Solving climate requires cooperation across silos
To inform the vision, Gehl conducted almost a hundred interviews, walk-arounds, and focus groups with faculty, students, and staff to understand where and how interdisciplinary collaborations originated and how they developed over time. The team mapped and observed spaces across the seven existing schools that would be contributing programs to the new sustainability school and the three institutes that would be located in the school.
Gehl’s ethnography and analysis yielded insights and design principles guiding the development of the Doerr School, aiming to create a dynamic environment for collaboration. The envisioned school is likened to a theater stage, where different activities unfold like acts in a play, utilizing circulation areas as impromptu collaboration spaces and providing easily accessible shared private work rooms. Leveraging California’s climate, outdoor classrooms are integrated to reduce reliance on indoor spaces. Quality amenities are focused in shared spaces to maximize use and social interaction, with communal dining as a centerpiece.
The design prioritizes efficiency, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion, encapsulating a holistic approach to educational spaces that mirrors global needs.
