Project Description
Oregon Health and Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute sought a state-of-the-art cancer research facility that would support and facilitate a team science approach. Reducing the number of research floors and increasing the size of each floor allowed us to incorporate communicating stairs, which form functional and visual connections between floors and between research teams. The experimentalist laboratory and office suites are organized in interconnected “neighborhoods.”
These neighborhoods retain the modest scale researchers prefer, while providing the flexibility to reallocate space as needed. The extensive use of glass walls creates visual connections that reinforce the collective identity of the Knight Cancer Institute and allow more daylight into the building.
Workspaces are visually connected via extensive use of glass partitions. Quiet spaces allow researchers to escape the excitement of this environment for more reflective, private work. A central kitchen provides opportunity for social interaction during meal time, and an intellectual lounge with an adjoining roof terrace is a great place for researchers to relax and share discoveries. Additionally, casual seating throughout the building facilitates the chance encounters that help create a culture with a collective goal.
Implementing spaces for people, a rooftop terrace and exterior balconies capitalize on stunning views to the Willamette River and the Cascade Mountains beyond. A 200-seat auditorium and additional meeting rooms make up a ground floor conference center for a wide variety of events. A retail café and other amenities create a more public zone, which will contribute to the long-term development of the research campus.
Awarded: ACEC Oregon, Engineering Excellence Honor Award, 2019