A new generation of research campuses pairs high-performance lab infrastructure with hospitality-inspired amenities to boost tenant appeal and community connection.
The design of life sciences workplaces is evolving, mirroring broader shifts in office and mixed-use development. Long defined by security, specialization and separation, these campuses are now adopting the language of hospitality and community. Cafés, plazas and public art are being added to clean rooms and lab benches, reflecting a sector that’s learning how environment influences both discovery and retention.
Developers are recognizing that even the most technical tenants want the same things that are driving change across the workplace landscape: collaboration, wellness and convenience. The result is a new class of purpose-built life sciences campuses that deliver operational precision
without sacrificing human connection.
King Street Properties, a developer who is active in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego, among other regions, is exemplifying this shift. Its projects aim to balance high-performance
lab design with features that engage the surrounding community, from retail and open space to art and events.
Science Meets Community
Situated on the San Francisco Peninsula, the Landing in Burlingame, Calif., is a 503,000-square-foot campus that blends tenant-focused infrastructure with community-oriented amenities.
The property features the Apron Café, which serves breakfast and lunch during the workweek, as well as a half-acre public plaza with outdoor seating and gathering space.
King Street also made public art a defining element, commissioning a 27-foot sculpture by Oregon artist CJ Rench and two murals by San Francisco artist Nicole Mueller. Together, these pieces give the Landing a distinct visual identity and a connection to local culture.
The campus also extends beyond its life sciences tenants. A flexible conference center with pre-function space and capacity for 150 people is available for both corporate and community events.
Sonia Taneja, managing director at King Street Properties, notes that this allows the project to serve dual purposes. “By embracing and welcoming the community into the project, we are
helping fulfill the city’s vision for the Bayfront neighborhood as a home for science and the community,” she says.
Strategically positioned near the South San Francisco biotech cluster, downtown Burlingame’s retail corridor and the Bay Trail, the site benefits from direct regional connections via
Highway 101, San Francisco International Airport, Caltrain and BART, providing access for both local employees and visiting researchers.
Purpose-Built for Science
While cafés and conference centers help attract talent, life sciences campuses live or die by their technical design. Efforts to retrofit traditional offices into laboratories have often fallen short because true lab space demands purpose-built infrastructure.
At the Landing, that starts with a 33-by-44-foot structural grid that supports prefabricated lab bench systems. Floor-to-floor heights range from 15 to 20 feet, allowing ample space for mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
Lab areas feature enhanced air exchange rates, in addition to dedicated service corridors and elevators for materials and waste, which ensure safe and efficient operations.
The buildings also include specialized chemical storage and waste rooms, with upper floors designed to meet strict regulatory limits for hazardous materials. Extra shaft capacity and
flexible rooftop zones allow for future tenant expansion or system upgrades — a key piece of “future-proofing” in an evolving field.
Power reliability is another differentiator. Life sciences labs require significantly more energy than typical offices, with backup systems that protect both equipment and research.
King Street’s approach at the Landing reflects a broader strategy across its West Coast portfolio. The company’s Pacific Center campus in San Diego follows a similar model, combining purpose-built lab space with outdoor amenities, wellness areas and neighborhood-serving retail. The intent is to create connected, flexible environments that attract leading bioscience tenants while contributing to the community fabric.
As life sciences developers adopt mixed-use design principles, their campuses are becoming models of coexistence — models where cutting-edge research meets community engagement.
From Valerie Fahey, Western Real Estate Business