Mackenzie Launched New Laboratory Design Practice
The Portland architecture firm has hired a veteran planner to support regional research and technology growth.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Life Sciences
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Portland-based architecture firm Mackenzie has launched a specialized Laboratory Planning and Design practice. The firm brought on Genie Filipowicz as a senior laboratory planner to lead the new service offering.
Why it matters
The expansion reflects an increasing regional investment in research, healthcare, and technology environments that require highly specific technical infrastructure. It provides local organizations with specialized workflows for modern lab spaces from project inception through occupancy.
The firm adds a senior planner with 40 years of experience to lead the unit. Details on upcoming project pipeline capacity remain unknown.
The players
Mackenzie
A Portland-based architecture and design firm.
Genie Filipowicz
The senior laboratory planner joining the firm with nearly 40 years of experience.
The details
Mackenzie will integrate these new laboratory planning services into its existing architectural process, assisting owners and design firms with programming and operational workflow guidance. Genie Filipowicz will lead the practice, which serves clients across research, education, healthcare, and public safety sectors. The firm aims to engage with users directly to tailor facility design to specific operational requirements from initial planning through final occupancy.
Timeline
October 13, 2026: Mackenzie announced the launch of the new practice and the addition of Genie Filipowicz to the team.
Beyond the Bridges
This practice launch tracks with the documented surge in Portland's regional life sciences and technology infrastructure investment. Mackenzie is aligning its internal service offerings to capture demand from the area's growing research and biotech footprint.
Organizations involved in research, education, or public safety in the Portland metro area can now access these specialized design services for future building projects. The firm will integrate this expertise directly into its project planning workflow for local clients.
The takeaway
The move suggests a shifting market where specialized design expertise is becoming central to high-tech facility construction in the city. Keep an eye on regional development applications to see which upcoming research or laboratory projects incorporate these new design services.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations and facility developments in the region by visiting Life Sciences.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Journal of Commerce.
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