Laboratories are complex, technically sophisticated spaces. At a vital time of innovation and change for the industry, companies need their lab facilities now more than ever to be up to date and futureproof, to attract and excite new talent and to allow them to stay at the forefront of innovation. 

No matter how standard or bespoke your laboratory, we can design a cutting-edge space that will improve efficiency, productivity and safety. Here are some of the recent laboratory design trends that we predict will become increasingly popular and that we look to when designing laboratory and R&D facilities.

Designing for Collaboration

One of the biggest trends we have seen in recent years is increased focus on collaboration between individuals to foster greater creativity and collaborative thinking. Originally, this led to large, open-plan lab spaces, however, smaller spaces with fewer benches are now becoming more popular, as companies have realised that more people doesn’t always equal increased collaboration. 

Flexible Amenities

A trend that is becoming increasingly popular is incorporating flexible amenities into laboratories. Labs can be designed with movable benches and flexible furniture that can be stowed away quickly to make even the smallest of spaces efficient. Flexibility is a great way to better utilise space, and can also make it easier for any future changes and renovations to be made.

Rise in Automation

One of the biggest changes that is only going to become more apparent over the coming years is the rise of automation and computation approaches to supplement ‘wet lab’ processes. Processes that previously had to be done by hand, can now be carried with the push of a button, reducing the need for scientists to have large, dedicated bench spaces. Automation and computing in laboratories is only going to increase in the future, so it is likely we will see a move away from traditional lab benches and towards furniture that fits smoothly with machines and computing equipment.