Manaaki Whenua Biolab XR
Lincoln

Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research at Lincoln provides a range of research services to improve land environment and biodiversity. Core to theses functions are the invertebrate transitional and containment PC2 facility (IQ Lab) and Molecular (G.E.M) laboratory.

The existing invertebrate facility at the Fleming Building, while still functional, was over a decade old. To bring the laboratory up to modern standards, there were also new requirements for pathogen containment rooms within a PC2 environment supported by ante rooms and a decontamination shower. The molecular laboratory had outgrown its space in Fleming and was a growth area necessitating the need for a secondary GEM lab collocated with IQ - the key driver for this project.

This project aimed to create a facility which advances molecular capabilities and enables provision of safe and compliant research in an environment that promotes staff wellbeing.

A new 360sqm insect microbiology laboratory was created. The ground floor houses laboratory, office and ablutions spaces, while the mezzanine level contains plant space, which is accessible via an external stair.

The two-storey building has a steel portal frame structure on a concrete beam and topping slab foundation. The roof and facade are both cladded in Kingspan insulated panel.