Laboratory Refurbishment, Joseph Chatt Building

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant science and microbiology and have occupied the Joseph Chatt Building since its original construction in the mid-1990s. The science conducted within the building has seen a marked change over the years, with the accommodation being re-fitted on an adhoc basis which has led to inefficiencies in workflow.

This initial reconfiguration project modernised the two main laboratory preparation areas within the building to allow the client to offer an improved level of services. Unutilised spaces were removed and reconfigured to re-plan the laboratory spaces to suit the current needs of a modern lab and greatly improve efficiencies in workflow. The efficiencies in space usage also allowed for the creation of additional much-needed office accommodation for hot desking and report writing.

The works were phased within the live working environment, and successfully programmed and delivered within a tight window between occupant moves. This initial reconfiguration project formed part of wider works within the building to examine and improve the fire egress and compartmentation strategy in line with current regulatory standards.