Near the University of Colorado Boulder’s research incubator and other life-science & high-tech manufacturing sites, Infinite Labs’ commitment is to holistically serve its scientists & staff. The campus marries cutting-edge technology with community-minded, biophilic design in its common spaces. The lighting design philosophy supports these goals of user collaboration, wellness, sustainability, & connection to the outdoors.

Through adaptive reuse, an existing industrial facility lacking natural light was redesigned to house laboratory space & amenities including classrooms, a yoga studio & gym, a café, & a bike garage. Natural light was important to the owner & posed an interesting challenge when considering the existing structure. The large floor plate & complex existing ductwork were barriers to achieving this goal. The lighting design team’s solutions included the implementation of faux skylights, whose color & intensity mimic the sun throughout the day.

Hospitality-minded communal spaces invite users & visitors to engage with the lab community. The lobby & café set the scene for a modern, warm, & unexpected design. Throughout the amenity spaces, color & decorative fixtures promote energetic, creative collaboration. For smaller tenant companies, offering appealing amenity spaces is key to competing with larger firms & academic institutions. The lighting selections support the design intent of memorable, welcoming, & playful connection.

Energy effectiveness was top of mind, especially with the necessary energy load of advanced laboratory technologies at play. The lighting power density was designed to be 12% better than IECC 2021’s already conservative allowed W/SF for this space type. Occupancy sensing was implemented in the corridors & restrooms alongside vacancy sensing in shared amenity spaces. Daylight harvesting was used as needed to dim electric light based on available daylight. Finally, the wireless lighting control system allows for ease of reconfiguration by the owner & maintenance staff.

Client: MOA Architecture
Photography Credit: David Lauer Photography
Lighting Design, Sustainable Design, Commercial Workspace, Controls, Laboratory