San Francisco-based firm Form4 Architecture, renowned for its Bay Area tech space designs, was awarded local entitlement for a new cutting-edge sustainable office building in Stanford Research Park, Palo Alto, California. The two-storey, 52000 sqft structure is notable for its scale as one of the first-of-its-kind in Silicon Valley to be built in mass-timber construction.
In response to its natural setting, the structure embraces nature through each design element including its wooden and glass architecture and dynamic roof form reflecting the shape of birds’ wings. Architect John Marx, AIA, Chief Artistic Officer of Form4 Architecture, notes, "We call the building Verdant Sanctuary because it offers a pastoral break in a canyon of structures built on zero-lot lines. It will harmonize with the surrounding buildings and add an inspiring, sustainable project to the community.”
Adjoining the first building of Silicon Valley, the iconic 607 Hansen Way designed by renowned German Expressionist architect Eric Mendelsohn in 1953, the mass-timber structure is sensitive to scale, materials, and design of the neighbourhood, instilling a calm, synergistic harmony with the existing community.
The Verdant Sanctuary is designed to be pedestrian friendly with only one level of below-grade parking and a mature street tree landscape. The structure features sustainability considerations like installing PV Panels for sustainable energy harvesting, a green roof for insulation and water conservation and an all-electric layout. The roof garden and terrace encourage interaction and promote leisure, while mass timber reduces carbon emissions.
According to James Tefend, Chief Production Officer at Form4, "The approval of entitlements for this building is a great win for the local community as it will create a beautiful, sustainable building with state-of-the-art technology that can serve as a model for the future of hybrid timber/steel building design."
The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design recently recognized the design with an Honourable Mention in the International Architecture Awards. Post-selection of the anchor tenant, construction on the project is estimated to begin in 2024.
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