Laboratories have traditionally been designed with functionality at the forefront. Safety, compliance and technical performance remain critical. Still, today’s life sciences organisations are increasingly recognising that laboratory environments also play an important role in shaping company culture, attracting talent and reinforcing brand identity.
As competition for scientific talent continues to grow, businesses are looking beyond purely functional laboratory spaces to create environments that reflect their values, inspire innovation, and enhance the employee experience.
We believe laboratory design should support both science and people. One project that particularly well demonstrates this approach is our work with Sphere Fluidics at Granta Park, Cambridge.
Sphere Fluidics is a pioneering organisation specialising in single cell analysis technology for biopharmaceutical discovery.
Having successfully completed an initial phase of laboratory and office fit out works, COEL was appointed to deliver a second phase to support the company’s continued expansion.
The project involved transforming a former office and conferencing facility into a highly specialised laboratory environment while bringing together teams previously spread across multiple locations.
The brief included:
Alongside these technical requirements, Sphere Fluidics wanted to create an aspirational workplace that felt welcoming, innovative and distinctly non-clinical.
Many laboratory environments rely heavily on white finishes and sterile aesthetics. Whilst appropriate in some settings, these spaces often feel disconnected from the people who use them.
Sphere Fluidics wanted to challenge this convention.
Following a company rebrand, the organisation introduced a new visual identity built around rich teal tones, vibrant greens and bold accent colours. The laboratory environment needed to reflect this evolution while maintaining consistency with the first phase of the project.
Rather than treating the laboratories as separate technical spaces, our design team looked for opportunities to integrate the brand throughout the entire workplace experience.
Each laboratory was given its own accent colour, introducing personality and visual identity without compromising functionality. This subtle approach created distinction between spaces while moving away from the traditional clinical laboratory aesthetic.
Existing design features from Phase One were also carried through the scheme, including:
The result was a cohesive workplace experience that felt recognisably Sphere Fluidics throughout.
Employee wellbeing played a significant role in shaping the design.
Scientists often spend long periods working in controlled laboratory environments, making it important to create supportive spaces that provide contrast and promote wellbeing.
Drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape at Granta Park, the design embraced biophilic principles throughout the project.
Natural influences included:
These elements help soften the transition between laboratory and workplace environments, creating a more comfortable and engaging experience for employees.
One of the most complex aspects of the project was accommodating several different laboratory functions within a single environment.
Each laboratory required specialist infrastructure and environmental controls to support different scientific activities.
To facilitate this, COEL designed and installed:
This infrastructure ensured each laboratory could operate safely and efficiently while maintaining flexibility for future growth.
Safety underpins every laboratory environment.
For Sphere Fluidics, this included integrating oxygen-depletion monitoring and gas-detection systems in areas utilising CO₂ and nitrogen supplies.
While these systems are essential for compliance, they were carefully incorporated into the overall design to ensure that technical requirements did not detract from the employee experience.
This balance between functionality, safety and aesthetics is central to successful laboratory design.
Laboratories are no longer simply places where scientific work happens.
They are environments that communicate ambition, support recruitment, strengthen company culture and showcase innovation to clients, investors and collaborators.
A thoughtfully designed laboratory can:
For growing life sciences organisations, these benefits can be just as valuable as the laboratory’s technical performance.
Despite extensive structural alterations, complex M&E requirements and the challenges of working within an occupied multi-tenant building, the project was delivered on time and within budget.
The completed environment successfully brings together multiple scientific disciplines, office functions and collaborative spaces within a cohesive workplace that reflects the Sphere Fluidics brand.
Most importantly, it demonstrates that laboratory design need not feel clinical. By combining technical excellence with thoughtful workplace design, laboratories can become environments that support innovation, inspire people and create a lasting impression.
We design laboratories that balance technical performance, compliance and employee experience at COEL.
Whether you are creating a new research facility, expanding an existing laboratory, or transforming commercial space into a specialist scientific environment, our integrated team can support every stage of the process, from planning and design through to fit out, furniture, and ongoing maintenance.
The result is a laboratory that works hard behind the scenes while creating an inspiring environment for the people within it.
Prefer an AI Summary?
