The synergetic relationship between architectural design and scientific discovery tends to be rarely addressed, yet a lucrative proposition. The built environment holds immense potential in supporting research breakthroughs and innovation and the scientific community. The influence extends beyond physical spaces to include both internal dynamics and external engagement through strategic design interventions that connect various caches of impact, from individual researchers to the broader community.
Deepa Balgi, Science + Technology Principal at interdisciplinary design firm HGA, champions the importance of connectivity across levels—within neighborhoods, across the building, and throughout the campus. UCSF's Barbara and Gerson Bakar Research and Academic Building (BRAB), a project by HGA, Snøhetta, and Hensel Phelps, is a strong embodiment of this philosophy. The 323,000-square-foot facility houses 147,100 square feet of reconfigurable research labs adaptable to evolving scientific needs, along with centralized and decentralized support spaces, a 23,200-square-foot area for the UCSF School of Nursing, and an 8,000-square-foot clinical research suite.
