bjarke ingels to activate 'energy hub' with sculpted archway for westbank

defined by its soft and gestural form, bjarke ingels group‘s energy hub will mark the studio’s second building at the westbank campus in san jose. developed in partnership with urban community, peterson and OPtrust, the mixed use project is planned to exist in dialogue with the nearby bank of italy — the 1920s-era tower which BIG will simultaneously restore with vibrant and green workspaces. together, the projects will celebrate the contrasting languages of the historic landmark with contemporary, forward thinking architecture. with housing and workspaces, the modern intervention will enhance the beauty of the heritage building rather than mimic it, contributing to the many layers of history which make up the growing city.

images courtesy of bjarke ingels group / BIG

bjarke ingels group names its ‘energy hub’ at the westbank campus as a reference to its energy-capturing facade and the human energy from its ‘urban room.’ the conceptual ‘urban living room’ is where the energy of the two projects — and the surrounding context — will come together in a mash-up of urbanity. this strategy responds to both the existing urban condition by taking advantage of the network of alleyways surrounding the site. the ground plane’s design creates a continuation of the brick pavers from these alleyways, and the storefronts reflect the rhythm and vernacular of the surrounding buildings. the urban room takes shape as a welcoming, carved-out archway which opens up the public realm and connects two alleyways through the site. rising from an oval footprint, the two ‘legs’ of retail and residential are connected overhead by workspaces above. the diverse programming is enclosed by a shared rooftop that will create an urban park and athletic pavilion overlooking the city.

consistent with the overall initiative of the westbank campus, the bjarke ingels group-designed energy hub will further efforts toward an overall initiative that will achieve net zero carbon or even carbon positive. the exterior is defined by a system of integrated horizontal louvers and balconies. designed with the most efficient spacing and depth, this performative facade succeeds in reducing the total radiation on the building mass by over 45%, reducing the overall cooling needs. meanwhile, photovoltaic panels are installed onto the tops of each of the louvers, harnessing 1,105 mwh of electricity per year.

with its high-performance facade, the energy hub looks to the future and nods to the past. bjarke ingels group draws inspiration from the existing materials of the surrounding heritage district and the bank of italy building itself. the team explores the use of terracotta and similar materials for the exterior horizontal louvers. the louvers are sculpted to peel back at the north facade where there is little to no direct sunlight. this strategy exposes the glazing beneath to provide a framed reflection of the bank of italy building along the face of the energy hub.