Microbiology Research Facility

University of Minnesota

Positioned on the edge of campus within the University of Minnesota’s Biomedical Discovery District (BDD), the Microbiology Research Facility (MRF) is a key addition, designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers and students within both the BDD and the facility itself.

BWBR led interactive sessions with University faculty members to learn the preferred ways of collaborating and how this affects cross-departmental adjacencies and interactions. The results brought clarity to the overall vision, and played a crucial role in understanding the complexities and interrelations of diseases. Conforming to the vision, a variety of space types are choreographed along the MRF’s main circulation to anticipate, encourage, and catalyze collaboration.

Lab areas are organized in neighborhoods and provide support space for each team right outside of the lab. As one of the first projects to implement the University’s “Smart Labs” initiative, the lab facilities’ mechanical systems make the labs safer and dramatically reduce air volumes without sacrificing air quality. The encompassing space network is dynamic, efficient, and infuses the facility with a practical sense of purpose and a cultural spirit of communication.

Designed in collaboration with lab planner HERA Laboratory Planners.