The Duan Family Center at Boston University unites 3,000 students, faculty, and staff in a collaborative, flexible environment for research, study, and teaching. Situated on a compact urban site by the Charles River, this 345,000-square-foot, 19-story vertical campus is Boston’s largest sustainable and operationally The Center is a striking addition to Boston's skyline. Its cantilevered volumes, diagonal louvres, and mirrored sawtooth façades on a triple-glazed curtain wall create a linear aesthetic while ensuring energy efficiency. These elements reduce solar gain, optimize shading, and maintain indoor comfort, making the Center a model of sustainable design. Achieving LEED Platinum certification and operating entirely fossil fuel-free, the building sets a new standard for environmentally conscious construction.

The building’s layout supports academic and interdisciplinary collaboration. It is organized into ascending academic neighbourhoods, with mathematics and statistics on the lower levels, computer science on the middle floors, and public spaces and interdisciplinary areas at the top. A central atrium connects faculty and students, fostering a sense of unity, while an interconnecting staircase weaves through 13 floors, encouraging cross-disciplinary interactions and serendipitous encounters.

The interior design emphasizes light, connectivity, and inspiration. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer expansive views of the Charles River, connecting occupants with the natural world and reminding them of the interplay between technology and humanity. Collaborative spaces are equipped with whiteboard walls to stimulate brainstorming and showcase work in progress. The classrooms and collaboration areas are bathed in natural light, further enhancing creativity and focus.

The design prioritizes well-being with materials that improve air quality and enhance occupant comfort. Finished concrete floors, carbon-neutral carpets, and rubber flooring prioritize sustainability, while natural wood elements evoke warmth and harmony with nature. The bold primary colour palette used in furnishings adds vibrancy, aids wayfinding, and complements the understated building tones, inspiring joy and optimism. Active chilled beams provide individualized temperature control, improving comfort and energy efficiency by allowing systems to shut down when spaces are unoccupied.

The building is a hub of activity with 12 classrooms, two computer labs, a ground-floor café, collaboration spaces, and an outdoor plaza with a covered bike shelter. The design encourages movement, health, and community engagement. The building culminates in a three-story-high open-air pavilion and event space, offering a venue for gatherings with unparalleled views.

The Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences transforms Boston University’s campus and redefines the possibilities of academic architecture, sustainability, and interdisciplinary innovation.