Orchid 
The Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) develops advanced research solutions for the public good. This kind of learning and discovery calls for a space that inspires creativity and sparks innovation. Franklin Antonio Hall (FAH), UCSD’s new 186,000-square-foot research campus, is comprised of 13 large facilities known as “collaboratories,” where professor-led groups from different but related disciplines are empowered to collaborate and pursue grand-challenge research.
Bordered by three ravines at the north edge of the main campus, FAH is perched atop a mesa where an old surface parking lot used to exist. Vertical sunshades give the building a serrated sculptural appearance, reducing solar gain while also providing passive daylight to students deep within the building. The design parti creates a direct connection to nature, allowing students to see the campus or canyon from every interior space, sit under a tree in the central atrium or on an outdoor deck, walk the canyon, or enjoy the outdoor architectural stairs.