The transformation of a 1980s concrete structure has created an 82,880sqft engineering campus hub through adaptive reuse rather than demolition. A lightweight glass-and-steel pavilion, replacing heavy roof landscaping with a structure of similar weight, enabled a mass-neutral vertical expansion, adding 35,570sqft without carbon-intensive foundation retrofits and reducing embodied carbon by 42% compared with a new-build baseline. Located near the Hayward Fault, the project pioneers a lateral force-resisting system using Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) tension rods, allowing the structure to deform during a seismic event and return to its plumb position with minimal residual damage. The exposed SMA rods and structural frame also serve as a permanent teaching tool for students.
This project combines adaptive reuse with innovative seismic engineering. The judges were particularly interested in the application of SMA technology to create a self-centring seismic system that may represent a first-of-its-kind building application. The project translates research into practice, providing valuable insight into how new materials can be adopted within structural engineering. It offers an important contribution to the profession while encouraging further innovation in seismic design and retrofit.