The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery is in the spotlight of international distinction after receiving a multi-national award as an exemplary laboratory on the University of Wisconsin campus Monday.

The Institutes have been named 2012 Laboratory of the Year by research publication R&D Magazine, which holds the competition annually and deals with the design of labs around the world.

George Austin, project manager for the Institutes, said the magazine has held this competition worldwide for 46 years. This year, the magazine screened 22 contestants who went through a juried process to compete for the award.

According to a statement from UW, the Institutes house the Morgridge Institute for Research, a private facility, the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, a public facility through UW, and the Town Center, a space meant for public scientific education.

Austin said the unique design of the building led to it receiving the award. He said the lab centers on floors above and below the Town Center public space also have small public spaces around them to encourage a community feel in the building.

“Several things are critical in terms of the Institutes for Discovery being given this award,” Austin said. “The WID is designed to encourage social interaction between workers in the building as well as students and faculty who use it.”

According to a statement from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which is also the developer of the project, hundreds of people contributed input to help transform the building into what it is.

The statement said the design of the Institutes was intended to help attract talent and funding to the university to uphold its prominent standing.

“Recognition as Lab of the Year is an international distinction for UW-Madison that demonstrates the bold vision of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery is beginning to be recognized and no doubt already helping to anchor the university’s longstanding rank as a world research power,” the statement said.

Austin said the Institutes are the product of work done by the state of Wisconsin, UW, WARF and donors John and Tashia Morgridge, who all worked to design an excellent biomedical research facility.

“This is the first lab on the Madison campus to receive such a designation,” Austin said. “It’s very exciting.”