AstraZeneca added an 80,000 GSF extension to its campus. It houses chemistry and bio-science laboratory and office space with open floor plans, flexible laboratory case-work systems, extensive natural light, and library-quality sound levels. The addition forms a five-story common atrium that links all floors of both the new and older structures. Unique meeting spaces with state-of-the-art video conferencing and audio-visual capabilities promote on-site and global communication among AstraZeneca researchers. The atrium’s predominant feature, a three-level conference tower, has high-tech meeting rooms suitable for either impromptu gatherings or remote conferencing.

The conference level houses a 150-seat auditorium, IT training room, lecture hall, and meeting room. Each can connect to the auditorium if interactive overflow requires. The auditorium itself features multimedia presentation systems, audio- and video-conferencing, and three remote controlled cameras. A simultaneous interpretation system makes multi-lingual presentations possible.

Acentech designed the audiovisual systems to reinforce AstraZeneca’s philosophy of promoting close communication and collaboration among scientists of various disciplines.