Eskew+Dumez+Ripple | NOBIC

in Architecture by editor — 11:22 am | November 8, 20120 comments

Developed on a former brownfield site on Canal Street, the 65,500-square-foot biotech laboratory serves as a new incubator facility in the revitalized downtown medical district of New Orleans. The design serves to connect the history of Canal Street with the emerging technology of the biosciences while respecting both the scale and fabric of its unique urban context. A 3,000 square foot interior courtyard is visible from the Canal Street side through the Center’s transparent glass façade. The building’s glazing is protected by sunscreens to limit energy costs, create more comfortable daylighting for its occupants, and provide storm protection.

© Timothy Hursley & Will Crocker

© Timothy Hursley & Will Crocker

Interior public amenities include a flexible 100-person conferencing center with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment; a 2,000 square foot retail/food service area open to Canal Street; and an interior atrium facing an outdoor courtyard, with public break areas and outdoor balconies at each floor level.

© Timothy Hursley & Will Crocker

© Timothy Hursley & Will Crocker

© Timothy Hursley & Will Crocker

The building has been designed to meet LEED Gold certification standards, a first for a laboratory building in the City of New Orleans, and includes sustainable design features such as pioneering infrastructure to support public electric vehicle charging stations in the area, a sophisticated water management system that detains virtually all stormwater on site, and a high degree of occupant control of lighting and heating/cooling systems to provide for visual and thermal comfort for the building’s tenants.

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