ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
Scion Innovation Hub .
Image courtesy of RTA Studio
SCION INNOVATION HUB
THE DESIGN THINKING BEHIND THE WORLD ’ S BEST TIMBER BUILDING
A balance of creativity with pragmatism , sustainability with social responsibility , and pushing the boundaries of what ’ s possible with wood — here ’ s what went into creating the world-renowned Scion Innovation Hub .
To create a prototype of the future building , you ’ ll need a perfect confluuence of factors — a creative design team , innovative technology , a willing client , and the right cultural and environmental context .
The Scion Innovation Hub has an abundance of all these magical elements . The forestry research institute ’ s one-of-a-kind design leads the way as the first sizable steel-less timber building in New Zealand . Both the wood structure and sustainable strategies deployed by the designers of this award-winning building embody a creative yet pragmatic solution to the question , “ How can we combat the world ’ s looming climate crisis through innovative building design ?”
Designing with transparency in mind
RTA Studio , an architecture firm based in Auckland , New Zealand , partnered with Irving Smith Architects to design the Rotorua headquarters of Scion , a Crown research institute that specializes in research , science , and technology development for the forestry , wood product , wood-derived materials , and other biomaterial sectors . RTA Studio has a strong interest in mass timber architecture , which has moved to the forefront of
people ’ s minds as a green material — particularly as warnings about the climate crisis continue . Rich Naish , RTA Studio ’ s design director and the Scion building ’ s lead designer , tells us how he reimagined the outdated Scion campus and moved it into the 21st century .
The original research campus gave o . serious 1960s vibes . It was a maze ; prolonged intercourses of laboratories stretched out all over the site , creating physical chasms that stymy research collaboration and department connection . Scion wanted a new , modern workspace to promote research , encourage interconnection , and educate the public about their work , ushering in a new era of transparency for an institution that works on New Zealand ’ s behalf .
To encourage public awareness of Scion ’ s work , Rich and his architectural team developed a master plan that relocated the main entrance to the opposite end of the site , adjacent to the Whakarewarewa Forest Park entrance . When visitors stop at a cafe or other amenities at the popular hiking destination , the Scion building is directly in their purview .
The client ’ s goal to increase transparency for the public was a significant driver not only in the building ’ s orientation but also in its layout . The designers created a beautiful , centralized atrium to welcome people into the public space on the ground floor of the building . A kaleidoscope of colors and repeating timber beams
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