In its 75-year history, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) has developed into a world-class, multi-program scientific research campus. By consolidating two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research programs, the Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and KnowledgeBase (KBase), into one facility on campus, the new Integrative Genomics Building (IGB) supports LBNL’s vision of developing, “science and technology solutions for the world by bringing together multidisciplinary teams of researchers and creating world-class tools for scientific discovery.”

The project’s guiding design goals included promoting synergies and interaction across the facility’s research programs and staff, maximizing sustainability, and incorporating the flexibility needed to adapt to future advances in technology and changes in work styles. The four-story, 80,880 sf Integrative Genomics Building accommodates approximately 300 occupants and contains wet and dry research laboratories research offices, workstations, and shared building support. The building sits on the former Bevatron particle accelerator site and is adjacent to several other significant research facilities. Distanced approximately a quarter of a mile from the Hayward Fault, the building occupies a very high seismic zone and is bordered on two sides by steeply sloping hills. The project melds high-performing seismic solutions, state-of-the-art sustainability, and light-filled, open office and laboratory space to create a uniquely efficient, functional, and forward-looking research facility that will support generations of scientific advancement. R+C served as structural engineer of record for the project.

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Photographer: Bruce Damonte