The purpose of the new building is to serve as a getaway from the busy and often very stressful university life. It is open only to students, faculty and other Stanford University staff and is located in the center of its campus.
The name Windhover - "kestrel" - refers to the series of paintings posted there by Nathan Oliveira, which bears the name of this bird of prey. He created them, inspired by the soaring of birds over the Stanford Hills and
the poem "Kestrel" (1877) by the English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. Oliveira originally intended his work to be a meditation and contemplation space, and his vision was carried out by an initiative group at Stanford University.
Before entering the Windhover Center, the visitor must walk through a small bamboo grove that marks the border of the "hectic" campus life. The earthen walls of the building are constructed from soil excavated on site, and wood of various species is widely used in the interior: such "characteristic", textured materials should provide visitors with a visual and tactile impression. Window openings in the roof illuminate Oliveira's canvases, the rest of the interior is immersed in twilight. The murmur of fountains inside the building blocks out any outside noise.
From the outside, the center is complemented by a pond, behind it are the pre-existing oak grove and sculpture garden from Papua New Guinea. Extensive glazing surfaces link the interior with the surrounding space and allow a glimpse into the interior in the dark when the center is closed.
