1091 Industrial is bolstering the bio-tech niche. Located at a key gateway from Hwy 101 and a main business industrial hub, this new life sciences building caters to the growing bio-tech and medical research market.
On the Caltrain corridor, the project is both bike and pedestrian friendly, with a public plaza at the intersection of Industrial and Brittan. The new building is 3 stories above grade and 2 stories below grade.

Three main components comprise the design: a stone base; a glass ribbon; and a wood and metal cornice. First, the stone base has deep inset apertures which give the effect of a carved-out mass. Second, a glass ribbon appears to float over the stone below, and allows sunlight to reach deep into the building’s interior, while vertical fins minimize solar gain. Finally, a wood and metal cornice anchors the glass ribbon and shades the exposed southern edge.

Employees enter through the plaza into a three-story all-hands atrium space, which features a glass curtain wall shaded with terracotta louvers. Accommodating a combination of lab, support, and office space, the “Lab Zone” surrounds the atrium and is arranged on an optimal 10’-6” bay module.
Designed for ultimate flexibility: 10’-6″ lab modules fit across the floor plate in both directions.

Zoned HVAC shafts were built into the design to meet future needs. Site constraints and requirements for bio-retention planters meant designing an underground transformer room with capacity for 8,000 amps of power (1,000 more than the highest level requested) and a massive fuel tank that would keep a generator running at capacity for up to 72 hours. 1091 Industrial is tracking LEED® Platinum and is estimated to be completed in 2023.
