Stanford University’s new Innovation Curve Technology Park will certainly embody its name.
Designed by Form4 Architecture of San Francisco, the 13.5-acre Palo Alto campus will have four buildings that feature steep curved roofs that will be fabricated of painted recycled aluminum. The buildings, located on the edge of the Stanford Research Park, will accommodate programs for computer gaming, translation software, and digital inventions.
The wavy roofs reach up to two stories in height and are meant to symbolize the “roller-coaster evolution of innovation,” according to Form4. The process of exploratory research and development is filled with highs and lows (and some stagnation), and the roofs are a testament to that.
Deep overhangs and vertical glass fins shade the building exteriors to control solar heat gain and provide views in and out of the building. The design incorporates deep horizontal sunshades that act as light shelves and solar-controlled skylights.
With intentions of achieving LEED-Platinum certification, the Innovation Curve also has sustainable features like high-efficiency mechanical and electrical systems, high-performance cool roofs, solar power generation, recycling of construction waste, and bioswales landscaped with native plants.
The Innovation Curve buildings are under construction and are expected to be completed by 2017. Also on the Building Team are Vance Brown Builders (contractor), DCI (SE), and M-E Engineers (MEP).
(Click renderings to enlarge)
Related Stories
BIM and Information Technology | Dec 28, 2014
The Big Data revolution: How data-driven design is transforming project planning
There are literally hundreds of applications for deep analytics in planning and design projects, not to mention the many benefits for construction teams, building owners, and facility managers. We profile some early successful applications.
| Dec 28, 2014
AIA course: Enhancing interior comfort while improving overall building efficacy
Providing more comfortable conditions to building occupants has become a top priority in today’s interior designs. This course is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Dec 28, 2014
6 trends steering today's college residence halls
University students want more in a residence hall than just a place to sleep. They want a space that reflects their style of living and learning.
| Dec 10, 2014
New study says prefab elements saved Colorado hospital $4.3 million in construction
A study by engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder found that prefab approaches on the new Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver cut 72 workdays off the schedule and resulted in millions in savings.
| Dec 9, 2014
UC Merced campus earns fourth LEED Platinum certification
The award brings the campus total for LEED certifications through the U.S. Green Building Council to 13, with its newest building under construction, the second Classroom and Office Building, expected to also achieve platinum status.
| Dec 2, 2014
Nonresidential construction spending rebounds in October
This month's increase in nonresidential construction spending is far more consistent with the anecdotal information floating around the industry, says ABC's Chief Economist Anirban Basu.
| Dec 1, 2014
How public-private partnerships can help with public building projects
Minimizing lifecycle costs and transferring risk to the private sector are among the benefits to applying the P3 project delivery model on public building projects, according to experts from Skanska USA.
| Nov 20, 2014
Frank Gehry creates fanciful brick façade for Australian business school
The fluid brickwork of the new Dr. Chau Chak Wing Building at the University of Technology, Sydney, is comprised of 320,000 pieces made by hand.
| Nov 18, 2014
5 big trends changing the world of academic medicine
Things are changing in healthcare. Within academic medicine alone, there is a global shortage of healthcare professionals, a changing policy landscape within the U..S., and new view and techniques in both pedagogy and practice, writes Perkins+Will’s Pat Bosch.
| Nov 14, 2014
What college students want in their living spaces
In a recent workshop with 62 college students, architects from Little explored the changing habits and preferences of today's students, and how those changes affect their living spaces.