The Computational Research Environment

Published August 17, 2015 on labdesignnews.com

In this month’s column for Lab Design News, we explored how to define the computational research environment – how is it the same or different from a typical office space?

Over the past decade, the number of computational research environments colleges and universities require is changing the way we plan and organize research buildings. Until recently, computational research space was treated like an accessory to the traditional laboratory. This occurred because researchers spent the majority of their time in their laboratory and only a fraction of their time in write-up areas. Now we are finding more scientists shifting their research from the bench to the computer for the benefit of cost efficiency, safety and space efficiency. This means that computational areas which were once only pit stops in diverse daily routines are now places where researchers spend the majority of their day.

Computational space is often decoupled from the traditional laboratory environment. As it migrates from the laboratory, it is freed from its typical limitations. This shift includes benefits such as; safety, energy savings and acoustic comfort. Often designers conclude that computational research environments are simply office spaces. However, this space typology is more than office space. Payette is developing new methodologies that impact our approach to the design of computational research environments as well as their furniture and equipment. We implemented these ideas on new facilities at Columbia University and Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology.