04. Jul 2018

Metal mesh: Green campus as an identity-affirming backdrop

Alongside a ten-story main building, Samsung's spectacular corporate campus in San José includes a star-shaped cafeteria and a nine-story parking garage. For its cladding, NBBJ Architects selected Omega 1520 metal fabric from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG. The parking garage façade impresses as effective solar protection and an aesthetic backdrop that was printed by GKD in accordance with a specified design.

The 300-million-dollar building known as the Samsung Device Solutions America Headquarters in California’s Silicon Valley was designed by the hottest architecture firm on the high-tech scene. Over an area of 25,000 square meters, NBBJ Architects created a clearly structured and dynamic building consisting of three two-story square plates arranged on top of one another. The corporate campus was built according to the criteria of LEED Gold and focuses completely on the sustainable use of natural resources. Thanks to lush green patios on the roof of the plate below, every employee is just one floor away from a green space. Ceiling-high rows of windows also ensure maximum visibility and promote the collaboration the company espouses. The parking garage of the Samsung Headquarters provides 1,346 parking spaces over an area of almost 54,000 square meters. Its elongated, narrow design leaves maximum space for green areas and also serves as a backdrop for the adjacent park by reflecting the surroundings and the sunlight. 27-meter-high and three-meter-wide panels of shimmering stainless steel fabric from GKD envelop the open parking levels and make the building appear less dominant. At the same time, the texture protects against driving rain and minimizes drafts. Interior lighting at night, which makes the Omega 1520 fabric seem transparent, gives users a feeling of security. The 70 fabric panels were mounted using the tried and tested structure made of round rods and eyebolts and provide optimal ventilation and sufficient daylight. An artistic print on the parking garage façade is reminiscent of circuits on a circuit board and allows the corporate identity to meld impressively with the surrounding nature.