LEED Gold for Arizona State's Midcentury Modern Hall
By Lindsey Roberts | Online Only | Nov. 18, 2009
A fire has given new life to Arizona State University's 1953 Memorial Union building. This month the U.S. Green Building Council awarded the renovated building with LEED Gold certification.
The original 100,000-square-foot building in Tempe, Ariz., was altered by additions in 1972 and 1985, both of which compromised the original building by blocking light, changing hallway patterns, and creating code deficiencies. So when a fire in November 2007 caused extensive fire and smoke damage to the then-350,000-square-foot building, Arizona State had a chance to remedy some wrongs. The university decided not to simply rebuild the damaged areas, but to meet or exceed the standards of quality and sustainability of its newest buildings.
Phoenix-based Studio Ma architect Christiana Moss, AIA, led the $53 million project, which updated 19 rooms, two large conference rooms, and the auditorium. The firm reorganized hallways to create a clear path from one end of the building to another and added "more access to natural daylight, which is the spirit of the original building," Moss says.
Local and recycled materials were used in the renovation, and Memorial Union now has energy-saving lighting systems, among other green features. The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Gold certification is the second most difficult to achieve, requiring 60-79 points out of a 100-point checklist.
Designed by Kemper Goodwin, Memorial Union was dedicated to the memory of students who lost their lives during World War II. During the project, which was completed in August 2008, all original terrazzo floors and cast-aluminum handrails were saved, and the building facade was restored and upgraded.
"Historic preservation and sustainability are absolutely intrinsically connected, in terms of harvesting what is good and wonderful and getting rid of what isn't," Moss says.
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