Celebrating NZIA National Award for Tuhiraki
Lab-works Architecture is proud to celebrate AgResearch’s Tuhiraki Research Facility’s recognition at the 2024 NZIA National Architecture Awards, where it was honoured in the Education category. This award acknowledges the success of a collaborative effort with Architectus, delivering a state-of-the-art research facility in Lincoln, Canterbury.
As the specialist laboratory architects for Tuhiraki, we played a pivotal role in designing spaces that not only enhance AgResearch’s research capabilities but also foster collaboration and innovation within the scientific community. This purpose-built facility consolidates AgResearch’s Lincoln-based laboratories and corporate offices, creating an environment where groundbreaking research in agricultural science can thrive.
A Facility Designed for Scientific Excellence
Tuhiraki houses cutting-edge laboratories, including Physical Containment Level 2 (PC2) spaces, enabling researchers to work in controlled environments essential for advanced scientific inquiry. The laboratory zones – Multi-purpose, Non-containment, and PC2 – are carefully structured to support various research teams, facilitating cross-disciplinary interaction and spontaneous collaboration.
A key feature of the design is the inclusion of concierge spaces, allowing researchers to efficiently book and manage laboratory setups, ensuring optimal use of the space. Additionally, ‘Touch-Down’ zones serve as informal meeting areas, encouraging knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary discussions across teams.
Enhancing Safety and Efficiency
To prioritise health and safety, laboratory access is controlled through formal gown-in areas, reinforcing best practices while transitioning between workspaces and laboratory research spaces. Specialist rooms, temperature-controlled environments, and walk-in freezers are strategically placed to support diverse research needs. The PC2 laboratories span two levels, with internal stairs for people movement and a dumbwaiter system ensuring safe and efficient movement of materials.
The NZIA judges commended Tuhiraki for its excellence in laboratory design, recognising its role in advancing New Zealand’s agricultural research, saying that “this meticulously considered, self-assured building serves as a showcase for AgResearch’s cutting-edge scientific capabilities and a catalyst for innovation across the region”.
