LSY Architects & Lab Planners

Project Spotlight: RAPA Therapeutics designed and built a cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice), FDA-validated facility for Phase 3 human cell therapy clinical trials. The facility supports the development of treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The project required compliance with strict regulatory standards, including clean rooms, specialized equipment, and reliable utility systems.

This advanced research and clinical support facility was built to meet high standards for safety, cleanliness, and efficient operations. Our team successfully delivered a modern and flexible facility that supports Phase 3 clinical trials and advanced cell therapy research. While the project faced challenges such as design changes, HVAC issues, and validation delays, the final result was a fully functional facility capable of supporting critical medical research and treatment development.

Project Spotlight: The renovation of two Rooms at Scaife Hall successfully modernized aging laboratory facilities for the Department of Pathology’s Liver Center at the University of Pittsburgh. Through careful planning, design, and engineering, LSY created a space that was not only functional and efficient but also adaptable to future research needs. The project addressed both aesthetic and technical challenges, such as lighting and temperature control, to create a contemporary laboratory environment that supports cutting-edge research in pathology and liver studies.

Key Design Achievements:

Laboratory Modernization: The renovation transformed outdated laboratories into modern, flexible, and efficient research spaces that supported the evolving needs of the Liver Center and its research activities.

Improved Lighting: Despite the lack of natural light, the design ensured that the laboratory received bright and even illumination, meeting the client’s request for high-quality lighting.

Temperature Control: The addition of heat pumps addressed the cooling deficiencies in the existing system, ensuring that the labs maintained the appropriate conditions for sensitive research activities.

Enhanced Functionality: The new casework, fume hoods, and equipment spaces provided the infrastructure needed to support modern laboratory equipment and workflows, promoting a safer and more productive research environment.

Project Spotlight: The BST 12th Floor Renovation at the University of Pittsburgh successfully modernized an aging research facility, creating a flexible, efficient, and collaborative environment for scientific work. By strategically incorporating natural light, improving space efficiency, and ensuring the design could accommodate future growth, the renovation not only addressed immediate needs but also provided a long-term, adaptable solution for the university’s research community.

The renovation of the vivarium on the first floor of the Center of Biotechnology and Bioengineering aims to increase rodent housing capacity and improve animal care and support systems, in response to a growing need for laboratory animals in the research program.

Key Features of the Renovation:

-Rodent Housing Expansion:
-Cage Wash Facility Enhancements:
-Personnel Facilities Expansion:

This renovation will significantly enhance the vivarium’s capacity to support research activities, allowing for the expanded housing of rodents and improving operational efficiencies in animal care. The upgraded cage wash and personnel facilities will support these changes, ensuring that the facility can meet the growing demands of the research program.

The NIH Bethesda Campus Security Enhancement project successfully balances the need for enhanced security with the campus’s architectural integrity and open, collaborative atmosphere. Through a minimalist and integrated design approach, the project protects the world-class research environment while maintaining a welcoming, non-fortified appearance. By emphasizing both the functional needs of the security system and the campus’s aesthetic and institutional values, this design approach ensures that the NIH campus remains a leading institution in biomedical research while adapting to modern security challenges.

This master planning and phased renovation project reorganized and consolidated the Department’s modalities to improve proximity, staff interaction, and patient flow. Key components included MRI, CT, interventional suites, radiology, ultrasound, and administrative areas.

The design removed redundant corridors and established a clear circulation system while preserving flexibility for future growth. Utility and HVAC systems were upgraded, including a new emergency power system and enhanced pressurization for infection control zones.

A multi-phase approach ensured continuous patient services with minimal disruption during construction. LSY provided full A/E programming, master planning, design, and post-design services.

LSY led the renovation of a 26,000-square-foot space on the NIH Bethesda Campus to create a state-of-the-art Student Faculty Academic Center (SFAC). This renovation consolidates a variety of academic and support services provided by the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES), providing a central hub for NIH’s graduate student community and faculty. The project includes classrooms, teaching laboratories, student lounges, faculty offices, dining spaces, and recreational areas.

Consolidation of FAES Services:

The SFAC serves as a central location for multiple programs and services provided by FAES and the Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP). The renovated space is designed to support the academic and social needs of graduate students and faculty at NIH.

One of the most striking aspects of the renovation was the revitalization of a previously dilapidated atrium. This space was reimagined as an open, inviting area that serves as a central gathering point within the building. Additionally, the project includes the provision of a large walkable terrace, creating outdoor space for informal meetings and socializing, as well as offering scenic views of the campus.

The renovation transformed a previously underutilized and outdated space into a modern, functional, and community-centered academic facility. The Student Faculty Academic Center provides essential resources for NIH’s graduate students and faculty, serving as a place for both academic learning and social interaction.

The project involved the renovation of approximately 3,100 NSF on the first floor to accommodate the Blood Collection (Apheresis) Facility. This facility supports 11 full-time and 2 part-time staff members and includes a variety of functional spaces designed for the operations of blood collection and related services.

Spaces Provided:
-Waiting/Reception/Registration Area
-Blood Collection Area with 7 TVs on adjustable arms at blood draw chairs
-Open Nurses’ Station
-Processing Lab
-Director’s Office
-“Fellow” Office (used flexibly for IT staff and Apheresis Supervisor)
-Canteen
-Restrooms

This renovation project was designed to improve functionality, enhance staff efficiency, and meet the specific requirements of the blood collection process, while also optimizing the use of space and resources.

Project Spotlight: The Sterility Lab

This Design-Build renovation project transformed three existing rooms within the Clinical Research Center on the NIH Bethesda Campus into a specialized Sterility Testing Laboratory. The new laboratory facility serves various Institutes and Centers at NIH, providing critical sterility testing services. While the laboratory is not involved in product manufacturing, the sterility testing processes required the facility to meet current cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) standards due to the regulated environment necessary for the testing.

The facility was designed to meet stringent cGMP standards, which are critical for ensuring that sterility testing processes adhere to the highest quality and regulatory standards. The laboratory was also built to be ISO-8 classified, which is a standard for cleanrooms that helps control the environment’s contamination levels, such as airborne particles.

ISO-8 Classifications: The lab areas were designed with HEPA filtration to ensure that the air quality within the cleanroom spaces met the strict standards for sterility. The following spaces were created as part of the renovation:

-Gown-in Room
-Ante Room
-Sterility Testing Rooms
-BSL-2 Culture Rooms
-Gown-out/Waste Room

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LSY led the renovation of the B3B Area of the Radiation Biology and Radiation Oncology Branches of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This project involved the complete gut renovation of the existing space to accommodate a state-of-the-art research and clinical support facility for the Radiation Biology and Oncology departments. The renovation aimed to improve clinical capabilities while enhancing the overall research environment, with a focus on both clinical support and scientific research.

The renovation required significant modifications and upgrades to the building’s Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems and overall infrastructure to meet the demands of a modern clinical and research facility. These upgrades ensured that the facility could support the specialized equipment and research conducted in the laboratories and MRI suite while maintaining the highest standards of health and safety.
Design Features Included:

-MRI Suite
-Laboratory Spaces
-Biology and Oncology departments.
-Equipment Rooms
-Staff Offices
-Patient Treatment Areas