Anthony Timberlands Center, University of Arkansas

The Anthony Timberlands Center for Design & Material Innovation celebrates the power of mass timber to inspire student innovation, reduce embodied carbon, and support the local timber economy. Atelier Ten led the sustainability visioning for this landmark project for the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design.

From the design competition through design, Atelier Ten worked with the design team to define the unique shape of the building for optimal daylight, natural ventilation and stormwater management. Atelier Ten’s early daylight analysis informed the building exposures and optimize visual comfort, connecting students and faculty with the outdoors, reinforcing circadian rhythms, and reducing the use of electric light.

The zig-zag roof is shaped to collect intensive rainstorms and divert to large gutters between the slopes and onwards to raingardens, mimicking natural water flows in Arkansas. Atelier Ten worked with the design team to incorporate a visible collection of ‘canoes’ which collect and drain water into bioswales on the west side of the building. The stormwater management system creates an educational opportunity for students, faculty, and visitors.

The massing of the building and arrangement of the spaces around tall atrium helps drive natural ventilation by hot air buoyancy (chimney effect) and wind pressures at the top of the atrium enabling natural ventilation of the large workshop space and adjacent academic spaces. Large natural ventilation grilles at the top of the atrium are facing sun to improve natural air flow.

The mass timber structure and extensive use of wood products is featured in the design. Atelier Ten’s analysis of the building’s carbon footprint includes quantifications for the sub-structure, superstructure, and enclosure. The incorporation of timber products in the cladding, window trim, slabs, framing, and walls the life cycle analysis shows a 25% reduction in global warming potential compared to the LEED baseline, and when accounting for biogenic carbon sequestration, there is an additional 55% reduction and end of life emissions.

Atelier Ten also led the benchmarking administration scope for the LEED Gold certified building.