Two Steinberg Hart-designed projects were honored at the 2023 AIA Silicon Valley Design Awards. The AIA Silicon Valley Design Awards recognize the outstanding achievements in architecture and design in the Silicon Valley, in addition to celebrating professionals who contribute to the framework of the local built environment.
Miro Towers has been presented with a Merit Award in the category of Architecture. Supporting the San Jose Mayor’s long-held vision of building a vibrant and high-reaching downtown, Miro lies at the heart of downtown San Jose directly across from the iconic San Jose City Hall, bringing much-needed housing supply to the local market. In lieu of a monolithic structure, the 1.1 million square-foot project was set atop a unifying podium and split into two towers that respect strict FAA requirements and step back from City Hall, providing view corridors towards the public plaza. Due to its scale and visual impact on the city skyline, Miro’s façade design was of utmost importance. The towers share design DNA; the abstracted and elongated ‘checkerboard’ façade pattern is created by alternating recessed terraces juxtaposed with a glass and metal window wall that is offset at an angle. The patterned panelization created by the façade design contributes to a continuous, rhythmic, and activated backdrop that creates visual interest for passers-by. Together, the towers form a dramatic addition to the San Jose downtown skyline while providing homes for more than 630 families and single residents. It architecturally complements the iconic San Jose City Hall, creating a visual gateway and new landmark in downtown San Jose.
Miro Towers rises as an example for what the future of sustainable high-rise development can look like. The design goes beyond the goal of LEED Silver certification and meets the 2030 challenge by decreasing energy usage by 73%. It exemplifies how design can reach beyond the surface achievements of beauty, and advocate for green design and health and wellness. In partnership with our clients at Bayview Development Group and consultant partners at DCI Structures and Largo Concrete, among others, the project was completed in 2021.
San Jose City College Career Education Complex has been awarded a Citation Award in the Unbuilt category. The new 4-story, 90,000 SF Career Education Center serves as a “cloud,” full of information that fosters collaboration among students, the community, and the surrounding industry of Silicon Valley. Strategically located at the vibrant heart of the campus, the new Facility is seamlessly integrated with the renovated B200 Career and Workforce Development Programs, creating a central hub that creates opportunity to connect visually and physically, while also providing more open spaces critical to campus life and student success.
Offering over 200 programs, California’s community colleges are the largest provider of workforce training in the world. Recognizing this fact and embracing the opportunity, the goal of the new building is two-fold: create a flexible program that can accommodate all types of events to bring students in conversation with industry leaders – conferences, career fairs, guest lecturers, etc. – and provide a high-tech incubator campus to draw in industry partners to collaborate on campus.
The aim is to not only to set students up for success with the needed skill-set for in-demand jobs, but to put them in the direct paths of industry contacts to provide the clearest pathway to securing a career after school. Program elements that support these goals include tech-flexible classrooms, 100-person lecture hall, EMS and Medical Assist classrooms, Makerspace, and lab spaces dedicated to Laser and Machine Technology, HVAC & Facilities maintenance, and more.
These elements are interspersed throughout four levels, each with access to ample views and outdoor learning terrace spaces, and conveniently located adjacent to the Workforce Development offices for support, guidance, and mentorship. Whether for daily activities or special events, the new Career Education Center offers an inspiring environment for students and professionals alike. The project is currently under construction, with partners Flint Builders.
