01 UNION SAN DIEGO

Prioritizing interaction and user experience through sensory engagement, this project works to create harmony between diverse programs. Redefining the standards of typical office, educational, commercial, and living environments users are granted equal access to biophilic elements such as green terraces, healing gardens, and many alternate forms of circulationproviding flexibility in site navigation. This allows new memories to be formed each time a user interacts with these spaces through processes of environmental cognition. Atriums in both the art school and mixed use structures blur the boundaries between the outdoors an indoors while differing proportions, materialities,skin systems, and light interplay collaborate to activate dynamic perceptions of this built environment. The overall form has been thoughtfully designed to accentuate existing views of the surrounding natural environments of Balboa Park and the bay while emphasizing natural ventilation and providing protection from the typically sunny conditions. A universal circulation has been created to cultivate exploration while maintaining purposeful activation throughout the day. Allowing programs to cross over creates successful connections between buildings by allowing users to switch buildings throughout the day based on their programmatic needs making site activation more thorough. Programs unique to downtown come together to ignite all the senses allowing users to be more present and grounded in their daily activities increasing overall user wellbeing and create spaces of wonder for both new and existing users.