Category: Integrated Buildings

Critical Technical Issues

Inherent Given the specific character of the brief and the unique requirements of a center for environmental studies, McDonough was faced with some interesting challenges. Programmatically, the Center was simple enough, but the cold, wet climate and the desire for direct connections of interior and exterior spaces were in conflict. Resolving issues like the use […]

ADAM JOSEPH LEWIS CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, 1996-2000

Oberlin, Ohio William McDonough + Partners Description Imagine entering a building through its waste treatment plant. Now forget everything you ever knew about waste treatment plants and imagine entering a building through something called its “Living Machine,” something that looks like a cross between a translucent water sculpture and a hydroponic garden. You have just […]

EMERALD PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS, 1987-1988

The Emerald People’s Utility District (EPUD) Head­quarters, an office and warehouse complex, was built for a small public utility company in the cool and rainy climate of Eugene, Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest United States. The design vigorously incorporates daylighting and pas­sive strategies for heating and cooling. The site arrange­ment was governed by ecological sensitivity […]

Technical Integration Highlights

Physical Circulation space also serves requirements for public space. Garage roof terraces separate the public plaza from circulation routes of the bank staff. ^ Removable wood slat ceilings are suspended below ductwork and services. Visual Rainwater filtration and daylighting systems are treat­ed as objects of art. Interior landscaping, terrace gardens, and roofscapes break down the […]