Can the new building at Stanford University be the ‘tree house’ where students retire to just enjoy and share together?

The Denning House will be the home of the new Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program. This program’s goal is to build a graduate scholarship and education program at Stanford University that will prepare leaders in the 21st century and beyond. To fulfill this aim, the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program will select the very best students from around the world and fund them in whatever degree programs they choose, enhance their experience with a variety of programs beyond their core degree program, and provide them with a lifelong sustained network of Knight-Hennessy Scholars. In addition to their degree programs, scholars will engage in a variety of educational programs designed to enhance and develop leadership skills, global perspective, and other important assets for modern leadership. The scholars will work in interdisciplinary teams to tackle some of the world’s most pressing problems in order to prepare them to address those, and other problems upon graduation.

We worked with Stanford University and the Denning Family to develop a design that supports the goals of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program. The design has a strong core of spaces, but is also outwardly focused with views across Lake Lagunita and back to campus. There are ample spaces for gathering and collaborating for small and large groups. The House is meant to be a daily touchstone for scholars, a place for them to develop as leaders, and a home for experiences that will influence their lives.

• FIRST PRIZE COMPETITION Stanford University 2016
• AWARD NOMINATED for the 2019 Building of the Year on ArchDaily.
• 2020 CHICAGO ATHENAEUM AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE AWARD
• AIA SILICON VALLEY 2020 DESIGN AWARD