Economic
Development
Core Facility
A facility designed around a set of core collaboration spaces to support a wide range of interaction and engagement.
RDG's design supports the clients' desire to foster a culture of engagement and exchange recognizing the value of people forming relationships by bringing together previously separate services and expertise related to ISU's economic development and company assistance programs, as well as the administration and services of the ISU Research Park. The building's lobby and centrally located Hub Commons serve as large, open, active spaces for exchange that support scheduled meetings or impromptu huddles.
The Commons area is a multipurpose space that can host conference events or act as a cafe-style working environment, while more focused and privately controlled spaces are arranged around the core. Reflective of the idea that strong collaboration grows from professional and social relationships, the design connects the site with the building core through broad panel lawns and plaza space to allow for outdoor social gatherings.
Lighting Design
Architects and lighting engineers collaborated to incorporate daylighting into the facility, developing a plan for the building and site that would best optimize the harvest of natural daylight.
Glazing and solar control systems were specified and selected to admit targeted but significant amounts of natural light while excluding both glare and the infrared heat load that comes with natural daylight. A high-efficiency LED lighting system and lighting controls permit the installed artificial lighting to dim proportionally in the presence of ample daylight while maintaining consistent and appropriate lighting levels at the end-users task surfaces.
With respect to installed lighting, the building's unit power density peaks at .70 watts per square foot and is further reduced by the engineered use of natural daylight.