It’s A Cliffhanger
February 17th, 2011 • Architecture
San Francisco is still a very provincial city when it comes to architecture but University of California’s recently opened ‘Ray and Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building’, designed by firm Rafael Vinoly architects, seems to have made it past the nimby approval apparatus with a very “edgy” design.
“The building’s location on a steeply sloping hillside – in a city plagued by earthquakes – was a defining element in its construction. The architects’ circuitous use of stairways and sloping walkways has deftly resolved the former, maximising all available space and ensuring a fluid and cohesive whole. Meanwhile, the entire complex is also supported by steel space trusses and concrete piers, which are specifically engineered to absorb earthquakes through seismic base isolation. ”
via Wallpaper
