RCPAQAP PC2 Laboratory Fitout

A PC2 Laboratory and Centre for Excellence for Diagnostic Quality Assurance.

Axiom brought RCPAQAP's business units from around Australia under one roof, delivering a purpose-built PC2 laboratory, office, training and warehousing facility on time and to a tight programme.

Client

The Royal College of Pathologists Australasia - Quality Assurance Programs

Location

St Leonards, New South Wales

Services

Commercial Fitout | Laboratory Fitout | Workplace Delivery

The Brief: Creating a centre of excellence

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs (RCPAQAP) is the world's leading provider of external quality assurance programs and continuing education for the diagnostic pathology industry.

RCPAQAP's business units were spread across separate sites around Australia. It set out to bring most of them together in a single, purpose-built facility: a centre of excellence that would set the benchmark for the industry.

The new facility needed to combine four very different environments in one building: a specialised PC2 laboratory, warehousing, general office space and training facilities. It also had to be delivered within a new third-storey office being constructed by the building owner's base builder.

RCPAQAP chose Axiom on the strength of similar-scale office and laboratory facilities we had already completed.

The Challenge: A complex laboratory on a tight timeline

The laboratory made this a particularly complex project. A PC2 facility has stringent containment, services and safety requirements, and every one of them had to be resolved within a base building that was still under construction.

Axiom had to coordinate a large group of stakeholders:

• the building owner and its base builder
• RCPAQAP's specialist laboratory architect and design team
• multiple mechanical and structural engineers

All of this had to come together to a very tight timeline, while meeting RCPAQAP's demanding operating and WHS requirements.

Our Approach: One Integrated Team from Start to Finish

Axiom undertook an integrated fitout, working directly with the building owner and base builder as the third storey was constructed. This meant laboratory services, structure and fitout could be coordinated together rather than retrofitted afterwards.

A dedicated Axiom team of project managers, designers, engineers and architects stayed with the project for its entire life cycle. This continuity gave RCPAQAP a single accountable partner across every consultant and trade.

The result was a facility with four distinct functions:

• PC2 laboratory with laboratory benching, mobile storage and services designed for quality assurance testing
• Office space for teams consolidated from across Australia
• Training facilities to support RCPAQAP's continuing education programs
• Warehousing for program materials and logistics

 Creating Space to Connect 

Away from the technical laboratory environment, a staff bar and social hub provides an informal destination for employees to meet, take a break and connect with colleagues.

Together with collaborative workspaces and modern office areas, these amenities broaden the role of the facility beyond testing and analysis.

The result is a more complete workplace experience: one that accommodates highly specialised scientific work while recognising the importance of collaboration, connection and employee amenity.

 The Outcome: Delivered on Time and Trusted Again

The facility was delivered on time, to the highest standard and cost-efficiently. RCPAQAP's staff and visitors use it every day and speak highly of both their working and recreational environment.

As with any major infrastructure project, changes were needed during and after completion. Axiom worked closely with RCPAQAP to make sure all building works met its operating and WHS requirements, and continued to support the facility after handover.

That relationship led to more work:

• Expansion: RCPAQAP engaged Axiom again to fit out additional space as its footprint grew.
• Make good: RCPAQAP also engaged Axiom to complete the make good of its closing Melbourne office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find out more about the trends and compliance for designing life sciences and laboratory spaces in our guide: