university of san francisco

john lo schiavo, s.j. center for science and innovation

san francisco, california

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beyond the buildingA new collaborative science building becomes a catalyst for the campus’ future.

University of sAn frAnciso

JoHn Lo scHiAvo, s.J. center for science AnD innovAtion

san francisco, california

every Usf undergraduate student will experience

a class in the new center for science and innovation.

client vision With a focus on educating future science leaders, the

University of san Francisco undertook the creation of a new

interdisciplinary science building. Through a collaborative

process rooted in the University’s traditions and values,

the Center for science and innovation (Csi) became

the centerpiece of a strategic initiative to elevate UsF’s

presence as a leading science institution.

design BREAKTHRoUGH Thinking beyond the building to how the Csi could contribute

to the University’s broader mission and strategic goals led

UsF to locate the new facility in the heart of the campus on

Harney Plaza. site constraints prompted further innovations:

the design integrates the 56,000-square-foot program with

a transformed plaza and major campus pathways, bringing

science education into day-to-day campus life.

organizational vAlUE The Csi will reinvigorate the University’s academic identity

and strengthen its connections to alumni, institutions and

businesses with its prominent location and strong connection

to Harney Plaza. Flexible, state-of-the-art laboratories,

classrooms and informal learning areas are designed to

catalyze interdisciplinary learning and easily accommodate

future curriculum change.

springboard insiGHT Aligning the Csi’s design with the University’s mission and

core values provided a mechanism for evaluating design

and program decisions that extend the building’s value

beyond fulfilling the immediate programmatic needs.

The highly visible campus enjoys a dynamic context defined

by dense residential neighborhoods and major thoroughfares.

Therefore, UsF’s master planning principles are driven by a

well-considered relationship between the campus academic

identity and its residential context.

The final site was initially overlooked due to its many

constraints. The design team reinvestigated its possibilities,

which ultimately led to a solution that packed a significant

program into a constrained site by introducing a garden level

that also provides an anchor for a rejuvenated student plaza.

By pulling the Csi directly into the heart of the campus,

adjacent to the very central but outdated Harney Plaza, the

design transforms the campus core from an underused open

space into a landscaped crossroads for interdisciplinary

scientific inquiry. This critical move allows the Csi to serve

as more than just a new science building: it augments the

campus’ spirit of intellectual curiosity and social engagement,

harnessing necessary support and funding from the entire UsF

community. The site change also helped to secure the support

of neighbors who were concerned about new development

along the campus edge.

A new cAmpUs HeArt

originally proposed site location

final site location

The University of san Francisco continues an academic

tradition with the goal of educating future leaders concerned

with contributing to a better world. This has particular

resonance in the Bay Area, where academic training and

research can directly influence innovations in the biotechnology,

health and environmental science industries that reverberate on

a global scale.

Capitalizing on the strength of its existing undergraduate

science program while recognizing the need to support

continued excellence in scientific exploration, the University

embarked on an evaluation to determine whether to replace

the cramped 1966 Harney Hall, built when science enrollments

were just half of today’s levels. The University concluded that

a next-generation science facility was needed to carry their

mission into the future.

The Center for science and innovation signals a new emphasis

on interdisciplinary science education, and will also welcome

new students and faculty into a longstanding and unique

academic tradition.

cHAnging tHe worLD from Here

10 classrooms and teaching laboratories

7 below-ground classrooms and laboratories

60,000 square feet of floor space

50 foot building height

60 foot height, including mechanical equipment

To complement the surrounding campus, the Csi is organized along newly introduced

pathways that create a seamless connection between the Campus Walk and the garden levels

of the Csi, located partly below the plaza. Through its connection to the site, the facility also

enables interdisciplinary discourse that leads to scientific discovery and a sense of community.

creAting connections

The initial master plan called for the Csi to be located at the

north side of the University Center. When nBBJ proposed

moving the building to connect to the south and re-address

the plaza, the advantages of siting at the center in a more

prominent campus position made fitting a large program on a

small site a creative challenge, not a deal breaker.

since the allowable area of the building footprint on the south

side was smaller, the team designed the building so that half

of the square footage is tucked below grade and the smaller,

above-grade volume lets more natural sunlight into the plaza.

To accommodate the program, a garden level was introduced.

Carved through the middle of the plaza and planted with trees,

it serves as a main pedestrian path through the campus.

The “G” level incorporates a full glass façade with translucent

channel glass at the tiered classroom space. The façade lights

the interior lobby and circulation spaces and allows a strong

connection between the interiors and the exterior pedestrian

plaza. The labs are also day lit by skylights to the plaza

above. The three-part strategy of cutting a canyon through the

plaza, incorporating a glass façade and adding skylights over

teaching labs creates the illusion of being at grade.

Level 1 (at grade)

pULLing tHe cAmpUs togetHer

Level 3

Level 2

Garden Level (below Level 1)

Labs are carved into the

Garden Level through the

middle of the plaza.

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harney

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golden gate

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l3l3l3l3The building is designed

so that half of the square

footage is tucked below grade

and the smaller, above-grade

volume lets more natural

sunlight into the plaza.

Taking a cue from the Jesuit spirit of inquiry and

collaboration, the design team worked closely

with UsF science faculty and facilities managers

to refine the Csi’s program and vision. Through

a series of interviews and meetings with key

stakeholders, the client and design team gathered

feedback about goals and needs. The process

revealed a high degree of consensus around

seven core values that define the university, which

acted as guiding principles for the new building.

These principles helped the client and design

team evaluate different program elements,

adjacencies and design strategies. Perhaps most

importantly, the building’s original site along the

northern edge of campus—which was close to

residential areas—was found to be inconsistent

with the University’s goal to invigorate science

education at a campus-wide level.

By considering how the building will advance the

University’s mission, enhance the campus and

its larger community, and demonstrate a concern

for humanity and the world, the client and design

team were able to shape an innovative solution

that supports each core value on multiple levels.

reseArcH, refLection AnD Design

the strong visual connection of the csi building, the

plaza and the campus further underscores the building’s

role as an interdisciplinary hub.

guiding principles

1. Future Making

2. Culture Building

3. CharaCter Building

4. liFe SuStaining

5. legaCy Building

6. CaMpuS Building

7. MiSSion Serving

The Csi embodies the University’s mission to train future

leaders who will improve society through science. offering

state-of-the art laboratories and classrooms, integrated with

informal learning areas for collaboration and reflection, the

new facility fosters a campus-wide culture of scientific inquiry

that builds upon the University’s commitment to academic

excellence and service.

With the number of graduate admission rates for medical-

and PhD-level programs at twice the national average, UsF

had specific goals for learning spaces: to revolutionize basic

and translational sciences; germinate new boundary-crossing

curricula; expand student research with faculty; prepare all

students for an increasingly technological world; provide critical

ADvAncing tHe University’s mission

biology training to nursing majors; and grow new collaborations

between business programs and the sciences.

To support collaboration and to accommodate future growth

and curriculum shifts, the design of the Csi supports three

types of learning processes and scales:

1. industry-standard laboratories and classrooms provide

formal hands-on training and exchange.

2. informal areas surround these spaces to accommodate

post-class discussions between students and faculty.

3. More intimate, relaxed areas encourage reflection, study

and the processing of ideas.

FlEXiBlE PARTion

ADAPTABlE sPACE

Diversity of spaces = Diversity of Learning

with over 75% of all learning taking place outside the classroom, the csi team

designed informal spaces to support casual learning in normally overlooked places.

high perforMance

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A sUstAinAbLe fUtUrethe csi embraces the University’s commitment to environmental stewardship

and social responsibility. the result is an environmentally integrated building

that will evoke a sense of relevance, place and pride for future generations.

The building’s site orientation takes advantage of sun

and wind patterns to maximize daylight and natural

ventilation. A high-performance curtain wall of fritted

glass and flexible shades regulates heat gain, resulting

in a 42% energy savings over Title 24 (California’s

standard for energy use).

42%less energy

high perforMance

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100oF storM water captured on-site

114,000gallons / yr. reused on caMpus

rainwater collector

Vegetated rooF

cistern

rainwater collector

Vegetated rooF

cistern

A catchment system filters stormwater runoff

through the CSI’s vegetated roof—which also forms

the plaza—and into a cistern that feeds back into

the campus grey water supply, realizing a 43%

reduction in water consumption.

43%less water

The restoration of green space and native plantings

in Harney Plaza creates an informal outdoor learning

environment for students, and a natural habitat for

San Francisco’s bird and plant species.

HAbitAtrestorAtion

SECTION VIEW

PLAN VIEW

WATER RE-USE:- RAINWATER COLLECTED FROM THE CSI FEEDS THE POOL- THE POOL CREATES HABITAT AND PROVIDES LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

SYSTEM COORDINATION:- POWER LOCATED A MIN. OF 6’ AWAY FROM POOL- MIN. OF 2 GFI PROTECTED OUTLETS- MEANS TO FILL (HOSE BIB) AND DRAIN- PRESSURIZED OUT-OF-WATER FILTER WITH UV CLARIFIER

1

2

3

4

5

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7

8

9

ROOF/RAINWATER LEADERS

PLANTING SOIL

GRAVEL DRAINAGE LAYER

PUMP & FILTER

RIPARIAN PLANTINGS/HABITAT

POOL, 18” DEPTH

LITTORAL PLANTING

SKYLIGHT BEYOND

HARNEY PLAZA PAVING

Umber Skipper

West Coast Lady Paci c ChorusTree Frog

Blue-Eyed Darner

HABITAT POTENTIAL

STUDENTS

FIELD WORKDOCENT TOURS

OUTDOOR CLASSROM

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIIES

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1 2 3 76 85 94

HABITAT REFUGE AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

“with universities around the country stressing research over teaching, we

want to build a space that encourages both. the new center will allow faculty

to bring students into the labs to enhance collaborative and interdisiplinary

work. every undergraduate will be exposed to state-of-the-art science teaching

and research facilities.” -JenniFer e. turpin, ph.d., provoSt viCe preSident oF aCadeMiC aFFairS

CliEnTUniversity of san Francisco

sizE56,000 sF

ComPlETion DATE2013

nBBJ sERviCEsFull architectural design services, lab planning, lighting design and programming

sCoPEWet and dry teaching labs, general classrooms, student and faculty break-out rooms, and support spaces

nBBJ sERviCEs

Architecture

Change management

Construction Administration

interior Design

Facility Planning

Financial Analysis

Graphic Design and signage

laboratory Design

ABoUT nBBJ

nBBJ is an award-winning global design and architecture firm focused on helping clients

capitalize on the relationship between people and the design of physical space to enhance

organizational performance.

From academic research and university medical schools, to simulation centers and campus

planning, nBBJ is a global leader in creating performance-based learning environments.

Consistently recognized by clients for our creative and professional design process, nBBJ

has partnered with 12 of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 25 Universities, including Harvard,

stanford, Duke and the California institute of Technology. our expertise encompasses

multiple disciplines, with architects, lab specialists, economists and sustainability experts

working together to design innovative centers for learning.

nBBJ’s network of offices enables us to deliver quality projects that are regionally and

locally appropriate. it allows us to act as a single creative force—leveraging the latest

thinking from nBBJ colleagues in other locations, bringing a rich blend of expertise to

each project.

Please contact:

Brad leathley, AiA

Principal, nBBJ

(206) 223-5153

bleathley@nbbj.com

lilian Asperin-Clyman, RA

Principal, nBBJ

(415) 981-1100

lasperin@nbbj.com

N B B J . C O MB e i J i n g B o S t o n C o l u M B u S l o n d o n l o S a n g e l e S n e w y o r k S a n F r a n C i S C o S e a t t l e S h a n g h a i

land-Use Planning

lighting Design

master Planning

Programming

Project and Cost management

Retail Planning and Design

space Planning

Workplace Consulting