Goody Clancy's design for the renovation of Dreyfus Chemistry Laboratories (Building 18) has been named 2004 Renovated Laboratory of the Year by R&D Magazine.
Building 18, which was largely unchanged since its completion in 1970 as MIT's primary research building for synthetic organic chemistry and biochemistry, underwent extensive interior renovation, redesign and exterior preservation. The design team from Goody Clancy, a Boston architectural firm, developed a multiphase construction process that enabled two-thirds of the building to remain in operation at all times.
"It was a very complex undertaking, under far from ideal circumstances, but the department is ecstatic about its 'new' home. It provides world-class infrastructure for chemical research and biochemical research," said President Charles M. Vest.
"Besides all the technical improvements in services and much larger [fume] hoods, the ambience is dramatically improved. It's open and bright, with a feeling of open space, contact and easy interaction with other researchers," said Professor of Chemistry Rick Danheiser.
Goody Clancy also co-designed MIT's brain and cognitive sciences project now unders
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on March 17, 2004.
