Mackenzie Launched Laboratory Design Practice
The Portland-based firm aims to integrate specialized research facility planning into its architectural services.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Life Sciences
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Mackenzie has announced the launch of a new Laboratory Planning and Design practice. The firm also appointed Genie Filipowicz, who brings nearly 40 years of specialized experience, as a senior laboratory planner.
Why it matters
The firm launched this service to support the rising demand for highly technical infrastructure across research, technology, and public safety sectors. It enables integrated facility design from the inception phase through final occupancy.
The practice focuses on programming and workflow design for research and healthcare facilities. It utilizes a collaborative model that embeds laboratory experts with owners and architects throughout the development lifecycle.
The players
Mackenzie
A Portland-based architectural and engineering firm that provides multidisciplinary design services for commercial and institutional projects.
Genie Filipowicz
A senior laboratory planner with nearly 40 years of experience in the design and programming of complex research facilities.
The details
The practice provides specialized programming to define technical requirements and operational workflows for research, education, and public safety environments. By integrating laboratory planning from the project inception, the firm aims to coordinate complex utility and safety needs with architectural design. This approach ensures that space allocation aligns with the specific research goals of the facility occupants.
Timeline
October 13, 2026: Mackenzie announced the launch of the new practice and the hiring of Genie Filipowicz.
The Tech Race
The practice launch follows a broader trend of design firms creating dedicated internal divisions to manage the increasing technical complexity of modern laboratory build-outs. It places Mackenzie in direct competition with architectural firms that already maintain specialized science and technology departments.
This development primarily affects local institutions and technology companies planning new research or public safety facilities in the Portland area. These organizations can now access integrated lab programming services throughout their project lifecycles.
The takeaway
The addition of specialized lab planning reflects a strategic pivot toward high-complexity architectural projects in the Pacific Northwest. Watch for the firm’s first public project disclosures to gauge the technical focus of their initial portfolio.
Further reading
For more on how facility design influences regional innovation hubs, explore the Life Sciences section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Journal of Commerce.
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