On January 23 the Facades+ conference series returns to San Francisco. AN partnered with Paul Woolford and Levi J. Rippy, design principal and technical principal, respectively, at HOK to assemble the days program, which consists of case studies covering Bay Area projects as well as topical roundtable discussions on mass timber and facade research. You can find out more about the event and register here. Upside Down and Inside Out: Stanford Universitys CAMIn the first session of the day, HOK will present their design for the Center for Academic Medicine at Stanford University. Targeting net-energy standards, the buildings glass curtain wall is shaded by a ceramic frit and, on certain elevations, a metal louver system. In addition, the design addresses the stressful nature of residency programs, providing a series of outdoor spaces that create a more pleasant atmosphere for work and study.Facade Futures Today: Research Updates from LBNLNext, representatives from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will provide an overview of recent facade-related research, including inquiries into thin triple-glazed windows, vacuum insulated glazing, automated shade systems, and exterior window films. The scientists will also share updates to their software tools including WINDOW, THERM, and Radience. Attendees will walk away from the sessions with insight into the future of facade technology. Mass Timber in California: Strategies, Systems, & Future DevelopmentsThis roundtable session assembles voices from across the AEC industry to discuss trends in mass timber construction on the West Coast. Participants include Ethan Martin, director of sustainability and mass timber at DCI Engineers, Lisa Podesto, regional director of preconstruction at Swinerton, Philip Tidwell, assistant professor of architecture at UC Berkeley, and Claire Moore, senior principal and director of engineering at HOK.Google hired MGA to design the first mass timber structure on the companys Sunnyvale, California campus. (Ema Peter)Googles 1265 Borragas: Sustainable Innovation in Light and WoodPresenters from Michael Green Architects (MGA) and Eckersley OCallaghan, will share the design behind Googles first-ever mass timber office building. Named 1265 Borregas after its address, the new structure boasts a beautiful interior of exposed timber columns, ceilings, and floors activated by ample sunlight that enters through a glass curtain wall envelope and a large skylight. Googles new office has achieved a number of important sustainability metrics including LEED Platinum energy performance and a dramatic reduction in embodied carbon. RDH Building Science and EHDD collaborated to restore the AIA headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Payton Chung/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED)Renovating Brutalism: Challenges, Approaches, and Sustainability StrategiesTouching on several recently completed projects, Felix Weber, facade specialist at RDH Building Science will cover the firms adaptive reuse work. This includes a seismic retrofit of Arthur Ericksons Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, and the renovation of San Franciscos Transamerica Pyramid. Weber will be joined on stage by Rebecca Sharkey, partner at EHDD, to go into more detail on the preservation of the AIA Headquarters building in Washington, D.C. These projects, all renovations of midcentury concrete buildings, provide a roadmap for the preservation of North Americas legacy Brutalist architecture, a period of work that is in dire need of upgrades and landmark protections.Living Enclosures: Strategies for Biophilic Design and Green WallsIn the events final session, David Brenner, founder and CEO of Habitat Horticulture will discuss his companys approach to green wall design as well as challenges and benefits related to planting vertically in urban environments. Brenner and his team have completed green walls for a number of important projects across the West Coast, including for the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, SFMOMA, as well as a number of corporate commissions for prominent tech companies.