Six Design Trends Reshaping Campus Labs

Read time: 5 minutes

In today's rapidly evolving academic landscape, research goes beyond being an asset to a strategic priority. For colleges and universities, a strong research program attracts top faculty and students, drives funding opportunities and fuels regional and national economic development. As these institutions seek to grow their scientific footprint, the spaces where research happens have taken on a new level of importance.

Laboratories are no longer isolated rooms filled with benches and fume hoods. They are hubs of collaboration, innovation and learning. These spaces must support a wide range of users, from students gaining hands-on experience to faculty engaged in cutting-edge discovery. Yes, they need to be safe and functional, but they also need to be adaptable, inclusive and thoughtfully connected to the broader academic mission.

In our work, we approach lab design through both a practical and a human lens. Our work is informed by deep collaboration with institutions and research professionals, and by a commitment to creating environments that work just as well for the people using them as they do for the research they support. As we look across the projects we deliver today, we see clear themes emerge: design strategies that respond to current needs and possibilities. What follows are six key trends shaping the future of laboratory design in higher education. These ideas drive our conversations, inform our designs and help our clients rethink what's possible.

1. Flexibility is a Must-Have, Not a Nice-to-Have

Gone are the days when labs were designed around a single purpose, fixed in place and function. Today's research environments must flex and adapt alongside the work happening within them. As funding shifts, programs grow or shrink and new technologies emerge, the space must be able to keep pace — without requiring a complete overhaul.

To support this level of adaptability, we're seeing institutions move toward more modular design strategies. Rather than locking equipment and infrastructure into place, labs are designed to support movement and change. Benches can be relocated as needed, service connections are positioned for easy access and reconfiguration and infrastructure systems are routed to allow for upgrades down the line. Even the choice of finishes plays a role, with materials selected for their ability to withstand repeated use over time.

This kind of flexibility goes beyond increasing efficiency, giving institutions the agility to adjust research programs as opportunities arise, helping them stay competitive and resilient in a fast-moving academic landscape.

2. Wellness is Part of the Plan

Designing for research ultimately means designing for the people who carry it out. In environments where focus, long hours and precision are part of daily life, the physical space can profoundly affect well-being. When labs are thoughtfully designed with wellness in mind, they not only feel better to work in — they also support safer practices and stronger performance: natural light and views outside help regulate energy and mood throughout the day; touches of biophilic design, whether through the use of wood, plants or textured surfaces, create a more calming, human-centered atmosphere. 

Comfort is also considered in how the space is arranged, with furniture and equipment that encourage healthy posture and reduce strain during repetitive tasks. Even small choices (e.g., where to locate areas for rest and recovery) play a role in supporting the people who spend hours at a time immersed in their work.

Far from being "extras," these design strategies strengthen the overall lab environment. When spaces are comfortable, restorative and thoughtfully connected to human needs, they create conditions where researchers can stay engaged in their work and institutions can support a healthier, more productive culture of discovery.

3. Visual Connections Support Transparency and Safety

One of the most noticeable shifts in contemporary lab design is the emphasis on openness. Through features like interior glazing and connected layouts, lab activity becomes visible rather than hidden behind walls. This approach, often called "science on display," highlights the importance of research by making it part of the broader academic environment.

Transparency in design also fosters stronger connections — between researchers and students, between different disciplines and between the lab and the broader campus community. At the same time, clear sightlines create an environment that feels safer and easier to navigate. When thoughtfully implemented, openness reinforces the lab's purpose and the people working within it, offering a balance of function, connection and inspiration.

4. Collaboration Starts with Space

Innovation rarely happens in isolation. In today's research culture, collaboration across disciplines isn't only encouraged but expected, and the physical environment plays an essential role in making those connections possible. Rather than treating labs as stand-alone units, successful designs bring related research areas together into "neighborhoods" that make shared resources easier to access and create a natural flow between teams.

Equally important are the spaces in between. Hallways, lounges and small breakout areas can become places where researchers pause to share ideas, troubleshoot challenges or simply connect on a more personal level. These unplanned moments often spark the kinds of conversations that move projects forward in unexpected ways. By designing for both structured collaboration and informal interaction, labs can foster a culture where curiosity and connection thrive side by side.

5. Technology Integration is Non-Negotiable

Emerging technologies are transforming how research is conducted, and today's labs must be ready to keep pace. Tools like virtual and augmented reality, interactive digital displays and responsive building systems are becoming everyday elements of the research environment. Their role extends beyond efficiency, enabling new ways of visualizing data, simulating processes and monitoring the conditions within a lab in real time.

But simply adding technology isn't enough. The true measure of success lies in how seamlessly it supports the people using the space. A well-designed lab integrates technology to enhance research activities without interrupting workflow or compromising safety. By planning for adaptability, institutions ensure that these spaces remain relevant as tools advance. In this way, technology becomes not just equipment, but an integral part of a lab's design DNA.

6. Sustainability is Embedded from the Start

Laboratories have long carried the reputation of being among the most energy-intensive building types. Yet we're seeing a decisive shift: sustainability as a central driver of how these spaces are conceived and built. From the earliest stages of design, choices are made that reduce energy consumption, improve efficiency and create healthier environments for the people inside.

This shift shows up in many ways, through smarter building systems that respond to real-time demand, materials and structural solutions that reduce carbon impact, and the pursuit of third-party certifications that align design outcomes with institutional climate goals. Beyond reducing operating costs, these measures strengthen the facility's longevity and foster an environment where researchers can thrive. Sustainable labs prove that it's possible to meet the high demands of modern research while also caring for the communities and ecosystems beyond the lab's walls.

Moving Science Forward

The future of lab design isn't defined by formulas or checklists; rather, it's shaped by how well environments reflect the ambitions of the institutions and the people they serve. The trends shaping these spaces today — flexibility, wellness, transparency, collaboration, technology, sustainability — signal a broader shift toward purposeful and human-centered design. For colleges and universities, embracing these ideas goes beyond updating infrastructure — it signals a decision to invest in the future of education and research, as well as the communities that benefit from them.

If the labs of the past were places where science happened, the labs of the future will be places where science and humanity meet. Where ideas grow. Where connections spark. Where possibilities expand. And that future is being built right now.