Richland Two Institute of Innovation
The Institute of Innovation is a place where students, parents, teachers, and academic support personnel can come together, and serves as an interactive hub offering resources to the entire community. The facility was envisioned as a multigenerational “fishbowl of learning” that creates educational spaces which are visible and active to encourage engagement and collaboration.
LOCATION Columbia, SC
COMPLETED 2016
SIZE 212,280 SF
SUSTAINABILITY Two Green Globes
PHOTOGRAPHER Matt Silk
AWARDS A4LE South Carolina
Maximizing Functionality
The building was designed to reflect the unique combination of functions on the interior. Reflecting on the state-of-the art technology and programs offered, the façade utilizes a combination of vertical metal panel veneers and pre-cast construction to create an overall industrial, high-tech appearance. Clerestories and abundant glazing with sun shading devices are paramount in introducing natural light throughout the facility. The stone accent walls bring a textural element to the building to highlight the main entry and bring down the scale to enclose outdoor areas reading areas for the library.
A Community Resource
The main entry opens to a large central spine that serves as a community resource space and separates the more public areas from the more secure areas of the building. With a 36’ high “dividing wall” which culminates into a continuous clerestory, the area is flooded with natural light. Though the wall serves as an implied separation, the spaces in the building area all “connected” by virtue of various openings in the wall that allow views from one area of the building to another and helps define spaces for high levels of activity and quite learning areas. Floor patterns of ribbons and circles that transition seamlessly from terrazzo, to carpet and to polished concrete also serve to connect the spaces visually and provide intersections for collaboration and interaction.
The community resources area features a reception area and technology displays for information about the building and the District as a whole. It will serve as a location for the District’s centralized registration, various areas for computer work, casual seating and collaboration spaces. The District’s Board Room is sub-dividable for a variety of meeting types that will be available to the community along with various other size meeting rooms off the central spine. The large lobby leads to an indoor-outdoor dining area and restaurant that can be used by the building occupants, as well as for special events.
