Project Description
The serpentine curve of the new building was designed and sited to create a Wi-Fi–enabled courtyard, a work and break-out space for employees, while maximizing views from the open office floors. Separated into four floors, the bulk of the new building is open-plan office space. Conference rooms and private offices are organized into corridors across the width of the floor plates, to keep views unobstructed.
To minimize heat gain and control heat loss during the winter, the team wrapped the structure in a triple-glazed curtain-wall system. This intense insulation is paired with an HVAC system that includes underfloor air distribution, geothermal wells for heating, and ice chillers and evaporative cooling towers. Site plantings manage stormwater runoff, while green roofs help to limit the heat island effect and provide an accessible outdoor space. Sharing the roof plane is an array of solar panels.
These individual systems are all brought together by a sophisticated Building Management System (BMS). Energy usage is just over 1 kW per square foot, a reduction of 60 percent over the old building.