Experimental Physics Lab Retrofit Concept

Architects: Jensen Architects

Location: Stanford, CA

Project Description: Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford University sits half way between San Francisco bay and the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains. was “designed for expansion and the dissolving of barriers between people, disciplines and ideas. “Starting from different sources, a most remarkable group of programs has appeared in HEPL, clustered around a broad theme of space physics, astrophysics, and the use in special ways of large scale cryogenic techniques. These programs are interdepartmental and multi-disciplinary. They are at the frontier of physics and technology.

The project approach was directly sculpted by the unique academic and social conditions of Stanford University resulting in an architectural proposition that incentives spontaneous collaboration and ignites curiosity while incorporating sound sustainability design practices to achieve a community for experimentation. The architecture aims less at trying to predict how users may interact with a space, but rather produce offerings or fragments. This ambiguity challenges its users and encourage discovery. The architecture is open-ended and aims to inject spontaneity and creativity into Stanford’s campus.