3808 Faraday Avenue

Summarize the project's program, features and achievements?

The Faraday R&D Building exemplifies how thoughtful design and creative use of tilt-up construction can redefine expectations for industrial architecture. Strategically located in Davis, CA to house companies in the Science, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing sectors, the building balances aesthetic sophistication with the functional demands of modern R&D users, delivering both architectural distinction and operational flexibility. The building’s 32-foot clear height supports the integration of a second-story office mezzanine. This verticality is celebrated at the main entry, where full-height glazing introduces abundant natural light and establishes a strong visual identity. The glass not only elevates the building’s presence but also symbolizes transparency and innovation, both key values for the high-tech tenants the space was designed to attract. The façade showcases a repeating formliner pattern that creates rhythm and cadence across the tilt-up panels. This subtle but deliberate design move animates the building’s exterior, adding texture and depth that elevate it well beyond a typical industrial shell. The tilt-up panels are carefully modulated along the length of the building, balancing repetition with enough variation to engage the eye. These elements work together to produce a sleek, modern appearance that competes with high-end office developments, while still delivering the durability and efficiency of concrete construction.

From an engineering and construction standpoint, the project demonstrates a high level of coordination and craftsmanship. The main entry panel was our largest, yet contained capacious openings to accommodate the curtain wall, leaving a rather skinny panel leg to work with. To successfully attach the wing wall – and keep it hidden – specialized planning for bracing, lifting, and alignment was required. Attention to detail was essential at every step to ensure the integration of structural and glazing systems without compromising performance or aesthetics. Despite these complexities, the team achieved exceptional execution, resulting in clean panel lines, crisp reveals, and seamless transitions between concrete and glass.

Designed for adaptability, the building can accommodate a wide range of tenant needs, from light manufacturing to high-end R&D office environments, making it a future-ready asset in a rapidly evolving economic landscape. It proves that industrial buildings need not sacrifice design quality for function. Instead, with intention and creativity, tilt-up can deliver a product that rivals any conventional office building in appearance, performance, and appeal. The Faraday R&D Building is more than a utilitarian facility. It is a statement about the potential of tilt-up to support innovation and economic growth. By marrying design excellence with structural ingenuity and construction efficiency, it sets a new standard for flexible R&D environments and advances the role of tilt-up in creating inspiring spaces for the industries driving our future.

Please communicate any engineering complexities or unique features of the panel design for this project?

The main entry panel was our largest, yet it also had our biggest openings (the curtain wall at the entry). Brent was able to make the skinny panel leg we left him work, and he even used for the attachment of the wing wall we had there. Beyond that, the attachment of the wing wall was entirely hidden. Most structural engineers would have fought this design, but he instead was innovative and didn’t complain once. It was also impressive that PCS Concrete, our tilt-up sub, pulled this off in the field. Seems a lot harder than welding off embeds.