CoreSite SV9 Data Center
Project Stats
- Location
Santa Clara, California
- Size
250,000 SF
- Critical Load
36 MW
- Market
- Expertise
An infrastructure operator in California elevates their campus with a new data center design
CoreSite set their sights on constructing a seventh data center in the heart of Santa Clara’s Silicon Valley, and having established a long-standing relationship with Corgan, engaged the firm to design a four-story data center facility created to add value to their existing campus and attract Fortune 500 and various enterprise clients.
The co-location facility was designed to elevate the workplace with high-end finish outs in administrative offices, conference rooms, and tech lounges to cater to employees.
Redesigning the Facade
Upon submission of the conceptual facade for zoning, the city’s planning committee’s recommendations included changing the existing aesthetic, originally intended to match the brown stucco buildings on campus, so the client requested Corgan explore alternative options.
Corgan began with a clean slate and collaborated with its Commercial Studio and conducted a series of design charrettes to provide new designs. Despite the lengthy process of creating several iterations that delayed the timeline, designers mixed and matched materials and glazing to create an elevated design that became the new standard for CoreSite’s future builds. The final design comprises a portal and horizontal metal panels that update the exterior, while a vertical ribbon and curtain wall add an expanse of glass to flood prominent administrative spaces with natural light.
Creating a More Sustainable Solution
Corgan assisted the client in navigating the arduous Project Clearance Committee (PCC) - a process required by the city of Santa Clara that reviews plans for conformance with city plans, ordinances, and policies - and presented the designs to the city council in a town hall meeting open to the public. Corgan complied documentation for the municipality and conducted impact studies to meet California CEQA restrictions for vibration, general emissions, sound mitigation, energy consumption, and site topography.
During the design process, the team (in tandem with engineering firm kW MCE) also evaluated mechanical cooling solutions to assess water consumption based on annual water usage and recommended Adiabatic Dry Coolers (ADC) in lieu of CoreSite’s typical cooling tower design. Spacing out the units on the roof significantly reduced water usage from 370 million gallons to approximately 2 million gallons annually, for a more sustainable solution with less environmental impact.
The research paid off, resulting in the facility ranking in the top 25% of data centers nationwide for sustainability, using 35% less resources than similar buildings of this size and scope, delivering a project that satisfied stringent city codes. The design supports the development of the single site master plan and elevated the campus, setting a precedent for future CoreSite properties.
