Allen Institute for Brain Science Inspires Transformative Design for
Allen Institute for Brain Science Inspires Transformative Design for Research LOCATION: Seattle, Washington LOT SIZE: 52,600 SF PROJECT SIZE: 387,887 SF PROJECT TYPE: Built
NARRATIVE
INSPIRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY
The Allen Institute for Brain Science was designed to embody a research philosophy founded on team science, big science and open science with a mission to accelerate the understanding of how the human brain works in health and disease.
The building and site design incorporate a holistic approach to sustainable and high performance features including extensive use of daylight while minimizing glare and heat gain, re-use of historic structures, operable windows, heat recapture from the data center, and other integrated systems strategies that earned LEED Gold certification without compromising the scientific research mission.
The design inspiration was to create a research environment that encourages collaborative interaction in order to facilitate rapid advancements in brain research. Conventional lab organization stratifies functional uses with linear zones of programs. In contrast, the innovative design of the Allen Institute is organized as “petals” of functional spaces arrayed around a central atrium that visually and spatially connects the activities and maximizes daylight and views.
PROBLEM SOLVING Conventional research buildings lack transparency and connection among uses and to the outside world. The Allen Institute design solves this problem by organizing programs and spaces to naturally bring groups together to foster a sense of community and to expose research activities - labs are transparent and can be viewed from the interior and exterior.
SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION The design incorporates art, landscape, public space, and transparency to core functions which are by nature transformative. The building merges the leading edge of research with the historic building fabric of the Pacific and Ford McKay buildings, which served as automobile dealerships in the early 1900’s. The historic buildings were disassembled and stored for the widening of Mercer and were then reconstructed and integrated into the new structure as public gallery and retail space at street level.
Atrium visually and spatially connects the activities and maximizes daylight
central nities for ndaries
Generative Idea “Petals” of use grouped around a central atrium space to maximize opportunities for collaboration while eliminating boundaries between research modalities.
Labs are transparent and can be viewed from the interior and exterior
Extensive use of daylight while minimizing glare and heat gain
Spaces naturally bring groups together to foster a sense of community
Circulation rings bring people together around informal gathering spaces
The best views are preserved for community gathering spaces
Merging the leading edge of research with historic building fabric
High performance - extensive use of daylight while minimizing glare and heat gain
Art, landscape, public space, and transparency
Artful communication via a “virtual window” into research
NARRATIVE
INSPIRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY
The Allen Institute for Brain Science was designed to embody a research philosophy founded on team science, big science and open science with a mission to accelerate the understanding of how the human brain works in health and disease.
The building and site design incorporate a holistic approach to sustainable and high performance features including extensive use of daylight while minimizing glare and heat gain, re-use of historic structures, operable windows, heat recapture from the data center, and other integrated systems strategies that earned LEED Gold certification without compromising the scientific research mission.
The design inspiration was to create a research environment that encourages collaborative interaction in order to facilitate rapid advancements in brain research. Conventional lab organization stratifies functional uses with linear zones of programs. In contrast, the innovative design of the Allen Institute is organized as “petals” of functional spaces arrayed around a central atrium that visually and spatially connects the activities and maximizes daylight and views.
PROBLEM SOLVING Conventional research buildings lack transparency and connection among uses and to the outside world. The Allen Institute design solves this problem by organizing programs and spaces to naturally bring groups together to foster a sense of community and to expose research activities - labs are transparent and can be viewed from the interior and exterior.
SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION The design incorporates art, landscape, public space, and transparency to core functions which are by nature transformative. The building merges the leading edge of research with the historic building fabric of the Pacific and Ford McKay buildings, which served as automobile dealerships in the early 1900’s. The historic buildings were disassembled and stored for the widening of Mercer and were then reconstructed and integrated into the new structure as public gallery and retail space at street level.
Atrium visually and spatially connects the activities and maximizes daylight
central nities for ndaries
Generative Idea “Petals” of use grouped around a central atrium space to maximize opportunities for collaboration while eliminating boundaries between research modalities.
Labs are transparent and can be viewed from the interior and exterior
Extensive use of daylight while minimizing glare and heat gain
Spaces naturally bring groups together to foster a sense of community
Circulation rings bring people together around informal gathering spaces
The best views are preserved for community gathering spaces
Merging the leading edge of research with historic building fabric
High performance - extensive use of daylight while minimizing glare and heat gain
Art, landscape, public space, and transparency
Artful communication via a “virtual window” into research
