Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 14(3), pp. 1401 - 1416
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140302
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Research and Development Laboratories – Program Evolution

Marija Džapo ^*, Silvio Bašić , Nikolina Vezilić Strmo
Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, Croatia

ABSTRACT

This paper aims to provide general data and principles of research and development laboratories, which are the basis for architectural programming. The paper explores research and development laboratories through history, the roles and interactions between research and development, their character, and the activities they can encompass. It is divided into three parts. The first part refers to the definition of research and development laboratories and activities they can encompass (depending on the organisational structure of the company and/or field to which the laboratory belongs, it can cover a wide range of activities and encompass both science and technology). The second part, historical overview, is observed through the evolution of the relationship between science and technology, through the development of industrial research laboratories, and recently through the development of research centres that are connecting into larger spatial units we call technology parks. The evolution of the relationship between science and technology refers to the interaction between science and technology, and the three main waves of scientific interest and the way they reformulated laboratories. Development of industrial research laboratories is described using the example of Philips Natuurkundig Laboratorium (Nat.Lab.), and it's a transition from a simple laboratory near a factory in the early 20^th century to a contemporary technology park. It is described how Nat.Lab.'s assignment and structure transformed over time in response to changes in context. The last part of the historical overview is talking about technology parks. New requirements and technologies led to the need for a different organization of scientific space. Following a period of closed corporate structures, vertical specialization led to the collaboration between companies, academia and industry, which is the main characteristic of technology parks. The third part refers to the challenges modern laboratory faces today, the development trends and modernization of laboratory infrastructure, and the emergence of the new way of thinking and a culture of innovation. This study will facilitate understanding the relationship between research and development and other requirements that laboratories need to fulfil (e.g. development trends, such as the global market, teamwork, and the application of computer technology) when creating programs and designing modern laboratories.

KEYWORDS
Industrial Laboratory, Research and Development, R&D Lab, Living Lab

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Marija Džapo , Silvio Bašić , Nikolina Vezilić Strmo , "Research and Development Laboratories – Program Evolution," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 1401 - 1416, 2026. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140302.

(b). APA Format:
Marija Džapo , Silvio Bašić , Nikolina Vezilić Strmo (2026). Research and Development Laboratories – Program Evolution. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 14(3), 1401 - 1416. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2026.140302.