Monika A. and Charles A. Heimbold Visual Arts Center at Sarah Lawrence College
(Heimbold Visual Arts Center)

Photo credit: Richard Barnes

Overview

• Location: Bronxville, NY
• Building type(s): Higher education
• New construction
• 60,000 ft2 (5,570 m2)
• Project scope: a single building
• Suburban setting
• Completed September 2004
• Rating: U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v.2/v.2.1--Level: Certified (29 points)

The Monika A. and Charles A. Heimbold Visual Arts Center at Sarah Lawrence College brings together the visual arts in one dynamic interdisciplinary environment at this progressive, liberal-arts institution. In addition to establishing a new place for the arts on campus, the College sought a leadership role in creating a building that is rooted in the fundamental principles of sustainable design.

The Sarah Lawrence campus is characterized by undulating topography, dramatic rock outcroppings, and dense foliage. To reduce the impact to the site and blur the distinction between exterior and interior, the new building is integrated into the topography of the existing hilltop.

This project was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Green Project for 2005. It was submitted by Polshek Partnership Architects, in New York City. Additional project team members are listed on the "Process" screen.

Environmental Aspects

To fulfill the programmatic needs, given the constraints of the site, more than one-third of the total building area is embedded in the ground. Photography labs and other studios that do not lend themselves to daylight are located below grade. A stepped, grass-covered roof reduces the building's impact on the natural environment and controls stormwater runoff.

Native plants and low-flow fixtures reduce potable water use. The geothermal heat-pump system, which does not require a cooling tower, and thus does not require cooling-tower make-up water, further reduces water use.

In selecting the building's primary materials—fieldstone, cedar, channel glass, and zinc—the design team found inspiration in the campus's rich landscape and historic architecture. Quarrying the stone nearby continued the College's history of utilizing local fieldstone in the construction of its buildings.

Materials were selected to reduce contaminants that impact indoor air quality and to lessen the environmental impacts of material manufacture and procurement. More than 60% of the wood materials used on the project were certified as sustainably harvested by the Forest Stewardship Council. Low-VOC adhesives, sealants, paints, and carpeting were installed, and composite wood or agrifiber products containing added urea formaldehyde were prohibited. Indoor environmental quality is improved through the use of daylighting and operable windows.

Owner & Occupancy

• Owned and occupied by Sarah Lawrence College, Corporation, nonprofit
• Typically occupied by 45 people, 25 hours per person per week; and 600 visitors per week, 15 hours per visitor per week

Keywords

Green framework, Transportation benefits, Open space preservation, Indigenous vegetation, Stormwater management, Drought-tolerant landscaping, Massing and orientation, Insulation levels, Glazing, Passive solar, Lighting control and daylight harvesting, Efficient lighting, Benign materials, Recycled materials, Local materials, Certified wood, C&D waste management, Occupant recycling, Daylighting, Natural ventilation, Ventilation effectiveness, Low-emitting materials, Indoor air quality monitoring

next topic: Process

Our thanks to the ENERGY STAR program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and to the U.S. Department of Energy, and to BuildingGreen, Inc. for hosting the submission and judging forms.

For more information about the AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects, contact AIA/COTE. For help on how to use this Web site, contact .