Source Bioscience
Layrd Design was appointed by Thackray in 2022 to design and deliver a new workspace for Source Bioscience in Histon, Cambridgeshire. The brief was to convert a former open-plan office into a fully operational, high-spec laboratory and office environment that could support complex scientific work while also encouraging collaboration and connection across teams.
The project required a full rework of both layout and infrastructure. We designed four lab spaces on the ground floor and three more upstairs, with supporting rooms for meetings, focused desk work and team collaboration.
Set across two floors in a standalone building, the space now includes a mix of lab areas, private offices, breakout zones and meeting rooms all designed to support the pace and precision of the work being done inside.
Converting an open-plan office into a functioning lab environment meant navigating a long list of practical challenges. From ventilation and electrics to lighting, temperature control and flooring, every element had to be considered, ensuring compliance without compromising the overall look and feel.
The scheme balances the technical needs of a laboratory with the social side of a thriving workplace. It’s a space where precision and personality sit side by side.
While the labs were a clear priority, the client was also focused on people and how to make everyone, whether lab-based or desk-based, feel part of the same team. We designed breakout and communal spaces that feel open, inclusive and comfortable. Flexible furniture and adaptable layouts make it easy to shift between work modes, lunch breaks, informal meetings or casual conversations.
If you're looking to create a workspace that brings technical performance and team culture together, we’d love to help make it happen.
