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NewswireTODAY - /newswire/ -
Kennett Square, PA, United States, 2007/08/29 - Air Liquide’s beautiful new Technology Center in Newark, Delaware by Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects and CUH2A, Inc. to be featured in Buildings Magazine October 2007 issue - Bernardon.com.
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Air Liquide’s beautiful new Technology Center in Newark, Delaware is designed to inspire creativity, innovation and collaboration among researchers in its R&D network, while incorporating a connection to nature and the wise use of natural resources—themes brought together by Bernardon Haber Holloway Architects and CUH2A, Inc. in a dramatic and powerful design to be featured in the October 2007 issue of Buildings magazine.
The overarching goal of the Air Liquide Research and Technology center design was to create a world-class facility that would encourage creativity in a collaborative environment.
“The new Center will enable us to accelerate innovation, discover new technologies and expand into new markets by making use of our employees’ wide range of talent…” said Francois Darchis, a member of the Air Liquide Executive Committee. A pioneer in development of industrial and medical gases, Air Liquide has research centers in France, Japan and the United States, and the company has invested $35 Million in the new Delaware Center. It is hoped that the new facility will leverage team synergies of the top university and scientific talent present in its various U.S. locations.
The 83,000 SF facility certainly makes a memorable impression on its visitors, with a dramatic, soaring canopy at its entrance that angles out toward the parking area—invoking movement, speed and action—and full-height glass walls in the lobby that bring the exterior environment into the building. The connection-to-nature theme is expanded with a curving glass wall that opens into a view of the exterior landscape, and by bringing natural light deep into the building with strategically placed skylights and interior windows.
Inside, a “main street” corridor runs the length of the building, connecting the lobby to the conference rooms, café, office areas and knowledge center, and large windows along the interior lab corridor allow visitors to observe lab activity without physically entering the lab. The “town center” café design is a concept borrowed from the company’s facility in Paris, and is intended to be a community focal point for building users. The design of the lab spaces encourages collaboration between scientists.
“This is a very unique and exciting project,” said BHH principal, Kerry Haber. “The collaborative philosophy of the company inspired the design. The new center combines visual excitement in the public space with a relaxing and calming work space—an atmosphere that promotes ease of use and a sense of community while also inspiring creativity and enhanced communication. We’re very pleased with the outcome.”
The project was recently reviewed by Buildings magazine, and was awarded a Citation of Excellence for New Construction by the publication’s Project Innovations 2007 program, which was announced at the Buildings Awards ceremony at the Javits Center in New York City during the BOMA Congress and The Office Building Show on July 22, 2007.
NOTE: For interior and exterior photographs, contact Diana Gonzalez
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dgonzalez[.]bernardon.com 
