O'Brien/Atkins Associates PA 

Location: Research Triangle Park, NC

Deviating from the typological standard utilitarian box that defines data center design, the GDL-2 Lab is a literal moving expression of interwoven programmatic volumes.  The design draws inspiration from regional tobacco barn structures of the North Carolina landscape to create a bold sustainable facility to house NetApp’s global cloud computing initiative. Using modern materials and building management systems, large overhangs and roof ventilation are transformed into moving structures that allow for natural ventilation to cool the facility for 70% of the year with a total energy usage that is 45% less than a typical data center.