From Elk to Evidence: Building Missouri’s Next-Gen Laboratory Campus

How do you translate the needs of multiple agencies with different missions, workflows, equipment, and growth plans into one cohesive laboratory facility? This session examines the programming strategies used for the 220,000-square-foot Missouri Multi-Agency Laboratory Campus and highlights lessons applicable to other complex laboratory projects.

Attendees will learn how an intensive programming process can uncover existing workflows, equipment requirements, staffing needs, operational challenges, and opportunities for improvement before design decisions are finalized. The session will also explore strategies for balancing agency-specific requirements with shared spaces and resources, planning for future scientific needs, and incorporating technology and common areas to support collaboration without compromising individual functions.

Through this case study, attendees will gain practical approaches for engaging diverse laboratory users, translating their needs into facility requirements, and creating a flexible campus that supports both current operations and future growth.

Learning objectives:
1. Focus on human-centered design: Understand how designing for the people who use laboratories can improve safety, comfort, and research performance.
2. Focus on inclusion: Explore design strategies that address diverse physical, sensory, and cognitive needs within the laboratory environment.
3. Focus on balancing priorities: Examine how safety, technical performance, accessibility, and occupant well-being can be addressed through thoughtful design decisions.
4. Focus on practical application: Identify strategies that can be incorporated into laboratory design to create more usable, inclusive, and supportive environments for everyone.