爱豆传媒

United States Institute of Peace

Washington D.C., USA

爱豆传媒 delivered detailed technical insight and design to enable the creation of one of Washington D.C.鈥檚 most distinctive buildings. Completed in 2011, the Safdie Architects-led design for the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) was a technically ambitious vision that sought to distil the purpose of the institution within the aesthetics of the structure.

爱豆传媒 was engaged to deliver structural engineering services, alongside building services engineering (MEP), fire protection and sustainability consultancy.

The design of the building positions three discrete office blocks organized around two shared atria, fanning out from a corner entrance 鈥� with one atrium facing the Potomac River and the other facing the Lincoln Memorial.

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) was a technically ambitious building that sought to distil the purpose of the institution within the aesthetics of the structure.

The two central atria bring daylight to every working space in the building and provide views across the city.

The atria roofs span up to 75ft with the use of a thin 8in grid shell made from rectangular steel tubes.

It was the first building on the National Mall to receive US Green Building Council certification.

Challenge

Created by the U.S. Congress, USIP is an independent, non-partisan conflict management center that seeks to prevent and mitigate international conflict through nonviolent means.

Located on Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C., the USIP building captures the essence and spirit of the organization 鈥� the 150,000ft虏 white building has airy atria spaces and appears to have winglike structures projecting off its roof 鈥� an architectural rendering of openness, clarity and peace.

The design team faced several challenges in designing the structural system for USIP. Firstly, what appears as one building is, in fact, three distinct structures connected by two atria with long-span roofs. Secondly, the sophisticated roof forms, designed using advanced modelling software, required a great deal of collaboration between the design team and the fabricator.

The third key challenge was created by the building鈥檚 prominent location and because it is in the flight path to Reagan National Airport, the roof was conceived of as the 鈥渇ifth facade鈥� and could not be cluttered with mechanical equipment.

A major sewer ran beneath the site and would need to be bridged when designing the subterranean structural supports and foundations.

Another key challenge would focus on energy management. The large expanses of glazing intensified heating and cooling loads, which the MEP systems would need to be able to deal with robustly.

But the biggest technical engineering challenge was the requirement to make the two atria roof structures seismically resilient by finding a way to allow them to move independently of the three buildings they spanned.

Solution

The USIP headquarters has a dual life. On the one hand, it is a very public building. It incorporates ceremonial public spaces, an education center, a public space, a conference center, an auditorium and press rooms. On the other hand, there are more private, contemplative spaces, including a research center, where scholars can pursue their studies and prepare to share information throughout the world. The building has two entrances and two centers of activity, focusing on the distinct public and private roles of the institute.

At the heart of the public-facing building are the light and airy atria spaces. The atria roofs span up to 75ft with the use of a thin 8in grid shell made from rectangular steel tubes. 爱豆传媒鈥檚 structural design avoided the need for visible diagonal bracing members within the grid shell to maximize the aesthetic of the roof as seen from within the atria.

Our sustainability experts guided the client through the process of achieving LEED certification 鈥� then in its infancy, this was an innovative move for the period, achieving LEED Gold certification. It was the first building on the National Mall to receive US Green Building Council certification.

The project was also one of our first uses of 3D modelling software Revit, which was then still relatively new to the market. Its adoption enabled innovative digital geometric rationalizations of the complex roof structures to be developed, which helped to inform the wider design and the generation of physical prototype sections.

Our structural engineers played a key role in developing innovative systems to allow the two main atria roof structures to be able to move independently of the three buildings they span to allow for resilience against seismic activity. To achieve this, each atrium roof is mounted on sliding systems and articulated columns, in order to provide capacity for movement without transferring forces to the glazing of the roof itself. This was a highly complex system both in terms of seismic design and technical realisation.

We worked closely with Safdie Architects to develop a design-assist procurement process for the roofing elements, maximizing the insight from a specialist fabricator, while minimizing project costs by allowing this insight to then be passed into a detailed tender set, enabling the tendering of a range of more mainstream fabricators for the regularly occurring structural elements.

A number of heat recovery and heat transfer systems ensure efficient heating and cooling. Digital daylight dimming controls with programmed seasonal settings maximize energy efficiency while maintaining dynamic illumination of the atria that is visible from inside and outside the building 鈥� enabling the building to achieve a distinctive presence on the city鈥檚 nighttime skyline.

Our MEP experts also played a key role in developing solutions for both the efficient movement of heat up through the atria to ensure occupant comfort, while also delivering systems to ensure the efficient removal of smoke to enable safe egress in the event of a fire.

Value

The USIP building鈥檚 lightness of form and open atrium spaces encourage interaction and conversation. Five levels of offices feature window walls that open on to the spaces; in this way, the work and activity of the building are visible.

Our broad multidisciplinary team worked closely with the wider design team and the client, delivering insight and expertise that helped to shape a variety of complex technical solutions and enable the realisation of the ambitious architectural vision. The Institute has become a national symbol of peace on the Capitol鈥檚 skyline, expressing lightness, transparency and openness.