Yale University Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking

Transforming a windswept collection of multilevel plazas into an accessible and glowing focal point, the 12,200-square-foot Center for Innovative Thinking establishes a space of exchange among Yale’s leading scientists and students from diverse disciplines to create innovative solutions to real world problems. Designed to foster mentorship and collaboration, the Center physically connects students and faculty in a single, centrally located structure. The oval shape of the Center differentiates itself from the diverse collection of surrounding buildings while also engaging those structures through reflections on its curved glass walls. Alternating between concave and convex curves, the Center becomes a chameleon, referencing and narrating the history of the campus through the surrounding facades. A modern Tempietto, the 22-foot-tall glass panels create uncommon views of the collegiate gothic and brutalist style buildings that frame the courtyard. These curved, structurally self-supporting panels are transparent, encouraging circulation through and around the Center and revealing the ongoing work occurring within. When needed, an automated custom curtain provides protection from glare and introduces a level of intimacy. At night, the building lights up in an inviting saffron glow. Within the two-story Center, continuous sightlines throughout the open space encourage interdisciplinary discourse. The double height studio, conference and breakout spaces are all within view of each other, creating opportunities for spontaneous discussion and providing a link between public areas and more private spaces for concentration and collaboration. In keeping with Yale's commitment to sustainability, the project repurposes the current underused and inaccessible paved plaza into a fully accessible outdoor garden, significantly reducing storm runoff and encouraging activity year-round. The building and the plaza renovation have achieved LEED gold certification. The creation of the Center for Innovative Thinking transforms what was previously inaccessible left-over space into a new interdisciplinary center for unscripted discoveries.