University of Oregon, Price Science Commons & Research Library

Knot Studio’s wayfinding design for the University of Oregon’s Price Science Commons & Research Library points young minds in the right direction with imagery from chemistry, physics, and biology.

Science, like design, is a never-ending process of discovery. At the UO’s Price Science Commons & Research Library, Knot Studio designers crafted a placemaking and wayfinding program to inspire discovery by a new generation of scientific minds. Working with the theme of “Science in Action,” Knot Studio’s placemaking, wayfinding, and donor recognition designs celebrate the intersection of scientific disciplines by creating a dynamic and abstract environment. Imagery from biology, physics, chemistry, anatomy, and physiology give the walls and doors in the Price Science Commons & Research Library the perfect background for scientific inspiration.

The building’s design features a glass-enclosed pavilion that creates a hub for learning and research—promoting collaboration and experimentation. Knot Studio’s graphics portraying scientific imagery, sometimes at the molecular level, enlivened discipline-specific rooms. Co-mingling of scientific disciplines is encouraged around every corner of the building and is facilitated by spatial flexibility, including classrooms that can be reconfigured.

Knot Studio carefully curated notes and sketches from university professors and students, weaving their stories into feature walls in the Social Commons and scenes from Oregon’s landscapes used in faculty offices. Knot Studio’s collaboration with Opsis delivered a 21st-century building that earned an American Institute of Architects and American Library Association Building Awards. Most importantly, it gave UO students a venue that inspires scientific collaboration and discovery.