Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo / William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation

APPROACH
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation is a 103,800 SF interdisciplinary academic building located at the heart of campus. Bringing three colleges together under one roof, the project required a placemaking and donor recognition program that could celebrate collaboration, honor philanthropy, and integrate seamlessly with the building’s architectural character at a highly visible campus crossroads.

A strategy grounded in integration, craft, and campus identity shaped the design approach. Experiential graphics were embedded directly into the architecture through brick that feel both understated and impactful. At the atrium stair, Cal Poly’s motto Discere Faciendo (“Learn by Doing”) is expressed as a two-story supergraphic formed through varied brick depth and finish, revealing itself differently throughout the day. Opposite the feature wall, a donor recognition installation uses pin-mounted aluminum plaques of varied sizes and finishes to reflect six giving tiers in a non-hierarchical, cloud-like composition. Additional recognition moments, including the Christina Bailey Learning Terrace, celebrate leadership, generosity, and the people who helped bring the center to life.
OUTCOME
The result is a refined and deeply integrated environment that reinforces the Frost Center’s mission of interdisciplinary learning and innovation. The graphics program transforms circulation and gathering spaces into moments of identity, recognition, and inspiration while preserving the building’s architectural clarity. By embedding donor stories and campus values into the fabric of the project, the center creates a meaningful sense of pride and belonging for students, faculty, researchers, and visitors.

Work completed under ZGF Architects LLP