Enhancing Productivity & Collaboration in the Lab

In 2009, the MITRE Corporation elected to build a new electronics lab, replacing a 50-year-old facility with a state-of-the-art research and development environment to foster a community of innovative collaborators. The resulting facility brings together a staff of 250 — formerly from 72 different labs in multiple buildings — while at the same time optimising workflow, reducing overall square footage and still leaving room for future growth.

The building houses a wide range of complex electronic, server, environmental testing and computational laboratories for the purpose of providing systems engineering, research and development, and information technology support to the government. The design has been lauded by researchers for enhancing productivity and fostering collaboration. Additionally, achieving LEED Silver certification is a tremendous feat for a facility with immense energy needs for electrical plug loads and related cooling.

Key features include:

• Highly flexible; centralised core labs provide the necessary infrastructure and power to complete large assignments.
• Smaller, more nimble project labs focus on specific problems.
• Spaces are large, open and easily sub-dividable to respond to inevitable changes in research, technology and funding.
• Office and amenity spaces are woven throughout the floor-plate to create a sense of community.
• The design of the building integrates with the rest of the campus and connects to neighbouring buildings with above-grade corridors.