A CASE STUDY ON

INNOVATION HUBS
P R E S E N T E D B Y G R O U P 3
Group Members
Salim Nabil B11/0587/2019

Benson Mutua B11/0602/2019

Clare Ombura B11S/13968/2019

Mwandau Mvoi B11/0599/2019

Romans Etyang B11S/16417/2016

Mayabi Lisa B11S/13094/2019

Magalie Kasangati B11F/27012/2017

Eugene Jack B11/0533/2018

Mark Obare B11S/13388/2019

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Located strategically on a 57 hectare site, near the Sir Seretse
Khama International Airport and adjacent to the Diamond
Technology Park in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana.
Project Team
•Client:Botswana Govt
•Architect: SHoP Architects
•Area: 500,00 sqft
•Category: Industrial& Research
•Budget: $50 M

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Brief
•The client’s brief was
for an iconic yet timeless
building which
employed the most
advanced green
technology available.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Concept
•The main aim was to
create an attraction for
corporates in the middle
of nowhere. Botswana is
well known for the
Kalahari desert and

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Okavango delta which
were major inspirations
for the hub.
As are oases in the
desert, so is the hub for
the country and the
generous courtyard for
the building.
Project Concept
•The sand dunes have
been the conceptual
drivers since the
inception of the project.
•The embodied
characteristics of these

PROJECT OVERVIEW
landscape features are
visible and prominent in
the form, most notably
the building massing, the
facade expression and
the landscape planning .
Program Analysis
•The centre has three long blocks connected by connecting
arms that create a series of courtyard.
•The central block (4 stories)contains shared amenities,
including a 250 seat auditorium and a bar
•The northern block (2 stories) contains lab spaces for the

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
country’s ministry of health (main occupant)
•The southern block (2 stories) will contain offices along with a
business school.
Building Materials and
Technology
•Main materials are
concrte
steel

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Building Materials and
Technology
•Frames are covered
with aluminium sheets to
give the facade an
organic form

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Scion
Innovation
Hub
Location
•It is aptly located adjacent the redwood
forest on the northern edge of
Whakarewarewa Forest Park in Rotorua.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Team
•Client: SCION, New Zealand
Forest Research Institute.
•Architects: Irving Smith
Architects, RTA Studio
•Structural Engineer: Dunning
Thornton

PROJECT OVERVIEW
•Project Manager Pacific
•Area : 2000 m²
•Year : July 2012-2020
•Budget: $5.7m
Project Brief
•Scion is a Crown Research Institute that specializes
in technology development for the forestry industry.
•RTA Studio/Irving Smith
Architects, were
commissioned to reimagine
the Rotorua headquarters of

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Scion.
Project Brief
•Creating a new front door
and public face for Scion

•Improve the visitor arrival

PROJECT OVERVIEW
•Showcase timber technology
and exhibit Scion’s work
Project Brief
•Bring Scion together and better
connect with public and
commercial partners.

•Engage with the forest.

•Acknowledge the cultural

PROJECT OVERVIEW
significance of the region.
Project Concept
•The structure was
designed to exhibit
timber technology.
•It has 455m³ of
structural wood, and
stores 418 tonnes of

PROJECT OVERVIEW
carbon dioxide.
•The optimum use of
engineered timber
ensures that the building
leaves zero carbon
footprint on the land.
Site Access
Vehicular Access Pedestrian Access

•Scion Innovation Hub is •Walking and cycling paths

PROJECT NETWORK
Site Circulation
•Ample parking is •Paved pathways have been
provided on site for provided for circulation
vehicles. arounf the hub.

PROJECT NETWORK
Site Conditions
•Warm season lasts for 3.0 months, from December 16 to March 16, with an average daily
high temperature above 70°F. The hottest month of the year in Rotorua is February, with an
average high of 74°F and low of 56°F.
•The cool season lasts for 3.5 months, from May 25 to September 9, with an average daily
high temperature below 57°F. The coldest month of the year in Rotorua is July, with an
average low of 39°F and high of 53°F
•Rain falls throughout the year in Rotorua. The month with the most rain in Rotorua is July,
with an average rainfall of 3.5 inches.
•The month with the least rain in Rotorua is November, with an average rainfall of 2.1 inches.

CONTEXTUALIZATION
Site Responses
•East west orientation
-capitalize on daylight
-assist in thermal regulation

CONTEXTUALIZATION
•Double skin-
thermal
performance
Building Access and
Circulation

PROJECT CONNECTIVITY
Building Access
and Circulation
•Main entrance with
ramps for universal
access

PROJECT CONNECTIVITY
•Stairs are used for
vertical circulation and
also at fire exit points.
Building Access
and Circulation
•Main entrance with
ramps for universal
access

PROJECT CONNECTIVITY
•Stairs are used for
vertical circulation and
also at fire exit points.
Program Analysis

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
•Ground floor is
the main
circulation and
public area with
1st and 2nd floor
duplicating
DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Program Analysis
Culture embodiment
•The Scion Innovation Hub is adjacent to a forest with both natural
and exotic species. The tree leaves colours are of varying
throughout the seasons and this is shown through the façade.
01- The initial development idea of the façade pattern which
mimics the diagrid.

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
02-The final façade design with vertical glazing
Culture embodiment
•The 3 peaks at the entrance represent the 3 Maori sub-tribes
which are - Waikato,
-Ngapuhi,
- Ngati
The central one is emphasized to show dominance.

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Culture embodiment
•Typical wood joints
have been right-angled
with dovetails and
bolted

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
•Naturally, trees branch
out diagonally and so
are their fibres. The
intent was to imitate the
tree structure which is
angular.
Culture embodiment
•The ceiling pattern mimics the DNA structure of the pinus
radiator which is the main specie of the timber type used.
The light pattern is akin to the star constellation –matariki- which
when sighted tells the Maori New year

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Community Engagement
•The fascia panels were a gift from
the local community which highly
appreciated the engagement.

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
•A local Maori artist was engaged to
design and then the patterns were
digitized and engraved.
Interior environment
•Has been treated just as a •Floor insulated to minimize noise
museum. transmission.
Have the wood polymers for 3d Use of cross laminated timber for the
orienting. floors.

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
‘lwi’ – the great house
Interior environment
•Use warm colors to relax the •Offices with pendant lighting.
mind. Mix of open and secluded spaces for
Upholstered seats and curved various privacy requirements.
Daylighting and interior plantscaping

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Building Materials and
Technology
•Scion uses three main materials for construction :
1. wood
2. steel
3. concrete

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
•Wood

•Steel

•Concrete
Building Materials and
Technology
•Earth quick pivoted on the ground to allow it to swing
with seismic movement

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
•Double layered facade with
the frames inside and steel
curtain wall on the outside
Building Materials and
Technology
•A timber frame diagrid was
constructed to form the
structural base for the
building.

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
•Considering timer was the
main construction material it
was essential to make sure
the structure stood strong
Building Materials and
Technology
•The diagrid during its
construction

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Material choice
•As assessed using the Etool
system, the Scion Innovation
Hub achieves embodied carbon
zero at the time of completion.
• By using engineered products
made from sustainably grown
pine and putting more thought
into the operational
characteristics of a building, the

SUSTAINABILITY
building significantly contributes
to New Zealand’s carbon-zero
future to leave a much lighter
footprint on the land.
Passive Design Strategies

SUSTAINABILITY
Toronto
Innovation
Hub
Location
•Located next to Sugar Beach,Toronto, Ontario, Canada

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Team
•Client: Waterfront Toronto &
City of Toronto
•Architect: Sweeny & Co
Architects Inc.
•Developer: Menkes
Developments Inc.&

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Bentall Green Oak.
•Year: 2015-2021
•Area: 475,00 [Link]
•Height: 174 ft/ 53.03m
•Category: Commercial
Project Brief
•An office development that would support innovation and technology
employment on the Waterfront.
•The Waterfront Innovation
Centre consists of two main
structures:
•The 11-storey Hive, for anchor
tenants, includes a flexible and

PROJECT OVERVIEW
adaptable workspace;
• The Exchange, for smaller
businesses, is 10 storeys and
features social gathering spaces.
•The two structures are
connected by the Nexus, a
collaborative space for meetings,
conferences and impromptu
coffee chats, and a direct
connection to Sugar Beach.
Project Concept
•It is designed to foster
innovation and
collaboration by
providing more flexible
and adaptable
workspaces.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Site response
•The waterfront centre optimizes connectivity
with the broader waterfront community.

CONTEXTUALIZATION
Building Access
and Circulation

PROJECT CONNECTIVITY
•The Waterfront Innovation Hub is mainly
accessed from Queen's Quay East street.
Program Analysis
•Ground floor is •The nexus is the
parking and retail main circulation
space spaceconnecting
all the blocks

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Program Analysis
•The hive is the
office spaces

•The exchange is the

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
common space.
Building Materials and
Technology
•Common town structure made •Top slabs are supported with
of concrete and steel the columns

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Building Materials and
Technology
•Single layer curtain wall
that directly attached to
the slab

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS
Case
Study
Review
Contextualization
•The projects in the study paid a lot of attention to their
environment and the designers came up with solutions that made
the projects fit in their immediate contexts.

STUDY REVIEW
Contextualization
•Scion Innovation Hub was constructed using material that was
locally available and also employed some skills fro the locals in
the area.
•The presence of trees that produce high quality timber enabled
this.

STUDY REVIEW
Culture
•Scion Innovation hub's design resonates a lot with its immediate
community and has incorporated their culture through very simple
yet aesthetic solutions.

STUDY REVIEW
Program layout
•The projects in our case study have arranged all the spatial
requirements of the brief in a logical manner which helps sustain
the funcioning of the building.

STUDY REVIEW
Waterfront Design
•Waterfront Innovation Hub opens one's eyes to the possibility of
multiple ways of making a design to be a waterfront project.
•In this case the designers set up a block close to the water body,
linked it with the other building and used it to provide leisure
activities.

STUDY REVIEW
Passive cooling
strategies
•The designers of Scion Innovation Hub employed passive cooling
solutions but at the same time used them to create a very
aesthetically pleasing facade.

STUDY REVIEW
Conceptualisation
•The designers in the projects showcased in the study came up
with concepts for their designs which had a philosophical
background and catered to the need of the client

STUDY REVIEW
Varied Privacy
•The spaces in the projects varied due to different privacy
demand s of an innovation hub. There are open spaces for
interaction and there are offices for personal work and they are
properly linked.

STUDY REVIEW
ANY QUESTIONS?