University of Iowa Informatics Initiative

Due to the diverse disciplines and backgrounds represented in the Informatics Initiative, the team realized the importance of integrating them with a single, unifying element. The design team chose inspirations that were based on genetics – a human data element and common thread that binds all of these disciplines together. Visual connections through and across the entire space inspire curiosity and promote engagement. The Informatics space brought together these individuals, who share a common pursuit, creating opportunities that lead to academic collaborations and innovations. The overarching organizational elements are bent linear ribbons, inspired by the graphic linearity of human genome mapping and the ribbon-like structure of DNA. Each bent ribbon captures a collaborative space. A central core of collaboration rooms spans east-west in the space, with a bent wood ribbon weaving them together. Bent white ribbons capture informal work and gathering spaces, serving as social collaboration zones. Focused work areas are located at the perimeter, providing acoustically protected space that also has a view to the outdoors and common areas, so users are comfortable and connected to the adjacent activity without interruption.