Architect’s Newspaper has released a thorough new piece on the California Institute of Technology’s (Caltech) dynamic new Resnick Sustainability Center.
The intent of the Center is to unite all six scientific divisions of Caltech to work in a collaborative environment. Most university laboratories serve individual departments, like chemistry or biology, etc. This building breaks new ground by fostering experimentation and exploration of sustainable concepts.
The architecture sets the tone. The Resnick Sustainability Center’s basic design concept is a stack of flexible research labs at the core of the building that are wrapped in an undulating transparent skin of tilted and curving glass, creating a light-filled atrium for collaboration and innovation.
Per the article, “(Our team’s) designs often don’t reveal the whole story at first glance. Instead, they beckon visitors inside to learn more. At Caltech, the curved glass exterior not only wraps the four-story atrium, but it also encloses several research labs and circulation spaces on the third floor, which creates layers of transparency and allows natural light to flow into the building. The move will hopefully inspire bright minds to develop solutions to help us respond to the climate crisis.”
