Plowright Building: Ten Years On, A Benchmark for High-Containment Design
Setting the Standard for Safe, Adaptable Research
Ten years after its completion, the Plowright Building at the Pirbright Institute remains a model for how architecture and engineering can advance science. In our recent panel discussion, users and the development and design team reflected on what made the building successful, how it has performed under pressure, and what lessons it offers for the future.
Located in Surrey, England, the 14,000 square meters (151,000 square feet) facility, one of the largest biocontainment facilities in the United Kingdom, was designed to handle some of the world’s most dangerous animal pathogens, including foot-and-mouth disease virus. The stakes were high: a single outbreak can cost economies billions and halt global trade. “If we are charged with handling viruses like foot-and-mouth disease, then we have to be absolutely sure they’re contained,” said Professor Bryan Charleston, director and CEO of the Pirbright Institute. That meant creating a building that met the strictest containment requirements while supporting the health and well-being of scientists.
A People-First Approach
The Plowright Building broke the mold of traditional biocontainment facilities. “Rather than focusing only on the virus, we focused on the human being,” said Brian Kowalchuk, HDR global design director. Natural light, visual connectivity and amenities like a central canteen transformed what could have been a bunker into a vibrant workplace. These choices weren’t just aesthetic, they improved safety and efficiency by reducing fatigue and errors.
Pirbright’s leadership saw the value immediately. “Human factors are critical,” Charleston said. “You have to give people a good environment. If things are difficult to do, they’ll make mistakes.” The building’s organization reinforces that idea, guiding how people and materials move, how tasks are sequenced, and how complex procedures become easier to execute consistently.
Collaboration and Flexibility
Design decisions were informed by broad engagement. HDR convened visioning sessions with scientists, engineers, animal care specialists and operations staff. One hallmark of these sessions was the use of imagery to spark conversation about design goals. Participants selected images that represented qualities they wanted in the building, such as a gymnast symbolizing flexibility and agility, and explained why those qualities mattered. This creative process helped translate abstract ideas into tangible design strategies, ensuring the building reflected both functional needs and cultural aspirations. “The labs are agile,” Miriam Windsor, head of research services at Pirbright, said. “We can move things around, and that flexibility has stood the test of time.”
That agility shows up in repeatable lab modules, standardized services and planning that anticipates change. The building’s three wings can adapt to evolving programs, while the central atrium keeps people visually connected. “You can walk the building and see what’s happening,” Windsor said. “People can spot us, step out, ask a question, and get help in the moment.”
Reliability by Design
Reliability drives everything at Pirbright. “It has been running every day for 10 years,” Charleston said. Many comparable facilities schedule long shutdowns for repairs. Pirbright cannot. When the chief veterinary officer calls with a suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease, scientists must deliver answers before dawn. That requirement shaped the building’s systems.
Half the facility is engineering infrastructure. Redundant air handling units maintain inward airflow and pressure differentials at all times. Effluent systems collect and treat every drop with secure access for inspection and maintenance. Plant decks are open and navigable so staff do not crawl through cramped spaces to change HEPA filters or service equipment. The physical planning treats operations and service as first-class program elements, not back-of-house afterthoughts.
Tested in Crisis
The building’s capabilities are not theoretical. During the recent bluetongue outbreak in the United Kingdom, Pirbright ran diagnostics in full response mode. The building supported round-the-clock work, rapid sample processing and secure workflows. “When asked to respond to an emergency, it delivered,” Charleston said. That outcome reflects earlier Treasury review criteria: the national investment was meant to be a form of insurance. When the moment came, the building and the people in it did their job. The facility has also adapted to new pathogens and programs over the decade, including rapid response during the COVID era and mpox outbreaks. Flexibility in design made those pivots possible.
Sustainability as Endurance
High-containment labs are energy-intensive. Jason Tearle, Pirbright’s senior biocontainment specialist, noted the 100 percent outside air system and the work underway to validate setback modes that reduce airflow volumes without compromising safety. Post-occupancy moves, such as LED lighting upgrades and freezer setpoint optimization, continue to chip away at consumption.
Richard Surma, now Head of Estates and Capital Development at AstraZeneca and formerly with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) one of the main funders of the Pirbright Institute in the UK, reframed sustainability as lifetime value. The most sustainable building is the one you do not need to replace. By operating continuously for ten years and remaining relevant for the next decade, the Plowright Building demonstrates sustainability as operational endurance and maximal utilization.
Looking Ahead
Charleston sees more in silico work, machine learning and data-driven approaches helping reduce the amount of physical handling required in containment. Even so, high-containment spaces will remain essential for live virus work, validation and training. Tearle noted that while hardware solutions change slowly in regulated environments, process innovations are accelerating. Safety-critical task analysis and functional safety practices, once rare in this sector, are becoming expected. Embedding those methods earlier in design will strengthen outcomes.
For HDR and our partners, the most enduring achievement may be cultural. The Plowright Building shows that complex, high-stakes environments can be humane, transparent and uplifting. It proves that when architects, engineers, scientists, funders and regulators share a clear goal, they can break the mold safely and responsibly. And it reminds us that great buildings are not just icons on the landscape. They are instruments that help people do their best work when it matters most.