Office buildings with modern architecture and used the conference to promote North Carolina to the biotechnology industry. Designed by Perkins+Will 16 years ago the existing building fits perfectly into its site, has a central gathering space that promotes community and is beloved by its users. Our first concern in designing an addition was to “do no harm”. After vetting many options a cylindrical tower with a minimal glass connector prevailed as an excellent complement to the existing composition.

The four story tower rises above the existing building giving it a presence, while its small footprint has little impact on the flow of the campus. One half of the cylindrical tower is related to the existing building and defined by deep punched openings with sunshades to reduce southern solar exposure. The opposite half of the cylinder has large horizontal slots and orthogonal notches to maximize use of northern daylight. The circular addition sits in a square that is half formal lawn and half informal rain garden which captures runoff from the new site and 30% of the existing building.

A four story open glass connector promotes community by creating a visual link to all floors of the tower. The compact floor plate required custom furniture design to maximize use of space, much like nautical design. Daylight and views are maximized through transparent spaces and open stairways. Material selections and detailing complement the existing building while utilizing innovations in building technology.

Via | e-architect