Dull-grey cast-in-place concrete, mud-brown rust-coated Cor-Ten steel, washed-out reclaimed wood—these hardly seem like the colors or materials a dramatic façade would be made of, yet the work of Ross Barney Architects on the Swenson Civil Engineering Building at the University of Minnesota–Duluth proves such assumptions wrong. From the beginning Ross Barney meant the building itself to be a teaching tool for the school’s engineering students, so the firm chose to use abundant raw materials (including local supplies of Taconite stones for gabion walls) to prove that beauty can be achieved naturally and sustainably. The building’s lack of finishing materials allows students to observe fabrication techniques and some of the structure’s inner workings firsthand, including an intricate rainwater-capture system built with scuppers and roof slopes that direct the flow of H20 into an underground French drain for reuse. Other eco-conscious elements include a green roof, a tight building envelope, and minimal outdoor lighting. Overall, 20 percent of the building’s materials came from regional sources, 30 percent of the materials came from recycled sources, and crews managed to divert 95 percent of the project’s construction waste from the landfill, helping Ross Barney earn LEED Gold certification on the project—even though the client only asked for LEED Silver. Here’s hoping the University of Minnesota–Duluth’s students follow the design firm’s example. ABQ
The puzzle-piece precast concrete walls of the structural lab show students that the material can be formed into any shape. Slot windows fill the voids between the cuts of concrete to admit daylighting.The Cor-Ten rain screen supports the scupper above, and its perforations give engineering students a look at how it was put together.Approximately 73 percent of the site is covered by pervious materials and landscaping, including a number of native plant species such as prairie grass.When raised, the massive bifold door clad in Cor-Ten steel (right) creates a 36’ x 24’ opening so that engineering students can move gantry cranes from the structural lab to the loading dock outside. The interior plan for this portion of the building called for the construction of a “strong wall” and “strong floor,” large, monolithic cement teaching tools upon which any number of experimental structural elements and designs can be installed and tested. The lab is large enough and so well equipped that local professionals and even government agencies have also used the space for testing purposes.The two large roof scuppers are made largely of reclaimed wood taken from pickle barrels dismantled in the region. The scuppers pour rainwater into Cor-Ten steel tubs, where it’s then funneled into an underground French drain system for reuse.Large sheets of interior glass bring daylighting farther into the building, cutting down significantly on energy costs and giving the entire structure an airier feel.Ross Barney left the interior of the Swenson Civil Engineering Building open and adaptable. Its ground-floor laboratories are big enough for larger engineering projects and experiments, and its second-floor classrooms are bisected by a partition that can be removed to create a sizeable central gathering space. Additionally, the flooring systems in the classrooms and offices are raised, allowing for endless reconfiguration of the wiring below the spaces. No matter how students and faculty opt to use the building in coming years, their structural needs are sure to be accommodated.
