NBBJ has unveiled designs for a new headquarters building for Abcam at Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC). The 100,000 sq ft laboratory and office facility, is now under construction at CBC's global healthcare village.
Abcam is a global leader in the supply of life science research tools providing antibodies, and other binders and assays to the research and clinical communities in over 130 countries. The new building will support Abcam's aim to bring all business functions - laboratories, production and distribution facilities - into a single building to drive innovation and efficiencies that help advance scientific research and support the company's continued growth.
The state-of-the-art laboratory and office facility is the first to be built as part of phase 2 of the rapidly expanding campus. It will enable Abcam to bring three existing Cambridge facilities - and over 450 staff - together in one building when it relocates to the biomedical campus.
The exterior of the Abcam headquarters is characterised by distinctive gold vertical and horizontal brise soleil that reference the specialist research taking place within its walls, giving the building a distinct identity on the campus and marking it as a new gateway to this part of the CBC. The expansive use of glazing allows views out to the surrounding countryside and is integral to presenting 'science on show.'
Based on the flat organisational hierarchy and interactive culture of Abcam, the interior design creates an open, connected, and collaborative workplace. Elegant feature stairs link staggered floor plates of office and laboratory wings, encouraging opportunities for social interaction between floors. The branding strategy uses geometric patterns to provide privacy for central meeting spaces and overall wayfinding within the building.
Hard and soft landscaping help to situate the building within the campus, and outdoor amenity spaces with integral cycle storage are provided for employees. Natural biodiversity will be enhanced through indigenous planting, provision of bird boxes, and landscape rainwater management using bioswales.
"The design reflects the groundbreaking research and innovation taking place within this Cambridge success story," commented David Lewis, Partner at NBBJ. "We are enjoying working with such a pioneering client to develop the latest thinking in science and workplace design."