The Sainsbury Laboratory
The Sainsbury Laboratory Project was completed in December 2010 with help of architect Stanton Williams. The Laboratory investigates plant science and development and is named after Lord Sainsbury, who funded the project. The building presents a mix of modernism and classicism. Stanton Williams suitably located the building in the University of Cambridge Botanical Gardens, which meant scientists were surrounded by useful, yet also picturesque scenery. The exterior of the building is made of a combination of limestone, concrete, and glass. It has a basement and two storeys. On the north and east of the building, the wall appears to be made purely of glass, held together by small bands of concrete. This allows considerable amounts of light into the building. The building also contains a herbarium, meeting rooms, an auditorium, public café, and social spaces.
The first floor is largely glazed and its windows are screened by narrow vertical bands of stone. Internal areas of the building are connected by a continuous route which represents Darwin’s ‘thinking path’. He thought through the act of walking, it allowed time for reflection and debate, so this was thoughtfully incorporated into the building by Williams. It is intended to improve interaction between scientists that work in the building. The building has order, symmetry, arrangement and follows all the modernist principles. Its form follows the function it is intended for, location is suitable and the layout of the building is ideal.
