Previously, the biology department's faculty and students were split across five aging buildings, a physical separation that ran counter to the collaborative nature of modern science. The new Bass Biology Research Building anchors Stanford's new scientific district, fostering biological research that addresses critical societal needs. The design incorporates flexible modules that elevate interdepartmental engagement, and thoughtful space allocation fuels new scientific discoveries.

 

Interactive art exhibits, designed in collaboration with students and faculty in the art department, communicate the evolving research being performed by the faculty and students, showcasing their science on display. For example, a two-story interactive "media mesh" displays biology-themed abstract images through a touch-screen near the building's entrance. The first-floor lobby and entranceway also feature an art installation called "Pacific Cadence," which is made up of photographic collages of the ocean's surface that are seamlessly knitted together to give a sense of the complex nature of the Pacific Ocean.

 

These art stories are linked directly to one or more of the biology department's grand challenges, including DNA Sequencing—Predicting Individual Organisms' Characteristics; interactions of the Earth, its Climate and Biosphere; and Understanding Biological Diversity.