Proposed a facility in Silicon Valley to promote the creation of new businesses. The aim is to expand the possibilities of ceramics by exhibiting 18 technologies and co-creating ideas with visitors. The purpose of the facility is to continually provide solutions to future social issues by marrying the core technologies cultivated as a manufacturing company with innovative venture companies. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Venture Lab Santa Clara is an 800㎡ facility that represents the client's forward-looking commitment to the co-creation of new products with emerging start-ups. It sheds light on the possibility of fine ceramics by showcasing the client's core technologies applied in the field of medicine, environment, energy, and next-generation vehicles. At the entrance, the company’s history of extensive experimentation with fine ceramics is celebrated in the form of a bespoke feature screen abstractly representing the origins of ceramic as a raw material. As daylight reaches the 11m wide aggregate infused acrylic screen, the entrance lobby floor is filled with an exquisite interplay of light and shadow. Within the lobby, an introductory video describing the corporate history and its future vision is projected onto a large motorized sliding wall. Once the video ends and the wall slide open, an expansive exhibition space dramatically appears before the visitors. Above the exhibition space, a two-foot square suspended ceiling grid resembling a surveying technique utilized on excavation sites spans the entire space to provide order and act as guides for the visitors to navigate through the open field. 18 purpose-made display tables aligned to the grid showcasesabroad spectrum of extraordinary technology developed by the company throughout its history. A tablet is utilized to determine the visitor’s field of interest and programmed lighting seamlessly guides them to the relevant displays. The tablets with AR capability assist visitors to obtain a deeper understanding of the technology at the nanoscale and its contents are projected onto a 20m wall to be shared with larger groups. The collaboration lounge at the end of the exhibition space is an informal area reserved for visitors and staff to exchange ideas related to future collaborations and becomes the bedrock for advancement in ceramic-based technology. The adjacent share office and workshop are dedicated to start-ups and the aim is to generate a healthy cycle from conception to prototyping. By marrying high-quality production capability possessed by the client and the innovative ideas proposed by start-ups, Venture Lab Santa Clara is envisioned as a physical platform that forests creative interaction with a focus on solving the challenges society faces.
NGK SPARK PLUG Venture Lab Silicon Valley
Katagiri Architecture+Design & Kakizoe Architects
Bronze

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Tetsuya Matsumoto
Head Architect
at KTX archiLAB
6
5
6
5
5.5

Florian Seidl
Design Manager
at Lavazza
Very interesting initiative....
7
6
7
5
6.25

darren nolan
Associate
at Peter Marino Architect
5
6
5
5
5.25

Judith Haase
Architect
at Gonzalez Haase AAS
4
5
4
5
4.5

Royce Epstein
Design Director
at Mohawk Group
7
6
6
5
6

Jelle Sapulete
Design Director
at Adidas
5
5
4
5
4.75

Shannon Pringle
Interior Designer
at Bernardon
4
3
4
4
3.75

alberto caiola
Design Director
at Alberto Caiola Studio
5
6
5
6
5.5

Matteo Renna
Founder
at matteorenna | studio
6
6
6
5
5.75

Justin Bridgland
Founding Partner
at More Design Office
4
4
5
4
4.25

Julie Payette
Cofounder and Partner
at v2com newswire
7
5
6
5
5.75

Simona Franci
Principal and Design Director
at Fortebis
6
6
6
5
5.75

P.C.Ee
Editor & Creative Director
at industry+
6
6
5
5
5.5

Jaycee Chui
Founding partner
at More design office
6
5
6
5
5.5
Client
NGK Spark Plug
Floor area
800 ㎡
Completion
2019
Architect
Architect
Creative Direction
Project Management
Lighting Designer
Visual / AR
Visual
Exhibit Production
Graphics
Architect of Record
General Contractor
Photographer
Anna Nagai