SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratories (SBCL) wished to re-engineer its customer service and billing functions. Its programmatic requirements were sufficiently complex that it decided to develop a prototype facility with which it could tinker to fine tune the process, the technology and the facility design. SBCL performed at that time 300,000 lab procedures a day for which it needed to bill. Since billing procedures varied for each state and for each health plan, the billing process was enormously complicated.

Because close communication among the teams of processors was necessary, SBCL wished to develop an office-less environment. Only four offices were built for the project and the remaining workstations were open with panel heights ranging from 31” to 53” in height. To compensate for the lack of privacy at the workstations, there was an unusually high ratio of conference rooms and team meeting spaces.

Aside for some of the smaller support spaces, the entire facility was a single large space with a 12’ ceiling height and an abundance of natural light. While the overall density of the environment was high (118 SF per occupant fully loaded), public and circulation space was generous and the overall feeling of the facility was of openness and light.

The acoustic environment was a primary concern for SBCL and was one of the main considerations in the design of the facility. However, with the use of acoustic panels at the workstations, good, sound absorptive carpet and ceiling tiles, and a high ceiling, noise has never been an issue in the space. The successful acoustic environment has also been assisted by SBCL’s development of a facility culture that fosters good phone manners and respect for adjacent workers.

The cable technology employs a Siemans Rolm 9751, Model 80 switch accommodating 300 trunk lines and 600 stations. There are two hardened service entrances. Ten T-1 lines with 24 channels each carry voice and data to the main distribution frame. Cisco Systems Ethernet switches are used. High speed LAN connections are made through a fiber backbone to three intermediate distribution frames; Category 5 UTP copper runs from there to the workstations. The phone system incorporates an advanced interactive voice unit (IRV) for customer service functionality.

Jacobs/Wyper, provided interior design and planning services for this project. Furniture systems are Steelcase 9000 enhanced.