environment is the central theme of the project.
Biocontainment facilities are typically designed
as windowless bunkers for security reasons, and
great care was taken to provide access to the
natural environment for workers who spend the
majority of their day working in cumbersome
person-protective equipment in the lab. All of
the lab spaces in which people work have access
to natural light and views. Organizationally,
the project consists of two distinct zones: the
headhouse and the biocontainment zone. The
headhouse contains the manager’s office, a
conference/break room, a communicating stair
between the mechanical rooms and a BSL- 2
research lab. The headhouse, wrapped in zinc,
is the point where the dynamic form of the
roof transforms its shape to define the main
entrance. The biocontainment zone, which is
clad in concrete block, contains suites of animal holding and procedure rooms, along with
research labs and a secure loading dock. The
research floor is sandwiched between two interstitial mechanical floors that provide access to
maintain and service equipment without violating biocontainment barriers.
The Pell Lab is tracking LEED Gold certification.
Project Team: Penn State Univ. (client);
Payette, Boston (architect/lab planner/interior
designs); Merrick & Co., Duluth, Ga. (MEP/
structural engineer); Sweetland Engineering &
Associates, State College, Pa. (civil engineer);
Automated Logic (controls); The Baker Co.
(biosafety cabinets); Tecniplast USA (
decontamination lock); Dudick (high-performance
coatings); Wausau (window systems).
2014 LABORATORY OF YEAR HIGH HONORS:
WSU’S VETERINARY AND BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH BUILDING
The Veterinary Biomedical and Research
Building (VBRB) at Washington State Univ.
(WSU) celebrates the significant achievements
and contributions that hundreds of small,
often unknown academic institutions make in
Summer solstice view of the Bigelow Laboratory from the shore road looking at the east fronts of each research
wing. Image: Christopher Barnes Photography
West and north elevations of the Washington State Univ. VBRB. Image: SRG Partnership
