Project Overview

Harlem Biospace is a new biotech incubator, the first of its kind to provide affordable wet lab space in a co-working environment in NYC. NYC is perfectly position to surpass traditional biotech hubs like San Francisco Bay area and Cambridge/Boston. NYC has a magical creative energy and exacting design.

Consider the typical laboratory space: dropped ceilings, linoleum floors, fluorescent lighting, veneer countertops. Windowless caves where scientists hunch over their microscopes and computers, utterly sterile and isolated. That is a far cry from Harlem Biospace, located in a 19th century candy research facility in the heart of Manhattanville. We have created a space that inspires our scientist entrepreneurs and reflected NYC and the makers and designers that make this city unique.

Organisation

Harlem Biospace

Team

Sam Sia (Co-Founder) - Sam is a faculty member in biomedical engineering at Columbia University. His lab focuses on using microfluidics to improve patient health. His lab’s work has been supported by the NIH, NSF, USAID/Gates Foundation/World Bank/Governments of Norway and Canada, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, American Heart Association, and World Health Organization. He has been named one of the world’s top young innovators by MIT Technology Review, and one of 10 innovators in human health and sustainability by NASA. He is founder of Claros Diagnostics, a venture capital-backed company which was acquired by Opko Health in 2011. His lab has invented a large number of new technologies currently covered by patents filed by Columbia University. As a scientist and an inventor, Sam can’t think of a better city than New York City to start a company. Contact: ss@harlembiospace.com

Christine Kovich (Co-Founder) - Christine has spent the last 14 years in the payments industry, most recently creating partnerships with start-ups that are disrupting the financial services industry. Prior to that, she worked on the development and deployment of an industry leading contactless payment solution from pilot to commercial roll-out. She has an International MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University which eventually brought her to NYC as Russia specialist. She looks forward to creating an environment where biotech start-ups can thrive in the city she loves. Perched on her fold-up bike, Christine can be seen biking to meetings on one of NYC’s many bike paths. Contact: ck@harlembiospace.com

Matt Owens (Executive Director) - Matt was an early team member of the NYC-based global education start-up General Assembly and helped spearhead GA’s first programs in NYC and Los Angeles. Before this, he worked as a strategy consultant with Stax, Inc. in Boston and as an analyst for SF-based start-up Gratio Capital. Matt has also worked with the founding teams of several science based ventures including Agile Sciences and Innova Dynamics. He is a graduate of the Management and Technology and Integrated Product Design (MSE) programs at the University of Pennsylvania. In Philadelphia, Matt served on the board of Philly Startup Leaders and as an Engagement Manager for the cleantech practice of Wharton’s Small Business Development Center. He is an avid runner and when not at Harlem Biospace he can likely be found running through the city. Contact: m@harlembiospace.com

Core Brooklyn-based designers on the Design Team included:

John Sorensen-Jolnik - Coil & Drift - http://www.coilanddrift.com/
Cassidy Shultz Brush - Urban Chandy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/urbanchandy

Project Brief

With the whimsical “chandelier” of exposed Edison light bulbs, designed by Cassidy Brush of Brooklyn’s Urban Chandy, hanging from a base of reclaimed wood, hovering over a stand-up desk by Coil and Drift, anyone walking into Harlem Biospace knows they are walking into a lab like no other. This spare yet inviting area also serves as a lecture hall and a communal gathering spot for member companies. The benches, built by Recycled Brooklyn, are upholstered in Korean War-vintage Army tents. They’re made of wood reclaimed from New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority–-as are their coffee tables, which do double duty as comfortable stools. Throughout the space, polished concrete floors gleam under foot and soft northern light from the oversized windows bathes the main workspace. Quaint desk lamps, handmade by Ryden Rizzo, owner of Allied Maker, line the long, rustic wooden desks. A large chalkboard framed in reclaimed wood hangs on one wall, adding a nostalgic touch. A Even the lab benches in white and light grey steel with required black countertops provides a material contrast.

Project Innovation/Need

Over the years, Co-Founders Christine Kovich and Sam Sia have had many conversations about the need for more user-friendly design in the biomedical field. They hope an inspiring, well-conceived workspace, the kind that tech workers at Google or Apple may take for granted, will lead biotech entrepreneurs to think more seriously about designing for the people who use their products.

We have created a hub for biotech entrepreneurs that speaks to the creative energy and design that is uniquely NYC while providing affordable rent for member companies. We are able to do that by efficiently utilizing space and designing for optimal sharing of core equipment. We have the functionality of a lab which is probably 10 times this size.

Design Challenge

Our design challenge was to create a user friendly work environment and wet lab for up to 24 companies in 2300 square feet. We also needed to create a space for the broader community to meet in the dual purpose reception area.

We had to keep construction costs at $250 per square foot (exclusive of laboratory equipment)- - about half the usual cost of outfitting a lab while not sacrificing our design esthetic.

All of the equipment is scaled down to fit the relatively small space. Take the autoclave, used to decontaminate glassware and instruments. In most labs, the machine is nearly the size of a room. At Harlem Biospace, it sits on the floor underneath the lab bench.

In the reception area/meeting space, every article of furniture has to serve as seating for our seminars. A short-throw projector graces the wall. Stackable stylish stools provide extra seating.

Sustainability

Coil & Drift built all our workspace desks, reception desk, shelving from locally reclaimed wood.

Recycled Brooklyn used vintage Korean Army Tent to apolster the reception area furniture. They also used salvaged wood from the MTA for our benches/side tables.

Urban Chandy used reclaimed wood as part of the chandelier construction. Cassidy sourced LED light bulbs that have a similar design effect as Edison bulbs, reducing the power requirement of her chandeliers by over 70%.

DecorAtelier used reclaimed wood as part of the chalkboard message board design.