Forensic Laboratory Building
Re-Aligning a National Forensic Laboratory for a New Era of Investigation
HED was engaged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct a comprehensive Facility Re-Scoping and Long-Range Master Plan—an opportunity to realign the nation’s foremost forensic laboratory with its evolving mission.
The lab supports a wide range of disciplines, including firearms and toolmarks, DNA, toxicology, explosives, and materials analysis, as well as research and investigative units such as latent fingerprint and forensic systems training. These highly technical environments required not only upgraded infrastructure but also a more strategic use of space to enhance communication, flexibility, and operational flow.
Through an intensive evaluation of how space was being used and how missions had shifted, HED developed a plan that reorganized the building around collaboration and efficiency. The study identified “best space for best use,” aligning each department’s needs with the appropriate level of security, technology, and environmental control. The plan also anticipated new growth, including integration of the FBI’s Cyber Investigations Unit—tasked with countering hacking, online exploitation, and digital threats to national security—into the broader forensic ecosystem.
The resulting master plan restored operational clarity to a facility at the forefront of forensic science. By uniting physical organization with mission strategy, HED’s approach strengthened collaboration between analytical and investigative teams while creating a resilient framework for future technologies and staff growth.
This effort reflects HED’s integrated approach to complex technical environments—combining analytical precision with thoughtful planning to create facilities that advance science, collaboration, and national security.
