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Atrium of the laboratory building. Photo © Ron Blunt / www.ronbluntphoto.com

famous Thomas Point Lighthouse. As swarms of scientists came to design decision responded to various engineering, conservation,
study the ecology of the bay’s watershed, the Smithsonian acquired and sustainability problems and objectives. Their approach
more land—bringing the total to 4.1 square miles—and began improved efficiency and saved money.
building a series of ad hoc, makeshift laboratories. The result is the Charles McC. Mathias Laboratory, named for
Over the years, the outpost grew into the Smithsonian the late U.S. Senator from Maryland, who, after a 450-mile boat
Environmental Research Center (SERC), an increasingly important trip studying the bay’s problems in 1973, made its preservation his
scientific enterprise that was hampered by its rudimentary facilities. life-long personal passion. The $57 million, federally-funded project
Finally, in 2006, EwingCole was called in to design a 25-year master was completed on time and nearly $1 million under budget in
plan to organize the entire property. Principal Jeff Hirsch, AIA, LEED 2015. The work was done in two phases: Phase I was the new
AP, and his team arrived to find a jumble of isolated, temporary building; Phase II was the renovation of an older (now adjoining)
trailers; crowded work conditions; a lack of places for scientists to concrete-block building.
collaborate, mingle, or even sit; and labs filled with fire hazards and The completed complex is L-shaped, with the new wing, a
toxic chemicals with minimal ventilation and fire suppression systems. long, mostly two-story block, linked at an angle to the pre-existing,
“We selected EwingCole out of many applicants,” said Steven much smaller one-story wing. The new wing resembles a large
J. Groh, LEED AP, architect with Smithsonian Facilities and project barn with a shed roof—an architectural nod to the farms that once
manager for the SERC lab, “because they asked the right questions populated the area. Inside, this wing is subdivided into three long
regarding SERC’s mission and goals.” “slices” accommodating, from front to back, laboratories, offices,
Architects and engineers from both EwingCole and the and an atrium. The architects ensured that each slice would enjoy
Smithsonian, the world’s largest non-university research institution, abundant daylight and foster interrelationships among scientists.
met as a group twice a month to discuss how to proceed. They The front slice, housing laboratories, features wide bands of
convinced the Smithsonian leadership that the “urgent priority” windows facing due south to maximize and equalize light to all labs.
needed to be the construction of a new main building to foster Reflective glass, manually activated interior shades, and decorative
SERC’s mission, which is to lead environmental research regarding exterior overhangs casting chevron-shaped shadows temper the sun’s
the impact of humans on coastal ecosystems (i.e., wherever land light and heat during the summer, and intensify it during the winter.
meets the sea) in order to “inform real-world decisions for wise To encourage curiosity-driven interaction among the scientists, the
policies, best business practices, and a sustainable planet.” architects placed partial partitions between the labs, and created
Throughout the design and construction process, the architects and “boardwalks” at the front and back so scientists could simply stroll
engineers continued to work together closely to ensure that every past the line of labs and look or drop in.

32 COLLABORATION ON THE CHESAPEAKE