Washington State Safety & Health Laboratory and Training Center – Korsmo Construction

I was hired to photograph the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries and Washington State Department of Agriculture Safety & Health Laboratory and Training Center in Tumwater, Washington, a recently completed public facility built by Korsmo Construction and designed by ZGF Architects. The approximately 53,000-square-foot building brings several previously scattered state laboratory functions together in a single modern facility. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries operates the building, while laboratory and training operations are shared with the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The project was funded through the Washington State capital budget and replaces older laboratory spaces that were never originally designed for modern testing or training needs. 

The facility houses laboratories used to analyze hazardous materials found at workplaces as well as labs focused on agricultural testing, including plant pathology and entomology. In addition to the scientific labs, the building includes training rooms and demonstration areas used by safety inspectors and industry professionals. An outdoor training yard allows instructors to simulate real-world construction and industrial scenarios involving equipment such as cranes, scaffolding, and earthmoving machinery. 

Architecturally, the project was designed as a high-performance public building that integrates with its wooded Tumwater site. Large windows, skylights, and solar tubes bring daylight into laboratories and office areas, while interior materials such as polished concrete floors and wood ceilings create a clean, restrained aesthetic. The project was also built with sustainability goals in mind and is designed to operate as a net-zero-energy facility once its photovoltaic system is fully installed. 

Architecturally, the project was designed as a high-performance public building that integrates with its wooded Tumwater site. Large windows, skylights, and solar tubes bring daylight into laboratories and office areas, while interior materials such as polished concrete floors and wood ceilings create a clean, restrained aesthetic. The project was also built with sustainability goals in mind and is designed to operate as a net-zero-energy facility once its photovoltaic system is fully installed.