Home bases for private work and study. Are multidisciplinary laboratories the best answer?

Since 1970 we have measured the use of our multidisciplinary laboratories as home study bases for out-of-hours private work, and find that our students make little use of them in this way, preferring to work in study-bedrooms or libraries. We consider that there is no need to incorporate private study areas in the design of multidisciplinary laboratories, with the result that uncluttered areas with free sight lines can be used for a variety of purposes; we suggest that multidisciplinary laboratories will evolve in the future along this multi-purpose, multifunction line.