# Intertwined University Buildings Stanford's New Building Spirals to Look Like DNA Strands By Christopher Magsambol | Published 2015-10-14 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stanfords-new-building References: [wallpaper](http://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/diller-scofidio-renfros-new-art-and-art-history-building-at-stanford-is-a-marvel-in-its-own-right) & [icaboston.org](http://www.icaboston.org/) Stanford's new building is home to the university's [Department of Art & Art History](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/limitededition-skateboard-deck) but resembles more of a museum than an academic institution. Designing the building was difficult because two distinct spaces were needed -- one side housing the [art-making department](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/atelier-ppw) and the other housing the history department. Despite the university's need for two distinct spaces, these interiors needed to seamlessly flow into one another. One way this was achieved was through the open air courtyard. The partially covered common area sits in the middle of the structure and mixes seating areas and green space. The two sides of the building were designed to create a "productive face-off," through the use of spiraling glass that is inspired by DNA strands. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.9/10 - Popularity: 5% | Activity: 13% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Intertwined Buildings:** A trend of designing buildings that blend two or more distinct functions into one seamless space. - **Spiraling Architecture:** A trend of using spiral designs in architectural structures, inspired by natural elements like DNA strands. - **Museum-like Academic Buildings:** A trend of designing academic buildings that resemble museums in their aesthetic and layout. ### Who This Affects Most - **Architecture and Design:** Opportunities for architects and designers to create innovative and functional buildings that seamlessly blend different purposes. - **Higher Education:** Opportunities for universities to create more dynamic and aesthetically pleasing learning environments that inspire creativity and productivity. - **Visual Arts and Art History:** Opportunities to redefine the academic spaces for visual arts and art history programs, blending workspaces and cultural exhibits in new and exciting ways. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Protein-Inspired Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/folded-protein-molecule.md) - [Terracotta-Clad University Faculties](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/feiden-clegg-bradley.md) - [University Art Landmarks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/princeton-university-art-museum.md) - [Organic Spiral Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pasona-natureverse-pavilion.md) - [Dynamic Sculptrual Research Hubs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ragon-intitute.md) - [Cave-Like Discovery-Themed Centers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gilder-center.md) - [Floating-Style Classroom Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bloomberg-center.md) - [Metal Screened Academic Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mary-schmidt-campbell-center.md) - [Complex University Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leed-v4-goldrated-schoenecker-center.md)