Nishi Gateway Sustainable Innovation District

The goal, simple: create a model for low-carbon, climate-resilient development that sustainably and equitably enhances the community.

A public/private partnership came together to create a mixed-use research and development innovation district that can be a catalyst for economic growth in the region, the Nishi Gateway Sustainable Innovation District. The project, located adjacent to both UC Davis and the city of Davis, includes up to 650 residential units, 325,000 square feet of employment-generating research and development space, 20,000 square feet of commercial space and nearly 14 acres of community parks and open space.

With this district blossoming out underutilized and undeveloped land adjacent to the campus, the illustrative style adopted a soft aesthetic, relying on a robust digital model to explore the various elements of the design. The site was designed with bicycles as the primary transportation mode, with a fully separated bicycle expressway that flows through the entire project and connects it to both UC Davis and downtown Davis—without a single street crossing!

MIG created the detailed programming, site design, building massing and orientation, parks and open space analysis, design guidelines, zoning, and visualization work for this creative development proposal. The unprecedented project will qualify for LEED-Platinum building design and can be both zero-net-energy and carbon-neutral.