World Resources Institute Headquarters Office

The goal of the project was to express WRI’s values in physical terms. Every material was chosen because it uses natural resources efficiently; many were chosen because they are alternatives to conventional, but less environmentally friendly, products. The design also focused on recognizing the manufacturers of materials and systems that are moving towards sustainable business practices. All wood is sustainably harvested or salvaged, and many alternatives have been used such as bamboo flooring and biocomposites made from wheat straw, soy, and sunflower seeds for doors, cabinetry, and substrates. The result of these and other sustainable materials is elegantly minimal, with a soft curvilinear form and eased edge. Lighting fixtures save 70 percent of the electrical energy that is typically used by energy efficient recessed fluorescent fixtures.