The Signature Architectural Element of the Knight Campus at the University of Oregon

 

The Knight Center, the research facility at the University of Oregon has now become a best-in-class campus with the inclusion of the glass interior to the functional exterior design, known as the cascading wall. It is designed by American firms Ennead Architects and Bora Architecture & Interiors.

Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny gifted $500 million for this new academic facility that include multiple disciplines viz., engineering, applied sciences and business. The glass facade allow abundant daylight and dynamic views of surrounding landscapes. It inspires researchers and enhances the work of scientific discovery.

Nearly 650 glass panels that individually weigh 800 pounds are used to make the cascading wall and each of the panels is supported by a cantilevered outrigger system with tension rods hanging from the roof.

The design partner at Ennead Architects Todd Schliemann said, "One that supports practical needs and aesthetic aspirations, but more importantly, one that inspires the people who work in it, those that move through it, and those that simply pass by."

Spreading across an area of 160,000 square feet (14,864 square metres), the research center includes two, L-shaped buildings that are connected by a glazed volume.

The facade team said, "Sunlight floods the interior through a skin of folded-glass panels, emulating water cascading over rock formations and offering views that invite the outdoors inside". "The bridge has a tied arch design that is self-supporting, simple, symmetrical and visually light", added the team.

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