Summary
- Stanford has a substantially larger campus than MIT and Harvard, and it opens museums and some buildings to the public.
- Google, Apple, and Salesforce also open some buildings to the public, but Google has the most public art and exclusive experiences.
- The Computer History Museum is right next to Google HQ and has an impressive collection of early, intricate computers.
Highlights
Stanford University
- It's large and low-rise, but this also implies a car-centric design. Despite the Bay Area having a larger population than San Francisco, the buildings are low-rise, and while there is bus service, it is difficult to travel without a car.
- I sensed a somewhat conservative atmosphere aimed at dignified, wealthy individuals, rather than a more unique and inclusive environment like MIT.
- Souvenirs are available, but I know that these items are created by the sports team rather than directly by the university. This is probably why T-shirts with unique fonts are commonly seen alongside other university merchandise.
Memorial Church
- Located right in the middle of the university and open to the public, a free guided tour is also available.
Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University
- The museum is small but has a good collection of Rodin's works.
Google HQ
- Aside from the Googleplex, there are numerous Google offices that cover the entire area.
- There was impressive Calabi-Yau Manifold art in front of the visitor center, with many artworks surrounding it.
- The visitor center resembles a store that sells phones and features unique items such as T-shirts and water bottles.
- Google has a unique bicycle that can brake by pedaling backward. It has only a manual brake, but this brake enables much faster and more effective stopping.
Apple HQ
- It’s difficult to grasp the entire building due to its scale and the trees surrounding it.
- There is a visitor center (store) featuring an AR view of the office building, which will replace the campus tour.
Computer History Museum
- We can see the world's fastest computer from back in the day. It’s unbelievable that such complex wiring was done by humans without a single error.
- As the exhibition progresses, newer technology will be showcased, featuring computer games and graphics in later sections.
- As it is a history museum, the exhibition primarily focuses on past technology, but there is a real Waymo vehicle in the hall. We can actually ride in a Waymo in San Francisco now.
Salesforce Tower & Landscape
- This tower is the tallest in SF and is directly connected to a transit hub and a park built by Salesforce.
- Many famous companies' towers, such as BlackRock, are located right next to it, making the night view even more fantastic.
Public Transportation & Food
- The line connecting San Francisco and the Bay Area features large locomotives with two-story cabins. It's a little inconvenient since it takes time to accelerate and is somewhat infrequent.
- The tram line is also infrequent and uncomfortable, but there is an EV bus option that utilizes the energy grid system from the tram line.
- People say it's hard to find vegetables, but they are available for under $10. However, they are less attractive compared to the very cheap and durable wheat.
Conclusion
- I'm not too fond of privately owned massive land. Such lands tend to be just like giant fancy parks, not providing many housing options or opportunities for locals. I think the large land should be used for the people, and I want to learn about public space design.
- Surprisingly, Stanford seems to be much more conservative in contrast to its innovative ideas. I wonder why many museums focus on historical collections instead of state-of-the-art technology. Japan may lack traditional Western art collections, but it does have many modern art representations. I really hope that someday there will be a museum that exclusively features digital art. I think teamLab is still specific but fundamentally a futuristic form of art museum.
- Google and MIT seem to share many characteristics, such as the fusion of design and art. Google’s design style is playful and gives us a sensation of freedom. I tend not to use high-contrast colors, but I hope to try more playful and free forms of art.
- The old days' computers were slow, but that doesn't mean they were made easily. Collecting historical computers helps us rediscover the ingenuity of people and reminds us of how our technology developed. It's really rare to see the aesthetics of the 2000s, but I want to know more about the predecessors' creations.
- Fisherman’s Wharf is an amazing place, especially since Japanese waterfronts tend to be giant factories or large parks. I hope there will be more human-sized, small districts with a lot of shops and museums.
