NYU CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Completed May 2009
ASSIGNMENT:
Design a center for NYU’s Environmental Studies Department at the Morton-Williams supermarket site (130 Bleecker St.)
VISION STATEMENT:
The creation of a permeable low-lying building that will respect the surrounding Silver Towers complex while at the same time standing out as an individual on its own corner. The new building will combine several sustainable features, but most prominent will be the three green roofs, the solar heat collectors, and the passive heating and cooling system.
PLANS, ELEVATIONS, SECTIONS (CLICK TO VIEW LARGER):
IMAGES:
SUN AND WIND STUDIES:
SUSTAINABLE FEATURES:
1. Most noticeable is the green roof. The building contains two smaller extensive green roofs and a large intensive green roof. They will help to reduce the urban-heat-island effect, decrease storm-water run-off, and provide solar shading to the south façade of the building. These roofs will also be combined with a rainwater collection system, which will collect water that can be used for flushing toilets. The plants on the intensive roof will be native species chosen to thrive in mostly-shade due to the fact that one of the adjacent towers of silver towers casts a large shadow on the site.
2. On the highest roof there will be solar heat collectors for the heating of the buildings water. This will reduce the need of electricity for heating water in the building. By including the collectors on a green roof, their productivity will improve due to the differential in temperature that will occur because of the green roof’s cooling effects.
3. There will be a system of windows that takes advantage of the crosswinds on the site as well as the chimney effect. Additionally, the lecture halls are burned into the earth to take advantage of the earth’s thermal lag and insulation. On the parts of the building above ground, there will be slab heating and cooling which will also take advantage of the chimney effect in the building. There will also be user control of all of these features to allow different parts of the building to be heated and cooled only when needed.
4. Natural lighting will be reflected into the building through the use of light shelves and scoops on the south face of the building. These will help to light naturally the main part of the building. Fritting on the east and west facades (also on the south in addition to the solar shading of the green roof) of the building will help to condition the light that enters, reducing solar heat gain in the building. LED lights, due to their longer life span, will provide the non-natural lighting of the building and will include a monitoring system to compensate when there is a lack of natural light.
5. Energy at the site will be provided mainly by the nearby cogeneration plant or from the wind energy that NYU buys, due to the fact that the site is not conducive to energy production through wind or photovoltaic panels. However, a special revolving door will generate a small amount of kenetic energy on the building site and will provide a counter to show students their production of energy through the use of it.
6. The building’s structure will be made of recycled steel, and have a glass and light-toned cay brick curtain wall. Interior materials will include wood and glass with sustainable finishes.
PROGRAMMING:
GROUND FLOOR |
|
entrance hall and exhibition space |
1260 sf |
library |
1750 sf |
lecture halls |
3990 sf |
restrooms |
300 sf |
circulation |
1930 sf |
SECOND FLOOR |
|
offices and restroom |
1800 sf |
circulation |
134 sf |
total = |
13,544 sf |