Santa Clara, California, USA
Reflecting NVIDIA’s forward-thinking, Gensler creates a corporate building emphasizing a connection to nature, aiming to create a workplace that fosters collaboration and well-being.
Τhis 750,000-square-foot addition to NVIDIA’s corporate headquarters, Voyager makes an immediate statement with its iconic, undulating roof.
For its architectural features, the project has been awarded a 2024 American Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
Shaped to bounce sound without reverberation and formed with acoustical ceiling material to absorb noise, the roof helps create the optimal environment for a less siloed workplace and adds to the variety of indoor spatial and community experiences.
Several triangular skylights – a nod to the wireframes at the heart of one of NVIDIA’s key businesses – maximize daylight, supporting occupant wellbeing while reducing reliance on electrical lighting.
Emulating a setting that many became accustomed to working in during the pandemic, a four-acre “backyard” accommodates 1,300 employees and houses work points of varying scales shaped by planting and landforms.
“Treehouses” provide space for teamwork from an elevated perspective and are linked to the rest of the campus by a bridge with amphitheater shaped areas for moments of connection.
A solar panel-lined trellis seamlessly blends into the structure, not only providing shade but also producing approximately 50,000 watts of power.
Like in a natural landscape, navigation of Voyager’s interior is intuitive. Inspired by Northern California’s topography, meeting areas and enclosed rooms form literal landmarks, establishing the backdrop for workspaces that open to the soaring ceiling and transparent exterior wall, emulating the feeling of working outdoors while inside.
Essential to bringing this concept to life was sound project organization, which was structured to ensure constructability.
Equally important was innovative planning, achieved with NVIDIA VR technology. Simulation of the project was critical in rapid iteration and decision making, from materials selection to lighting placement.
Leveraging this technology shortened a process that typically takes months to minutes.
Along with prioritizing on-site energy generation, the LEED v4 NC Gold Certified structure is designed to save 3.4 million gallons of potable water for irrigation and flush fixtures alone per year relative to LEED baselines for indoor and outdoor water use.
CO2 sensors in each room are served by systems with Demand Controlled Ventilation (DCV), and post-occupancy air quality testing was executed to meet LEED Indoor Air Quality Assessment credit requirements.
A choice-filled, explorable workplace, Voyager serves as a catalyst for continued innovation at NVIDIA and a resilient future.
Project: NVIDIA Voyager Corporate Headquarters
Architects: Gensler
Lead Architect: Hao Ko
General Contractor: Devcon Construction Inc.
Client: NVIDIA Corporation
Photographers: Jason O’Rear