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Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab

Project Information

Client

Iowa State University

Location

Ames, IA

Size

90,000 SF

Sector

Higher Education, Science & Technology

Services

Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design, Audio/Visual, Environmental Branding, Low Voltage/Security, Energy Modeling, Controls, Construction Administration

Experts

AIA

Executive Vice President | Project Director

PE

Senior Vice President | Director of Electrical Engineering

LEED AP, WELL AP

Director of Integrated Control Systems

NCIDQ, WRID, IIDA

Senior Interior Designer

NCARB, AIA, LEED AP

Executive Vice President | Chief Design Officer

AIA, ICC

Executive Vice President | Chief Operations Officer

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Objective:

Growing Up and Out

The Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ISU VDL) is a national leader in protecting animal and human health, offering full-service laboratories that process upwards of 100,000 cases each year. They conduct more than a million tests annually. With changing process flows and a massive increase in volume, Strang worked with ISU to create a new one-of-a-kind VDL to meet their growing demand.

Previously located in the ISU veterinarian school, moving the VDL to its own building freed up space in the vet school for surgery suites, hospital improvements, and classrooms. With their VDL accreditation up for renewal, ISU had the option to either make a major renovation or build an entirely new facility that would meet their every need. Deciding on a new facility, ISU sought to improve both capacity and efficiency of the VDL’s processes and services.

SOLUTION:

Specialized Laboratory Efficiency

The new 90,000 SF state-of-the-art VDL provides essential infrastructure for sample receiving and processing, pathology, bacteriology, necropsy, and histopathology in Iowa and all over the nation. The new construction drastically improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the process flow while addressing critical issues of space quantity and quality and providing the necessary biosafety and biocontainment. These specialized laboratory spaces were also designed with a flexible layout concept. This allows the labs to quickly adapt to changing user needs and research goals.

ISU-bottom ISU VDL Interiors (1-19-24) 38

“We believe that Strang has provided outstanding design leadership in helping develop and deliver a state-of-the-art facility that will serve the veterinary and public health diagnostic needs of the state of Iowa and beyond for years to come.”

Dr. Dan Grooms, DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE, Iowa State University

Now at home in their state-of-the-art, specialized facility, the ISU VDL is applying its world-class laboratory design to everyday, real-world problems.