Bringing Laboratories into the 21st Century: A Case
Study in Adaptive Reuse
Antony Mikulic, Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Colin Sakinofsky, S2F Pty Limited
This presentation will demonstrate and explain the
opportunities and lessons learned from the redevelopment of old
and outmoded buildings and the transformations into leading edge
research facilities.
Antony Mikulic will introduce the presentation from a client's
perspective. As Manager of Capital Works and Sustainable Environment
for Australia's national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific
and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Antony is responsible
for upgrading and maintaining the Capital Works to support research.
With over 57 sites around Australia and the world, and more than
1,200 buildings, the challenge and experience of converting many
older buildings into modern facilities will be demonstrated and
explained through primarily two case studies.
Colin Sakinofsky, Director of S2F Pty Limited, one of Australia's
foremost Laboratory Designers will support the presentation from
a consultant's perspective and how they need to respond to a clients
needs of a Brownfield site, the requirement to reuse and adapt old
buildings rather than start with a Greenfield site. Colin's focus
is on designing research facilities capable of "dynamic change"
to keep up with the ever changing demands of research technology
and thereby maintain proper principles of sustainability.
Case Study 1: CSIRO Division of Plant Industry, New Biotechnology
Building.
Complete upgrade of a 1950's building into a modern state of the
art Agri-research Genetic facility whilst maintaining partial occupancy
and operation.
Case Study 2: CSIRO Entomology.
The upgrade and improvement of a cluster of buildings that date
back to 1928 and the organisations requirement to provide a Biotechnology
facility to support Entomological Research.
As the client, Antony will present the reasoning, rationale, and
advantages of this project.
Colin will then present as the consultant the approach that was
undertaken to satisfy the client's objectives through "Design
by analysis":
- The vertical and horizontal integration analyses of three "disparate"
buildings.
- Managing the physical containment (BSL-2) barriers constraints
across three buildings.
- Cross-contamination innovations in open plan laboratory planning.
- Linking three administrative areas outside the laboratory environment
in a seamless manner.
- Outline the ESD initiatives.
- Seeking a logical balance of capital expenditure against ESD
objectives and adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
Following on from Antony's outline of CSIRO Entomology, Colin will
explain how we worked collaboratively to achieve the technical design
solutions in response to the clients needs. In addition, Colin will
then illustrate another case study on an existing Brownfield site
(non-Greenfield) where the needs of a more complex and technologically
driven solution was required to an "in-fill and connected"
building in an established Biotechnology Precinct.
In order to put the Australian Regulatory environment into context
for a largely American audience Colin will outline the primary differences
between American and Australian regulations with respect to containment
and laboratory codes and how this impacts on the design solutions.
Case Study 3: Childrens Hospital Westmead Clinical Sciences: Design
by Analysis - Part 2
- How international research success in vector gene transfer translated
into government and bequest funding.
- Maintaining operations for existing laboratories and building
new expansion on a tight site.
- Complex precinct constraints.
- Complex technical solutions for a transgenic animal facility
and human applications laboratory.
- Generic open plan biological research laboratories.
- BSL 2 barriers and bridges.
- Vertical and horizontal integration.
Labs21 Connection:
Like Labs21, CSIRO is dedicated to the pursuit of sustainable,
high performance, and low-energy laboratories that will:
- Minimise overall environmental impacts.
- Protect occupant safety.
- Optimise whole building efficiency on a life-cycle basis.
Adaptive reuse of an existing building is seen as beneficial in
minimising the impacts of construction. The embodied energy of the
existing structure can be realised in continuing and recycling its
life.
A very demanding agenda is required for designers of recycling
buildings into state-of-the-art research facilities, to provide
a facility that is energy efficient, through its base needs and
its operational flexibility; to providing accommodation that is
safe for its use, through design and adaptability as well as ensuring
quality of the environment with understanding of the impact of quality
of Indoor environments, energy efficiency, and workspace environs.
Such desires contribute to the value of the building not only as
contributors to sustainable design but to also reduce overhead costs.
One of key attributes to achieving sustainable design that is flexible
and reconfigurable is the application of generic open plan design
solutions.
The case studies will illustrate this aspect and how the engineering
services design supported these principles. In addition to this,
the presentation will illustrate how the use of Overhead Reagent
Shelves (that do not break the bank!!) offer maximum flexibility
when coupled with loose benching and mobile casement design.
Integrating new and demanding laboratory support such as BSL 3/Cleanroom
Tissue culture rooms into an existing building is a challenge, how
this is achieved and operational even before the bulk of the construction
was completed will be demonstrated.
The joint presentation will illustrate how understanding the science,
has enabled the client and the designer to develop generic designs
that manage cross contamination in an unconstrained manner without
onerous application of protocols and procedures including the use
of GMOs.
Biographies:
Antony Mikulic is the Manager of Capital Works and Sustainable
Environment for CSIRO. Prior to joining CSIRO Corporate Property
in 1999, Antony was Principal of his own architectural design firm,
specialising in designing of laboratories, diplomatic buildings,
and child care facilities.
Antony is a registered architect with degrees in Environmental
Design and Architecture. He has previously headed up a construction
business, as well as a computer business as a distributor and trainer
for CAD systems.
With a strong background in laboratory and sustainable design,
he brings strong credentials and beliefs as Manager Capital Works
and Sustainable Environment to Australia's premier research organisation.
Leading a team of architects and engineers, he delivers research
facilities that are world class, whilst minimising their impact
on the environment.
Colin Sakinofsky is an Architect
working as a Specialist Laboratory Designer for S2F P/L. S2F is
a multi-disciplinary design consultancy firm specializing in complex
highly serviced buildings such as pharmaceutical manufacturing,
Biotechnology and research and animal laboratories.
Colin's projects include an extensive and diverse range of laboratory
facilities across Australia and overseas in China, Puerto Rico,
New Zealand, Singapore, India, and Taiwan.
Colin has designed a considerable number of research facilities
to BSL 1, 2, 3, and 4 levels of containment, and for science research
focused on: infectious diseases for humans and animals, with animal
species varying from rodents to 600 kg ruminants (cattle) and primates;
entomological models; and human applications laboratories for vector
gene and cell transfer to Sterile BSL 2 and 3 conditions.
Some of these projects include: Queensland Biosciences Precinct;
Childrens Hospital Westmead Clinical Sciences Building; CSIRO Entomology
Biosciences, Sydney University Central Rodent Facility; Agresearch
and Massey University Research and Animal Holding Facilities in
New Zealand; University of Queensland and DPI Centre for Advanced
Animal Science; and Johnson & Johnson Analytical & Pharmaceutical
Development Centre of Excellence, India.
Back to the Agenda
|
