KAUST named "Lab of the Year" by R&D Magazine
Sunday March 20, 2011
LEADING science and technology publication R&D Magazine has named KAUST as their 2011 'Lab of the Year".
In the magazine's annual "Laboratory of the Year" competition, the University was honored under the new construction category. Previous winners of the Lab of the Year award include Harvard, Stanford and MIT.
KAUST, in association with site planners design architects, HOK and executive architect and contractors, Oger International, developed and constructed the LEED Platinum certified campus in less than 30 months.
Dr. Mohamed E. Samaha, Senior Vice President for Economic and Technology Development said the University was "very proud" of the honor.
Dr. Samaha managed the development and construction of the academic elements in the University's campus. He said: "It is very significant and meaningful for the University. To construct a university like KAUST in 1000 days or so, many elements such as the LEED certification, the sustainability or the human aspect of the campus could have been ignored.
"The human aspect of the University design is beautiful. HOK wanted scientists to meet each other in the spine of the campus. They wanted this to be a campus where people convene and where walls have white boards so when people get an idea, they write it."
T. H. Chang, Strategic Director of Science and Technology for HOK said: "KAUST is one of the world's most comprehensive and advanced research facilities designed for seamless, integrated multi-disciplinary research.
"Our primary focus was to develop design concepts that could accommodate almost all fields of science as well as help bring people from different cultural background from around the world together."
Mr. Chang added: "KAUST is one of the most exciting, as well as most challenging, projects in my career, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be part of this historic project."
Now in its 45th year, the Laboratory of the Year competition evaluates Laboratory facilities on lab planning and design, flow, plant operations, aesthetics, energy efficiency, sustainability and cost.
The Laboratory of the Year judging panel includes architects, lab planners, construction project managers, a vendor representative from the Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association (SEFA, compeition co-sponsor) and the editors of R&D Magazine and Laboratory and Design Newsletter.
Representatives from KAUST and HOK will be officially recognized at R&D Magazine's Laboratory Design Conference at the Doubletree Hotel, Universal Orlando, Florida on Tuesday April 12. They will provide a presentation on KAUST as part of the conference program.