Page 37 - ArchDC_Fall 2020

Chapter Design Award in Architecture/
Citation for Sustainable Design
Co|Lab

Falls Church, VA
William McDonough + Partners
Landscape Architects: Siteworks
Structural Engineers: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
MEP Engineers: Staengl Engineering
General Contractor: HITT Contracting

When a forward-leaning contracting firm recognized for
its commitment to sustainable construction teams up with Exterior of the Co|Lab, showing green wall.
architects who literally wrote the book on green innovation,
something good is bound to happen. Virginia-based HITT
Contracting partnered with William McDonough + Partners
(WM+P) to create Co|Lab, a research and development facility
focused on innovative construction materials and technologies.
The work of the architecture firm reflects the ground-breaking
sustainability concepts championed by its founder, William
McDonough, FAIA, Int. FRIBA, in his 2002 book, Cradle to
Cradle: The Way We Make Things.
In concept and execution, the two-story, 8,650-square-
foot building demonstrates the most careful consideration of
advanced materials, reduction of the carbon footprint, and
elimination of waste. A roof-mounted solar array offsets more
than 100 percent of the building’s energy consumption. The
cross-laminated timber used in the building’s main structural
elements is connected with metal fasteners that permit easy
disassembly for endless recycling or reuse. Likewise, a high-
performance concrete rainscreen façade allows exterior areas to
be easily disassembled and repaired.
Inside, the double-height lab workspace is flooded with
natural light while the beauty of the engineered timber
structural elements provides a warm and tactile interior finish.
A kitchen and small gathering area are located on the ground
level along with the lab area. A large dashboard in the lobby
tracks power consumption and other aspects of environmental
performance. Meeting and conference spaces occupy the second
level, and on the roof level, a solar canopy shelters a terrace and
outdoor workspace. In addition, the roof holds new test beds for
green roof systems.
Co|Lab is LEED v4 Platinum-certified and meets the most
rigorous standards for environmental sustainability. Lab space.
Photos © Alan Karchmer / OTTO Informal meeting area. Photos © John Cole Photography
This project was previously covered in the Summer 2020 issue
of ARCHITECTUREDC.

WORKING WORLDS 35