AEI provided design services for the STAR Tower, a public-private partnership between the University of Delaware and Delle Donne & Associates. This ten-story building is located at the University of Delaware STAR (Science, Technology, and Advanced Research) Campus. As an extension of the design services Bernardon provided, the Tower is connected to an existing two-story University building by a large Atrium functioning as an indoor “street”. Walking through this space showcases a collaborative workspace, an exercise science gym, a maker space, a demonstration kitchen, and an outdoor plaza space. All of these piece’s lead to the Audion, which is a state-of-the-art multipurpose presentation space that accommodates up to 300 people.
The design is inspired by “the butterfly effect,” which states that the smallest change or interaction in one location can prompt a dramatic change in another. The Tower design reflects this by taking on the abstract form of a butterfly emerging from a garden, which is represented by the adjoining 21,860 SF Atrium and Audion. This imagery serves as an iconic reminder of the change and innovation that interactions on the campus strive to create.
