Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Welcome Center
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Project Summary
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Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaProject Type:
Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Size:
11,500 square feet
Year Constructed / Occupied:
2005
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Project Details
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As part of a major renovation and expansion of the historic Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a new Welcome Center has been designed and built as the new entry to the site. The Welcome Center contains a cafe, gift shop, coat check, ticket purchasing, restrooms and vertical circulation to the Conservatory, all organized around a central glazed atrium. The architectural design is in keeping with the historical conservatory, while employing state-of-the-art energy efficiency and sustainable design features. The Welcome Center obtained a Silver LEED® rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Sustainable Design Features
An aggressive integrated sustainable design approach was used involving the following energy, daylighting and sustainable design strategies:
- Partial earth-sheltered structure with gentle sloping walkways.
- 34-foot high glass atrium provides daylighting to the visitor lobby and ticketing areas and a dramatic setting for the stairway up to the Conservatory.
- High performance glazings, tuned by orientation, with varying frit density to control solar heat gain and daylighting.
- State-of-the-art control system which automatically opens and closes operable windows at two level in the atrium to release stratified heated air and to induce natural ventilation.
- Low or no VOC paints, adhesives and other interior finishing materials.
- High efficiency HVAC and lighting systems with advanced energy management and control system.
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