LWA Principal Tom Chung recently presented at the 2019 GreenBuild Conference, Mass Timber Construction: What, Why and How? Sharing the UMass Olver Design Building and University of Arkansas Adohi Hall, Tom spoke on the “How” of Mass Timber, as a versatile material that can shape how we work, learn and live in a sustainable built environment.

“In all our work, we look for the synergy between place, purpose, and means. These came together in an extraordinary way at Adohi Hall. We drew inspiration from the regional context of the Ozarks, creating a living/learning environment powerful enough to be a destination remote from the center of campus, and the wood-based construction system we developed forges a bond between setting, human comfort, and sustainability.” – Andrea P. Leers, FAIA, Principal, Leers Weinzapfel Associates, quoted in High Profile Magazine.

Read Full Feature Here: https://www.high-profile.com/leers-weinzapfel-leads-design-collaborative/ 

Nations Largest Cross Laminated Timber Building Opens at University of Arkansas, featured today on Architectural Record. Leers Weinzapfel led a design collaborative including Modus Studio (Fayetteville, AR), Mackey Mitchell Architects (St. Louis), and OLIN (Philadelphia), in the realization of this new campus gateway project.

Principal Tom Chung is quoted in Architectural Record saying, “The mass timber design reimagines the traditional notion of campus housing as a building on a quad lawn, instead channeling “a cabin in the woods, where building and landscape are woven together.”

Read Feature Here: https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/14352-university-of-arkansas-completes-large-scale-timber-adohi-hall?id=14352-university-of-arkansas-completes-large-scale-timber-adohi-hall&oly_enc_id=8097F5323767A7M

High-Profile highlights the Center for Engineering, Innovation and Sciences, saying “The Engineering, Innovation & Sciences building at Wentworth Institute of Technology features a first-floor makerspace and high-end additive manufacturing lab. Working with Leers Weinzapfel Associates, BVH provided MEP/FP and technology design on this first new academic building on campus in 40 years.”

The John W. Over Design Building was also featured, as the article states, “The John W. Olver Design Building at UMass Amherst houses classrooms and studios, computer labs, materials-testing, green-building and digital fabrication laboratories, a wood shop, and an outdoor working area. BVH worked closely with Leers Weinzapfel Associates, providing site utility, MEP/FP, technology and security engineering.”

Read full article here

The new Boston Public Library Roslindale branch had its groundbreaking.

A complete renovation of a 1960’s library and transformation into a library of the digital century. A new welcoming entry, community room, reading lounges, computer stations and an urban reading garden will bring back the vital place of community learning and gathering for a diverse Roslindale community. 

The renovation takes the most sustainable approach by keeping in place almost all of the existing building structure and envelope with limited strategic new insertions at key areas such as the building entry and an urban reading garden to give it a new identity. The reconfigured interior efficiently organizes all the enclosed spaces along the northern edge of the building while strengthening the unique semi-circular open reading/book stack space that is anchored by a shallow dome at the center with clerestory light.

Given a modest budget, a complete understanding of the building’s existing structure was necessary in order to avoid unnecessary and costly structural modifications often associated with renovations. The new entry was surgically inserted to accommodate existing structure and new chases for a complete new MEP system was carefully coordinated with the building’s existing waffle slab floor.

The new entry and canopy allows for universal access at grade with no separate stairs or ramps. A wall of colorful Terracotta Baguettes in a blue color theme as a metaphor for books on a shelf enlivens the entry and gives the library its new identity.

The nation’s first large-scale mass timber residence hall project and living learning setting, Leers Weinzapfel led a design collaborative including Modus Studio (Fayetteville, AR), Mackey Mitchell Architects (St. Louis), and OLIN (Philadelphia), in the realization of this new campus gateway project. The 202,027-square-foot Adohi Hall creates a new residential college with emphasis on a creative live learn environment within a relaxed, informal, tree-lined landscape that re-conceptualizes university housing.

The Center for Engineering, Innovation, and Sciences provides a home for the next evolution in the collegiate study of multiple engineering disciplines. As the Institute’s program transitions from engineering technology to engineering and innovation, this four-story, 75,000-square-foot building comprises a dynamic environment for multi-disciplinary collaboration among students of biology, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and two of its newest programs, biomedical engineering, and biological engineering.

Learn more about the Award and 2019 Recipients here

The Design Building is a highly visible demonstration of sustainable design practice. It’s the first and largest cross laminated timber (CLT) academic building in the US. The envelope is highly-efficient, with dedicated mechanical equipments zoned for maximum efficiency, with radiant flooring and chilled beams for energy savings. Calculated expanse of glazing and skylights provide maximum daylight to the building’s interior to significantly reduce artificial lighting energy. Storm water management concept directs roof runoff via sculptural scupper to a “spring source” at the top of the site and filters the water via series of successive bio-swales and timber dams to the lower end of the site and eventually back to the Connecticut River.

Learn more about the Award and 2019 Recipients here

For the second year in a row, LWA has been recognized as an Emerging Professional Friendly Firm in the medium firms category!

The AIA New England Emerging Professional Friendly Firm program aims to identify firm initiatives that promote the advancement of Emerging Professionals through professional development and personal growth opportunities. The accuracy of the data reported through this questionnaire benefits firms, firm leadership and Emerging Professionals.

Learn more about this award and the 2019 recipients here