Isis Pharmaceuticals B6 Laboratory

Overview:

The Client required pharmaceutical kit assembly spaces inside an existing research and development space located on the Isis Campus in Carlsbad, California. The new space would support a Class 10,000 Clean Room, Cold Storage Rooms and QC/QA Laboratory spaces. The new space would provide for movement of assembly components into the clean environment, assembly of the components and cold storage of the completed kits prior to shipment. The space is located in an area of offices and laboratory spaces that were to remain in operation during the period of construction along a major exit way serving the building.

Design Approach:

A comprehensive exit building analysis was conducted for the entire 36,000 SF building to determine what components of the exit scheme would require alteration to support the proposed construction. Parts of the exit corridor system were upgraded to support the new use of the space. Airlocks accessing the Clean Room space were located allow emergency exits to permit direct access to the emergency exit system while protecting the manufacturing space from inadvertent contamination during normal day to day manufacturing activities. Two large cold rooms were positioned to allow flexible expansion and contraction of the refrigerated space. QA/QC labs were positioned immediately adjacent to the segregated warehousing space to minimize product transport and handling.

Design Challenge:

The design was complicated by the need to maintain isolation of this space from the remainder of the building during the construction process. New extremely heavy mechanical systems components were required to support the clean room function. These units were located immediately above the clean room using the box within a box approach. The new unit and all related ductwork and pumps were located on load bearing walls transferring all new loads to the floor below. No new loads were added to the light frame plywood roof of the existing building. The design had to meet the dual objectives of providing security for the space, while functioning within the context of the overall building plan while construction was underway.