aia nc center for architecture and design
animation
location: Downtown Raleigh, NC
est. completion date: TBD
project team:
Frank Harmon
Erin Sterling
Matthew Griffith
Ashley Ozburn
David Cole
Tim Martin
Joey Fante
Will Lambeth
Gregg Bleam, Landscape Architect
problem statement
Facing the global necessity to conserve and protect our natural resources, the design for the new AIA Center for Architecture and Design aspires to be a role model for healthy urbanism for chapter members and future development in downtown Raleigh by: responding to, respecting, and conserving the urban site; integrating building and landscape; promoting both passive and technological sustainable design principles; and bringing activity and delight to the cityscape.
our design response
A clear example of green architecture, building and landscape are designed as one interlocking, interdependent system, deferring to the natural topography and reusing every shovelful of earth. Soil is removed from one position on the site to allow the structure’s narrow footprint to slip easily into its urban setting. This same soil is used elsewhere to create the elevated landscape. The innovative parking garden - where porous paving supports automobiles and functions as open, green space - eliminates storm water runoff and models an effective solution for parking needs. The parking garden also provides an outdoor gathering space for Chapter and community events, expanding AIA NC’s outreach program.
A modern shell with a green heart, the building is oriented on the site to protect the interior from the harsh summer sun and to make the most of natural day-lighting and ventilation. The vegetated roof filters rainwater, mitigating the heat-island effect in the inner city, and introducing the concept of green roofs to downtown Raleigh. A buried rainwater collection cistern captures every drop of rainwater for reuse. The scale of the building focuses on site and street context. The north wall greets the Peace Street neighborhood at its natural grade and establishes an urban edge along this rapidly developing transect of the city. Open porches on the south and west elevations welcome the community and underscore a sense of outreach. On the north end of the site, structure and landscape rise, both physically and symbolically, greeting the Government Complex along the higher elevation and forging a strong tie with the government entities there.
The overriding objective of our concept is to demonstrate and encourage aesthetic and ecological integrity – to create a flagship for green architecture in North Carolina that is architecturally, environmentally, socially, and aesthetically inspiring.
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