Caltech’s Resnick Sustainability Institute Is An Ode To Its Mission

2025 Best of Year Winner for Environmental Impact

California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, is committed to sustainability education and research. The university encourages all students—English and chemistry majors alike—to explore creative solutions to climate change. Resnick Sustainability Institute, a 78,760-square-foot laboratory center by Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign, is the physical manifestation of that mission. Interest in the sciences is piqued upon approach, the undulating facade of aluminum and cold-bent glass inspired by the flow of wind. A mass timber–supported curtain wall lowers embodied carbon, solar fins reduce heat gain, and rooftop photovoltaic arrays provide power. Certified LEED Platinum, the building employs sustainable materials like FSC-approved wood and cork flooring. But just as important is the culture it creates: All undergraduates will take at least one course at RSI, bringing together students from across the 124-acre campus. They meet in the four-story atrium, conceived to encourage the interdisciplinary discovery vital to protecting our planet.

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MICHAEL J. SMITH; MEHRDAD YAZDANI; PAUL MOREL; CRAIG BOOTH; NADINE QUIRMBACH; BEN JUCKES; PUNIT JAIN.