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IT IS A PLACE DEFINED BY UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM CHARACTERIZED BY MODULAR COMPONENTS SERVING THESE PROGRAMS CONNECTED BY GROUND AND AERIAL PATHS, ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND TRAINS, AND COVERED BY DYNAMIC FABRIC UMBRELLAS REFLECTING THE ACTIVITIES WITHIN. IT IS A CAR-FREE OASIS THAT IS OPEN TO THE CITY AND DEFINED BY SMART AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN SYSTEMS SHOWCASING THE LATEST IN WASTE, WATER, MOBILITY, AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT.
A logic of adjacencies will fuel creativity and growth. The system will include adjacent research and lab spaces, supported by a network of tools and dotted with cultural, social, retail, hospitality, and wellness zones serving the community and acting as sites where potential new technologies can be tested. These space and programs will be supported by corporate partners and venture funds as anchor tenants and populated by start-ups and new companies. They will offer both permanent homes and residencies for innovators as well mentorship and a general sense of community.
These programs will be distributed across an initial set of 15 buildings. Each building will be 5,000 M2. We imagine that there will be a 1:1 ratio between built and open space resulting in a total project footprint of 125,000 M2. The perimeter of the site will be permeable to the surrounding city and will appear almost like an oasis from the broader urban fabric. Within the complex, clusters of buildings will form around specific research initiatives. These clusters will be served by two larger clusters of four umbrellas that serve as event spaces – one for internal events and one for events for the city. The latter will include an auditorium and will be situated with views of the ocean.
The project will be constructed with a modular system that will accelerate building. This system will work at both the macro and micro level. At the macro, it will include a collection of elements such as ground paths, elevated paths, pavilions, courts, and dynamic roofs expressing the energy performance of the building through color. These dynamic roofs could also be used to express other aspects such as air quality and special events taking place within.
At the micro level, the modular system will occur as structural and façade units within each pavilion. We imagine developing modular interior systems as well that will make it easier to reconfigure space without having to demolish walls. This can be achieved through running conduit in the baseboard or at the ceiling level rather than embedding it within walls. We also imagine that this modular system could be produced locally and take advantage of locally available materials. This will support flexibility that will allow companies to expand as they grow while also creating flexibility in adjacencies between companies.
The facades of these structures will be retractable in order to enhance the connectivity between inside and outside while also supporting connection between shared meeting, collaboration, and common spaces. These common spaces will in turn be covered by modular umbrellas to enhance their thermal comfort and protection from rain.
The entire open system will be supported by a mobility strategy that reduces private car trips. Supporting programs within the development will be created to limit the need to travel offsite. Parking will be eliminated, rapid transit will be cultivated, and ride hailing lanes at the perimeter will be integrated in order to anticipate the arrival of autonomous vehicles. Throughout the complex, bike lanes, scooter lanes, an electric train, and walking paths that connect the buildings will be provided. Finally, an autonomous electric vehicle system to support trips from one end of the site to the other will be introduced.
The project will be powered by a core set of digital services that others can build on, an advanced energy management system, a flexible building and tenant management platform, a mobility management system, and an active stormwater management system. The project will be supported by an advanced power microgrid, smart water system, and underground freight delivery system. Finally, we will use waste as a resource by actively cultivating a circular economy.
