Behind every click, stream and swipe lies a vast network of data centers — the backbone of our daily lives.
“From 911 calls to banking, food production to aviation, medical to gas industries, the digital and physical systems that support modern living all pass through data centers,” said Stanley Schultz, ’04, director of data centers at Ware Malcomb.
Yet, for most people, the planning, design, and efficiency of these facilities rarely cross their minds.
Demand, however, is accelerating. The rise of AI and large language models has intensified the need for capacity and hyperscale facilities, but data centers themselves have been around for a long time.
“The first data centers started in the 1940s and grew over the years from small rooms to large buildings as the internet exploded in the late 90s and early 2000s,” said Schultz. “Without knowing it, our personal preferences for the way we choose to live have required the need for continued growth.”
That growth requires solutions that balance speed, resiliency and sustainability without sacrificing scale.
Today, Schultz brings this approach to every project. From small data centers to multi-building campus
planning, he guides projects from concept to deployment.
“Data centers are a very utilitarian design typology,” Schultz said. “Good design strives for standardization and can accommodate future flexibility. It should always be modular. Thinking through assemblies big and small and how they will be made, deployed to sites, and maintained is critical.”
Juggling Pace, Power and Pushback
As society pushes data center design and deployment to innovate and keep pace, the greatest constraint and challenge is power.
“Every component of a data center, including servers, cooling, computing, and even basic building operations like flushing toilets, consumes electricity,” Schultz said. “The push will be towards finding ways to create and utilize power more efficiently.”
With rising concerns about the energy consumption and environmental impact of future data centers, Schultz says pushback can be productive.
“Without constraints, we have nothing to push against,” he said. “It will require the industry to be smarter about how we use and create resources. I’m hopeful that a solution we find for data centers will eventually be used to create efficiencies in other aspects of life.”
No Master Plan, Simply Curiosity
Data center design wasn’t the career Schultz originally imagined. He grew up mostly in Illinois, where Chicago’s ’90s punk scene and skateboarding developed his fascination with physical space and urban and suburban environments. College wasn’t part of the plan either, but his high school photography teacher pushed him to go.
“I chose NIU because that is where she went,” Schultz said. “She helped me fill out the application and sent it in. I owe her a lot. I wouldn’t be here without her. If you are reading this, thanks Ms. B!”
Schultz arrived at NIU without a master plan, but the environment allowed him to test interests, follow his curiosity, and grow. He joined the rugby team and connected with professors Ben Stone, Michael Barnes, and
Valerie Wallace, who recognized his potential and helped him build the confidence to forge his own path. In 2004, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in design.
“NIU gave me a place to explore, build confidence and make connections,” Schultz said. “Being somewhere to cultivate your sense of self is so important. NIU provided that at a part of my life that needed it the most.”
His road to data centers began with roles in industrial design, fabrication, and exhibit installation and production at Chicago’s Field Museum. After earning a Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois Chicago, Schultz spent a year abroad working for renowned Colombian architect Giancarlo Mazzanti before moving to New York to work for Jeanne Gang, architect of the Aqua Tower and St. Regis Chicago. Those formative years strengthened his problem-solving instincts and shaped how he approaches design at every scale.
Ultimately, these experiences converged in the specialized world of data center design at Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects in Chicago.
“After working in traditional architecture, I was looking for a change. Something that tapped into the product skills I developed as an industrial designer and fabricator,” Schultz said. “Data center design offered that opportunity, and the process is more like product design than architecture.”
Schultz credits his success to curiosity and agility.
“Curiosity helps with exploration, fights stagnation and is great during conflict,” he said.
Schultz is among those influencing the way people live, work and connect. Data centers may be the backbone of our digital lives, but their evolution starts with individuals driving innovation — because progress demands both curiosity and courage.
