海角视频

LBIC: Apex

London, UK

Through a seamless blend of engineering expertise and laboratory consultancy, 海角视频 played a key role in shaping the LBIC: Apex Building into a flexible, future-ready hub for life sciences 鈥� enabling innovation to thrive at the heart of London鈥檚 Knowledge Quarter.

The LBIC: Apex Building stands at the heart of Tribeca, London鈥檚 largest purpose-built life sciences development. Located on the Regent鈥檚 Canal, close to King鈥檚 Cross, this landmark project is designed to accelerate innovation by bringing together world-class research organisations, start-ups and established pharmaceutical companies in a collaborative environment.

海角视频 was engaged by the London BioScience Innovation Centre (LBIC) to deliver a fit-out that transforms Apex into a premium laboratory destination. LBIC, wholly owned by the Royal Veterinary College, provides fully serviced laboratories and shared facilities to support a diverse community of tenants 鈥� from university spin-outs to global life sciences firms. Our role encompassed building services engineering (MEP) and laboratory consultancy, ensuring the space meets the technical demands of cutting-edge science while offering flexibility for future growth.

We delivered adaptable lab spaces with removable benching and deep service zones, enabling tenants to start science on day one.

Our combined MEP engineering and lab consultancy team created a premium, flexible environment for multi-tenant life sciences use.

Our experts rapidly assessed and modified design to accommodate complex equipment like NMR machines, securing high-value tenants.

We supported LBIC鈥檚 growth strategy by integrating shared resources and collaborative spaces, fostering innovation and resilience.

Challenge

Designing laboratories for a multi-tenant building brings a unique set of challenges. The primary objective was to create spaces that could accommodate the 鈥渦nknown鈥� 鈥� a wide spectrum of scientific activities, each with its own requirements. Tenants range from early-stage biotech ventures to established pharmaceutical companies, and their needs can vary dramatically. The building had to provide a robust baseline specification while retaining the adaptability to support specialist equipment and processes.

One example illustrates this complexity. During the fit-out, a prospective tenant required space for two nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) machines 鈥� heavy, highly sensitive instruments with stringent cooling and safety requirements. The original shell-and-core design had not anticipated such equipment in this location, so rapid technical assessments were essential to confirm feasibility and secure the lease.

Flexibility was a recurring theme. The design needed to allow tenants to 鈥減lug in and go鈥� from day one, while enabling modifications as businesses evolve. This meant anticipating extremes within reasonable limits without over-engineering the infrastructure. Added to this was the challenge of maintaining programme certainty when the original contractor went into administration mid-construction, requiring swift recovery to keep the project on track.

Solution

Our team delivered a Stage 3 design for two floors of fully serviced laboratories, write-up suites and shared support spaces, including autoclaves (equipment sterilising), glass wash facilities and gas stores. The fit-out was developed in close collaboration with LBIC to reflect their operating model, which offers tenants a turnkey solution 鈥� everything from lab furniture to ventilation and cooling systems is in place, so science can start on day one.

To achieve flexibility, we introduced deeper service zones around the building core, enabling crossovers and connections for specialist equipment. Benching layouts were designed to be removable, allowing tenants to reconfigure spaces without major disruption. Fixed elements, such as handwash stations and service risers, provide essential infrastructure, while the surrounding environment remains adaptable.

When faced with the NMR challenge, we acted quickly to assess structural loading, cooling capacity and safety provisions. Additional measures were incorporated to manage cryogenic liquids and gas detection, ensuring compliance with stringent safety standards. This responsiveness was critical in securing a high-value tenant and demonstrated the agility of our approach.

Beyond technical delivery, we worked with LBIC to create an environment that feels contemporary and welcoming. The design integrates collaborative spaces and a caf茅-style area overlooking the canal, supporting LBIC鈥檚 commitment to fostering interaction and community among its tenants.

Value

The LBIC: Apex Building is now home to a growing mix of life sciences organisations, reinforcing Tribeca鈥檚 position as a leading hub for research and innovation. By combining laboratory consultancy with building services expertise, we enabled LBIC to expand its offer and attract tenants who value both technical excellence and a premium working environment.

Our design supports LBIC鈥檚 mission to nurture start-ups by providing shared resources that reduce upfront costs and accelerate growth. At the same time, the flexibility built into the infrastructure ensures that more complex requirements can be accommodated without compromising programme or budget.

This project also contributes to the district鈥檚 vision for affordable, resilient laboratory space, helping to sustain London鈥檚 biotech cluster and strengthen the UK鈥檚 life sciences sector. With sustainability embedded in the wider Tribeca development 鈥� including a commitment to net-zero carbon in operation and BREEAM Outstanding certification 鈥� LBIC: Apex offers a future-ready solution that aligns with environmental and social goals.

For 海角视频, the LBIC: Apex Building exemplifies our ability to deliver technically demanding projects that create real value for clients and communities. It is a space where science can thrive, collaboration can flourish and innovation can shape the future.