CV Starr East Asian Library

The design of the building required conformance with the UC Berkeley master plan, but the building developed its own identity by utilizing unique materials that correlate the use of the building. Facade elements include large bronze cast screens with stainless steel catwalks which provide shading and an iconic feature to the building. The stone cladding utilizes an open joint rain screen system, resulting in clean sightlines and integration of adjacent materials, including flat seam copper panels, bronze clad window wall and lead-coated copper accent panels at the parapet area. Although there is significant mass to the building the facade materials, sightlines and “cracked ice” and “rectilinear” pattern of the bronze grilles diminish the visual mass. 

Client:

UC Berkeley
Berkeley, California 

TEF Design
San Francisco, California 

Architect:

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects Partners
New York, New York 

Project Location:

Berkeley, California 

Scope of work:

Consulting services including material applications and sourcing, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration of all facade elements and waterproofing.  Production of the Tactile Cast Bronze screens, formed bronze trim and stainless steel catwalks. 

Materials:

Tactile Cast Bronze
Tactile Formed Bronze
Tactile Formed Stainless Steel 

Products:

Tactile Cast Bronze Sunshades
Tactile Formed Bronze Cladding