Stanford University Deep Lab

Deep Lab is the strategic adaptive reuse of an existing concrete structure at the heart of Stanford University. This monolithic scientific infrastructure, built 60 feet underground, was originally constructed for early electron-scattering research in the 1960s. After decades of limited use, the University partnered with the Jensen Architects to undertake a thoughtful and strategic transformation. Instead of demolishing the structure’s dense concrete mass, the project embraces its inherent isolation—turning a logistical and environmental challenge into an ideal setting for nanoscale research. Aligning form and function, the building’s subterranean depth and structural density provide the rare, vibration-free environment and magnetic shielding perfectly attuned to welcome Stanford’s Nano Shared Facilities program.