Page 39 - Winter_2020

Lounge area.

daylight and views of the surrounding landscape. ignore. The architects sited the new building so as to
Ninety-five percent of regularly occupied spaces engage the wetlands through views, material choices,
have access to views and daylight, and 90% of and circulation, and designed the structure so as to
regularly occupied spaces have access to views of the minimize its impact on the natural landscape.
surrounding landscape.” The wetlands and the associated 100-year flood
Features for promoting indoor air quality include plain, Fredlund explained, “are part of the Piney
motorized operable windows that naturally ventilate Branch Watershed/Watts Branch Watershed that
the building during the shoulder seasons when connects to the Potomac River, so limiting any impact
the temperature and humidity levels are moderate. to this sensitive natural environment was a primary
The building incorporates three types of reclaimed goal.” In support of that objective, native planting was
wood sourced from Louisiana and Texas—sinker emphasized along the wetlands’ edge, and outdoor
cypress, which is used at the building’s three primary rooms of varying vegetation types were designed
entrances, and red and white oak, which are used at to passively respond to seasonal temperatures and
various points on the interior of the atrium, and for comfort. In addition, “an elevated boardwalk traverses
built-in seating throughout the building. the wetlands to connect to a 700-car parking structure
The biophilic design features “include common east of the wetland, becoming the primary east-west
strategies such as maximizing views of nature, pedestrian corridor. All site water is diverted to the
harvesting maximum levels of daylight, and using west, away from the wetlands, and filtered through 15
warm natural materials,” Jones said. “However, micro-bioswales,” Fredlund said, referring to channels
BSE’s biophilic experience also includes a connection that are designed to concentrate and convey storm
to water, natural variability of air flow, biomorphic water runoff while filtering debris and pollution. The
patterning and texture, organic complexity within the bioswales reduce storm water runoff by almost 30%,
design, and other spatial habitat design strategies that and became a key feature of the site landscape design.
increase our psychological comfort and curiosity.” The site design also incorporates an outdoor
One of the project’s primary biophilic goals public artwork by Michael Singer Studio, entitled
was to reorient the campus toward nature and the Piney Branch Water Garden, which connects directly
surrounding natural ecology. A key measure for to the boardwalk traversing the wetlands and
accomplishing that concerned the local area’s wetlands, features harvested rainwater that flows over layers of
which the campus’s other buildings essentially underwater sculpted surfaces.

A HEALTHY REGARD FOR DESIGN 37