From LETI: graphic showing the range of performance based on benchmarked projects..
‘There is no need for signs.It’s very evident where you might go for your consultation, or go to diagnostics, or in fact, go up to prepare for an operation…’.
‘You can feel that it’s like the hub,’ says Adam Chivers, commenting on the central functionality of the atrium.‘There are nurses backwards and forwards...consultants....and although you can feel that a lot is going on, it’s still calm.’.This last sentiment is one echoed by GP Liaison Abby Wilkinson, who adds that it’s nice for staff members to be able to come down and work in the atrium sometimes, away from the hustle and bustle.
‘If they need to crack on with something, they can in a quiet corner if there’s not many patients in,’ she says.‘It’s quite nice to sit down there and have a conversation if you want to.’.
Indeed, the atrium sets the tone for what is undeniably one of Circle Reading’s key architectural features - space.
‘Everything about this place is space,’ says Raj Goel.It should also be noted that users often have a fixed solution in mind based on what they have done in the past - their solution may not be the best for the laboratory design project, and it is our job to challenge their assumptions and offer alternative, perhaps better, solutions..
Lab processes can be grouped into distinct functional spaces, for example: dry processes, milling, synthesis or analytics.These functional spaces are theoretical zones which have no spatial definition, acting as a visual way of defining a group of processes which are related to one another..
Working with users to categorise the laboratory processes into these distinct functional spaces enables us to generate flow diagrams for the process..Lab design layout: identifying the flows.