Customer Reviews

Laboratory Design Guide, Third Edition

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Laboratory Design Guide, B.Griffin (Architectural Press,1999) ISBN 0 7506 3858 3

Having moved in to a new laboratory for teaching and research 12 months ago, I wish that our faculty had had this book available to us 4 years ago while we were in the planning stage of the building. This would have given the laboratory staff insights into how buildings are built and how to go about consulting with the building designers, architects, engineering consultants, contractors and sub-contractors and all the other various people that most laboratory staff have little day-to-day experience with. It would have also improved the discussion on options for design of the laboratories and furniture by the faculty staff. The idea of adjustable benches would have been a better solution to our need to cater for disabled students than making a permanent low bench in each teaching laboratory which means these benches go unused if no disabled student is in the unit. The second half of the book is case studies and looking at new laboratories. Fourteen of the 17case studies are from Australia, all but two of these from NSW. How the architects responded to the needs of their clients and the different needs for different types of laboratories is discussed. The examples cover rnultifunctional tertiary teaching, research institutions, pure research, and commercial pathology and government laboratories. All the case studies are there to amplify points made earlier in the book. This book must be read in conjunction with the appropriate Australian Standards and the CCH manual and although it does not mention individual standards or CCH guidelines the text does give a good place to start your search of the standards and guidelines which are the definitive sources.

Neil Ludvigsen, Northern Territory University, Book review in "Chemistry in Australia"

Brian Griffin has written an excellent overview of the process. Particularly handy are the 'rules-of-thumb' to help with early planning for a new laboratory facility, and the checklists. The examples are good - and in fact, probably take up too much space. Most of the book seems to be examples, with a brief summary, plans and photos of each case study.

The photos in the cases studies give lots of great ideas; however I would have liked more text up front about the design process. It would be good if future editions could have a critical analysis of the case studies; perhaps explaining what compromises were necessary or what else might have been done, instead of readers either assuming each is perfect or trying to determine themselves where a design might be sub-optimal.

I recommend the book if you are commencing the process of designing a laboratory upgrade or a brand new one. It opened my eyes to issues and has saved considerable time and reduced risks to my organisation.

The used book, listed as great condition, was in very crappy condition and I sent it back