The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) recently broke ground on its Resnick Sustainability Resource Center. Designed by the Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign, the 79,500-square-foot Resnick Center will be a makerspace for scientists and a hub for research on climate and sustainability. When it opens in 2024, the building will bring together experts from physical sciences, life sciences, and engineering disciplines in shared spaces, giving them access to instrumentation that will help advance climate solutions.
“We cannot continue to raise generations in a world that is heating up, kids are choking up, and so much of our planet is burning up,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said at the groundbreaking. “This is a moral moment, and so we want to celebrate this moment of contribution.”
A timber-framed atrium will house the center’s social and collaborative spaces. Incorporating a mass timber grid shell, the atrium’s undulating glass curtain wall will flood the multi-story space with natural light. This transparent design aims to put “science on display,” according to a statement from CannonDesign.
The building’s interior spaces include a biosphere engineering facility, a solar science and catalysis center, a remote sensing center, a translational science facility, teaching labs, and lecture and interactive learning spaces. Scientists and graduate students won’t be the only beneficiaries of the new building. On the second floor, the center will house undergrad classrooms and labs, and every first-year undergrad will take at least one class in the building, educating them on the importance of climate action and sustainability.
The Resnick Sustainability Resource Center is made possible by a $750 million gift to Caltech in 2019 by billionaire philanthropists Lynda and Stewart Resnick, owners of The Wonderful Company.
Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: Caltech
Design architect and architect of record: Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign
MEP engineer: AEI
Structural engineer: Saiful Bouquet
General contractor/construction manager: Hensel Phelps
Related Stories
Building Team | Nov 7, 2016
Taking cues from nature: How biomimicry can drive ROI for hoteliers
Biomimicry takes inspiration from nature’s form, processes, and ecosystems to solve human problems. This design method, which incorporates lessons learned from nature, can constantly morph in response to new challenges in our environments, writes Gensler's Lorraine Francis.
Building Team | Nov 2, 2016
AIA 'I Look Up Film Challenge' People's Choice Award revealed
Top films address accessibility for the disabled, 18th century urban planning, and a recycling facility that does more than repurpose material.
Building Team | Oct 31, 2016
The world’s 100 tallest buildings: Who owns and has developed the most?
All but four owners/developers on the list are located in the United Arab Emirates, China, or Hong Kong.
Architects | Oct 24, 2016
Winners of the 2016 AAP American Architecture Prize announced
The AAP recognizes the most outstanding architecture worldwide across three disciplines: architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture.
Sponsored | Building Team | Oct 4, 2016
The talent shortage: Will the training the AEC industry desperately needs arrive in time?
As the construction industry bounces back from the Great Recession, an entirely new class of tech-savvy construction professionals has been created, and the supply of these highly skilled, tech-proficient pros has been quickly exhausted.
Sponsored | Building Team | Sep 29, 2016
Manners Still Matter in Advancing Your AEC Career
A well-written thank-you note can land you the job you've been looking for.
Sponsored | | Sep 29, 2016
How to Get Your Best AEC Job in a Virtual World
Top tips for getting that AEC-industry job you’ve always dreamed of in today’s virtual world.
Sponsored | Building Team | Sep 29, 2016
How to Stand Out to Get That AEC Industry ‘Dream Job’
In searching for your AEC dream job, it's important to differentiate yourself in the hiring process. Here are 6 tips to help you do just that.
Sponsored | Building Team | Sep 6, 2016
EFFECTIVE MENTORING: Making It Work for Your AEC Career
Mentoring programs at AEC firms can take many forms. Being involved in a mentoring program, as mentor or protege, can be an important step in career development for design. engineering, and construction professionals.
