Sciences

AI and automation turn science spaces into “black box” labs.

Compact “black box” labs automate discovery at scale, shifting design away from traditional benches toward dense robotics enclosures, clean equipment rooms, and climate-controlled shells. These spaces need resilient utility grids, plug-and-play power and cooling, and clear separation between human zones and machine operations.

Labs become mission-critical data hubs.

As labs increasingly function like high-performance data centers, organizations must plan for bifurcated environments. Robotics and wet lab work will be collocated alongside server rooms that require details such as robust cooling and shielded walls for cybersecurity. Locating this core infrastructure in areas with robust power is crucial to ensuring long-term viability.

The maker movement spurs a reallocation of space.

Scientists and engineers build their own tools to address specific research needs, using things like 3D-printed components, programmable cell-therapy boxes, and nano-scale platforms. As such, lab spaces are designed to make space for custom creativity, which is essential for speeding discoveries from prototype to commercialization. Modular bays, fabrication shops, plug-and-play utilities, and adaptable environments can help makers pivot fast.