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The new headquarters for Samsung Semiconductor in San Jose, CA, in the heart of Silicon Valley, is designed to encourage communication and interaction amongst its employees.
This high-tech facility will include offices, research and development space, a parking structure, and associated support and amenity spaces. The support and amenity spaces include an auditorium, a large data centre, a cafeteria building, a learning centre, and an incubation hub.
The building will be Samsung’s largest development in California, emphasising their commitment to developing new technologies locally while strengthening their position as a world leader in technology.
The structural design of the building through large double height trusses and cantilevers allows two-story bands to float in three distinct volumes above the podium. This creates column free outdoor garden spaces which break up the large office building. They also allow employees to reach outdoor space within one floor from their desks.
Day-lighting design, façade design, mechanical, and energy model analyses were performed to inform the shape of the courtyard. The results of these analyses were also used to inform the façade design, including the window to wall ratio placing larger/wider frames in locations of higher heat gain while allowing other façade locations to be more open.
Developing the design for this facility required close collaboration of all those involved. Arup utilised advanced analytical design techniques including BIM, daylight and shading studies, and energy modelling to optimise the building design, energy performance, and occupant comfort.
Arup is providing full multi-disciplinary engineering services including: structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering, as well as acoustics, lighting design, fire life safety, and sustainability from schematic design through construction. The project design was completed on a fast track schedule where construction started nine months from the start of concept.
The Samsung headquarters project was recently named a Northern California Best Project in the Office/Retail/Mixed Use category by Engineering News-Record.