The vision behind Innovation Center
The idea of broadening the spectrum of education into excellence propelled the need of building such space. The center opened in January 2016 for the students of Clemson University to implement their imaginations into innovation, and this place comes up as an intellectual space between students, mentors, industry partners and the marketplace, which help them to build their today’s idea into future’s innovation while exploring new methods and technological advancement.
Design philosophy | Clemson University
The Watt Innovation Center is designed by Perkins and Will architectural firm, Floyd Cline senior associate of Perkins and Will while speaking about the design, stated that the philosophy was developed from the tagline mentioned to them as a requirement –“to build a facility for students to interact with industry partners and a place of taking ideas from concept to the marketplace”.
The resultant design principle was to build a space that is flexible and accessible which allows people from different criteria of professionalism to interact and work beneath a single roof, creating an environment with the help of technology and resource which makes this space to be self-defined and fits into the requirement of providing excellence.
Fusion of frustums
The two building blocks of the innovation center are combined reflects as a fusion of two separate frustums yet placed adjacent, one block is shifted to the next grid other than the grid of the first block and the final form appeared to be in the back and forth direction, the differences in vertical elevation resembles as one block is generated from another block. The staggered corner of frustums rose with plinths serving as the entrance of the building.
Other than the placement of these blocks the way architects have worked into façade treatment of both the blocks, they redefine the visual separation grouped in a single frame, as one of the blocks is completely covered with brick façade and the other one fully connects the indoor with outdoor via glazing on all four walls.
Materialistic timeline from outside to inside | Clemson University
After developing the perception of the historical aesthetics while coming around the conventional brick and window opening on the façade of the new building, our perception is going to morph as soon as we walk inside the building. The interior space has been rendered in orange and white boxes on walls and even the same colour palette flows on floors in the same rhythm, with an elevated floor plan underneath which is placed the wiring and air conditioning services.
The second building zoned in the eastern phase of the site has glass walls on all four sides is as much as aesthetically pleasing, providing a view of the open corridor and atrium spaces from the outside also provide a comfortable work environment inside, glazed walls allow natural daylight inside the building and offers an energy-efficient, visible and vibrant workplace, these glass walls along with the open roof terrace on top creates connectivity to outdoor space and provide a sense of openness towards the outer landscape.
Constructing the technological advancement
The basic keynote in the design was to create a space that offers flexibility in all aspects, hence the floors and walls were mechanised to allow maximum possible use of space and make it multifunctional, the raised access floor system carried all the utilities beneath the layer of the floor and the wall surrounding these floor plate are demountable walls providing the freedom of utilizing every inch of space and remodelling it according to the gathering and space requirement.
Technological advancement is also enabled in the interior of the building from creating a virtual and visual digital enhancement, supporting the functionality of the building, to modelling the modularity of the furniture components to address the changing needs of the space and users as mentioned by Cathy Bunn Project Architect of Perkins and Will –she describes that most of the furniture’s used in the building are on wheels and the table can be flipped up as per the use.
The digital display and innovative solution | Clemson University
The glass wall was a fascinating source of daylight but the glass façade also affects the indoor thermal and visual comfort by forming glare at various viewpoints, without affecting the aesthetics and functionality of spaces architects discovered an innovative solution that further enhanced the building aesthetics. By implementing the media mesh on a glazed façade which outsourced the display of colourful lights during the night time and acted as a shading device during daytime. Media mesh is a running channel designed for day and night application with led lights arranged in rows in the carrier sleeves of stainless steel mesh popping up the bunch of lights reflecting on the façade.
The Watt Innovation Center is a LEED Silver certified building which other than the building aspect also proved to be sustainable for the development of students as it provides students with a space with the understanding of the present scenario and allows them to turn their virtual concept into the realistic and a practical future with the help of a digital and technological resource and a place offering a suitable work environment and professional ethics. The functionality of this building completely serves its purpose of being constructed, the flexibility and accessibility of the space allow students to merge their views and provide ease in their works, meeting people formally or gathering informally, the modularity of the space let them step forward and meet the next generation of advance future.
References:
- https://perkinswill.com/project/clemson-university-watt-family-innovation-center/
- https://www.archdaily.com/875802/watt-family-innovation-center-perkins-plus-will
- https://www.gkd-group.com/en/services/mediamesh-and-illumesh-media-facade-systems-with-leds/
- https://www.haworth.com/na/en/projects/customer-projects/clemson-university.html
- https://m.youtube.com
