De La Salle High School S.T.R.E.A.M. Building, Concord, California

Architect:  Ratcliff;  Lab design by Glen Berry, FAIA

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"Learning is mostly about creating a context for motivation."

Bill Gates

 

The built environment can play a major role in motivating people to be in the space, to go to work, to attend school, and to want to be part of the built environment.   Learning (teaching) and discovery (research) are mostly about creating a context for motivation. 

 

Since 1986, Glen Berry has been involved in the programming, planning, and design of science buildings and science laboratories.  He has worked in the academic sector, designing many labs for high schools, colleges, and universities.  He has worked in the private research sector, designing many labs for private research institutions. And he has worked in the government research sector, designing many labs for government agencies.  Through this breadth and depth of experience, Glen has developed an understanding of the critical design parameters that have a long lasting effect on lab design, and how labs are used over the life of the building.

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The #1 request from lab users has been and continues to be FLEXIBILITY.  Lab personnel (science faculty, research personnel, students) want their lab spaces designed to accommodate change.  Flexible design is a big part of creating a context for motivation.  The more capacity a lab has to adapt to new needs over time, the greater the desire will be to continue to work in that environment.

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Glen has coined the phrase PROTEAN Lab Design, which is derived from the greek mythology god, Proteus, who was the god of oceans and rivers.  Being made of water, Proteus could change his form quickly.  The adjective PROTEAN connotes adaptable, flexible, versatile.  These are the physical characteristics that Glen has tried to incorporate into all of his lab design projects. 

• Adaptable
• ​Flexible
• Versatile