J. Craig Venter Genome Lab
Designed as the first carbon-neutral laboratory in the world, the J. Craig Venter Institute’s (JCVI) La Jolla campus embodies the goals of the pioneering research conducted within its meticulously-crafted architectural concrete walls. Home to 125 scientists dedicated to the advancement of genomic research, the landmark facility is an integral part of the Institute’s quest to conduct scientific studies capable of solving critical environmental and human health challenges.
Planned to foster collaboration between scientists at JCVI, the University of California San Diego (UCSD), Scripps Institution of Oceanography and other research organizations, JVCI’s West Coast home was built on a 1.75-acre coastal site within the UCSD campus. The 45,000-square-foot facility is comprised of a separate single-level laboratory wing and a three-level office/dry research wing framing a central courtyard. A partially below-grade, 112-car parking structure was also constructed beneath the administrative building’s roof/podium deck.
The facility’s light-filled laboratories feature floor-to-ceiling windows, 14-foot high ceilings and an easily reconfigurable design accommodating an ever-changing research environment. A catwalk in the interstitial space above the labs enables easy servicing of mechanical systems without disturbing the sensitive research activity below.
The technical space houses a single computer data center that hosts the Institute’s high-throughput computer systems designed to operate at significantly reduced energy loads. Administrative areas support both office and research activities with configurations providing informal meeting areas, and temporary workstations for visitors. Large conference rooms accommodate both small and large gatherings and are equipped with high-tech systems to facilitate video conferencing and collaboration with researchers worldwide. The west end of the third floor provides myriad social spaces, complete with a cafeteria and small kitchen for staff, as well as a private conference room.