Contract - September 2012 - (Page 67)

At Chatham University, an existing barn will be converted into a multipurpose lecture hall (left) with an indoor/ outdoor stage. A “Pittsburgh steel” support structure will be installed to augment the barn’s existing wood superstructure. The remainder of the wood barn structure and siding is preserved on the interior. Adjacent to the hall, a new EcoCenter (above) will be constructed. All campus buildings are being designed by Mithun to a net-zero energy standard with individual buildings slated for LEED® Platinum, Living Building, or Passive House certifications. Sandy Mendler, AIA, a nationally recognized expert on sustainable design, has been a principal in the San Francisco o ice of Mithun since 2008. She was previously a senior vice president and design principal at HOK. • Seek out diversity: Rather than seeking beauty in uniformity and a tightly controlled palette, seek out materials, colors, and textures that create beauty through diversity. • Demonstrate interconnectedness: Develop building systems that are multifunctional and interconnected, like systems in the natural world. • Cultivate resilience: Be aware that e iciency has its limits, and use of redundant systems can be beneficial in the long run to increase longevity. • Focus on experiential qualities: Experiential design is sensual, tactile, and revealed over time as spaces • Use local materials: Explore the use of locally respond to the dynamics of the seasons and the time sourced natural materials, reused materials, and unique or artisan-crafted materials that have of day. meaning to building occupants. • Connect with cultural history: Design can keep stories about the past alive by preserving and/or Raising the bar reusing artifacts or by leaving traces of the past Another important evolution in sustainable design through the use of architectural palimpsests. practice relates to assessment systems, as the bar is • Engage the natural world: In a natural setting this rising rapidly for both voluntary rating systems and may mean organizing space to capture views, or new code requirements. First, we are seeing rapid finding opportunities to open up to the outdoors. adoption of key elements of voluntary systems into In urban settings, this may mean creating a bit of the model codes. Beginning with California, a new nature indoors with living walls, roof terraces, and statewide Green Building Code came into e ect in pocket parks. on buildings as objects and interior architecture as abstract composition, and more focused on direct, sensual experience and engaging the “narrative” of place. In addition to engaging traditional sustainability measures such as energy e iciency, daylighting, and use of healthy materials, a holistic and experientially based sustainable design approach will include the following: January 2011, and this year, the 2012 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) is available for adoption by states and municipalities. ASHRAE/IES standard 189.1 is a complementary compliance option. So far, Florida, North Carolina, and Oregon have adopted the IgCC, as have many municipalities. Next, the voluntary standards such as LEED® are becoming noticeably more demanding, while those seeking status for their work as leadership projects are looking toward standards such as Living Building Challenge and Passive House for guidance. These represent meaningful advances in codes and voluntary standards. However, ultimately, the goal is to make much better buildings that perform better against objective criteria as well as the more subjective experiential criteria. When that is done the result will be a generation of high-performance green buildings that are also beloved buildings. Beloved buildings resonate with people on a deeper level by connecting to place and culture and connecting people to the rhythms of nature in their daily lives. That is the future of sustainable design. c contract

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - September 2012

Contract - September 2012
Contents
Editorial
Industry News
Product Focus: Come Sail Away
Eneco Headquarters
Park Hyatt Hadahaa
Perkins+Will Atlanta
DPR Construction
Iowa Utilities Board | Office of Consumer Advocate
25hours Hotel Hamburg
Practice: What Is Next in Sustainable Design?
Competition: Design Is…
Exhibition: George Nelson at Cranbrook Art Museum
Designers Select: Eco Products
Sources
Ad Index
Exhibition: Gio Ponti at the Venice Biennale

Contract - September 2012