1091 Industrial

Beautiful, Adaptable Life Science

1091 Industrial is bolstering the bio-tech niche. Located at a key gateway from Hwy 101 and a main business industrial hub, this new life sciences building caters to the growing biotech and medical research market.

On the Caltrain corridor, the project is both bike and pedestrian friendly, with a public plaza at the intersection of Industrial and Brittan. The new building is 3 stories above grade and 2 stories below grade.

Three main components comprise the design: a stone base; a glass ribbon; and a wood and metal cornice. First, the stone base has deep inset apertures which give the effect of a carved-out mass. Second, a glass ribbon appears to float over the stone below and allows sunlight to reach deep into the building’s interior, while vertical fins minimize solar gain. Finally, a wood and metal cornice anchors the glass ribbon and shades the exposed southern edge.

Employees enter through the plaza into a three-story all-hands atrium space, which features a glass curtain wall shaded with terracotta louvers. Accommodating a combination of lab, support, and office space, the “Lab Zone” surrounds the atrium and is arranged on an optimal 10’-6” bay module.

Zoned HVAC shafts were built into the design to meet future needs. Site constraints and requirements for bio-retention planters meant designing an underground transformer room with capacity for 8,000 amps of power (1,000 more than the highest level requested) and a massive fuel tank that would keep a generator running at capacity for up to 72 hours. 1091 Industrial is tracking LEED® Platinum and is estimated to be completed in 2023.