How do we design for the future of science?

For over four decades, Oberlanders Architects have operated at the forefront of design for the science and technology sector, adapting to constant shifts including rise of sustainable design and the accelerating pace of technological innovation. Our approach has always been agile and responsive, but that has never been more critical than it is today.

While scientific convergence and interdisciplinarity concepts have long existed, the rapid adoption of automated systems, deep technologies, robotics, synthetic modelling and simulation is driving an exponential increase in data generation and accelerating the erosion of traditional scientific discipline boundaries.  This is coupled with intense competition for talent and rapid upskilling to meet accelerated discovery.

This acceleration raises a critical question for the design of science and research buildings.

The UK has long been one of the world’s leading science ecosystems, underpinned by world class academic research institutes and programmes. COVID-19 was a catalyst for development, demonstrating the importance of research capabilities, with significant capital and private equity across biotech and deep tech having driven investment centred on innovation infrastructure. Developers, investors and local authorities have become highly effective at delivering flexible laboratory space that meets early demand and anticipates growth.

It is equally important to consider how pharmaceutical, biotech and advanced manufacturing organisations are pursuing innovation. Automation, the integration of synthetic and digital practices and computationally led R&D are reshaping operating models and redefining building requirements.

This shift is gaining increasing attention. As the intersection of biology, chemistry, automation, AI and robotics transforms research at scale, the impact will be felt across the entire ecosystem, to which the sector must swiftly respond. 

The impact of automation on spatial design

Traditional science buildings are often planned around lengthy investment cycles, but with technology changing at a faster pace, organisations are having to ask new questions:

• How much laboratory space will we need in ten years?
• What proportion of space will be occupied by manual workflows vs automated processes?
• How do we future‑proof facilities for the rapid increase of the technology-led systems that may occupy them?

From an architect’s perspective, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity. How do we design buildings that can support future scientific provision, which are sector, discipline or technology agnostic?

The increasing convergence of the sciences alongside rapid advances in technology and innovation creates a clear path for a discipline‑agnostic approach to design, but the real value lies in the design of true adaptability, rather than solely flexibility.

While flexibility means installing infrastructure that can be moved or reconfigured to support a defined use or outcome, adaptability offers the capacity to respond to changing conditions over time, allowing buildings to absorb and accommodate change without over‑specifying today for technologies that may be obsolete tomorrow.

This approach prioritises latent capacity over fixed solutions. For example, oversized risers to enable future mechanical, electrical and plumbing additions, rather than a full fit-out at the outset. The building remains resilient and relevant, able to support current and future uses without constraining innovation or restricting use, be it science and technology, logistics, light industrial or advanced manufacturing. Crucially, adaptability must be delivered at a cost point that remains commercially viable for both developers and end users.

Architects with cross‑sector experience bring particular value in this context. By understanding the diverse technical, operational and spatial demands of different environments, designers can anticipate a wider range of scenarios and make decisions to create long‑term resilience.

Redefining shell and core for a new era

A compelling example is Mission Street’s ‘Fabrica’, the largest commercial science scheme to gain consent in central Oxford, currently in construction and due for completion in early 2027. The building was designed with tenant space which is fully speculative, a design approach which acknowledges a fundamental reality of innovation‑led development, that developers cannot always predict who the occupier will be in five or ten years’ time. 

The flexible shell and core concept has long underpinned Oberlanders design for science, technology and industrial, from science parks in the 1980s to contemporary schemes like Fabrica. But how does today’s interpretation differ from those early models?

New base buildings are now conceived with advanced sustainability strategies embedded from the outset, including on‑site renewable energy generation, green & blue roofs and intelligent building management systems. As digital tools and automation become more prevalent, the way buildings are occupied and operated continues to evolve, with some areas supporting different patterns of use while others accommodate more specialised, equipment‑led environments. In response, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and data infrastructure are increasingly designed to adapt. 

Heavier floor loadings can accommodate future technologies, placing greater demands on structural designs. This could drive buildings toward more robust structural solutions, often with higher material use, which in turn may require a more considered and methodical approach to mitigating environmental impacts.

Designing for what we don’t yet know

For architects, developers and occupiers alike, adaptability is no longer a nice‑to‑have but an essential. The challenge is to embed that adaptability in a way that is commercially viable, environmentally responsible and genuinely future‑ready. 

Real innovation may lie not just in the science itself, but in the buildings that enable it.

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Read the article in Breakthrough magazine here.