bohlin cywinski jackson builds frick environmental center

bohlin cywinski jackson (BCJ) has completed the ‘frick environmental center’ (FEC) in pittsburgh, a municipally owned complex that will provide education for students and visitors alike. opening to the public on september 10, 2016, the building includes fully equipped classrooms, offices, and support spaces, while a public ‘living room’ and gallery space welcome visitors to learn more about the sustainability of the building’s architecture.

the municipally owned complex provides education for students and visitors alike
all images by nic lehoux

the design and construction team, led by BCJ and construction firm PJ dick, collaborated with the city and parks conservancy throughout the design process, which included extensive community outreach. more than 1,000 stakeholders provided feedback, helping to define programmatic elements such as the garden and rain veil art installation. many of the site’s original features have been also been restored, including historic gatehouses, an alleé, and fountain.

the building includes fully equipped classrooms, offices, and support spaces

as a joint venture between the city of pittsburgh and pittsburgh parks conservancy, the FEC acts as a gateway to the 644-acre frick park. designed and engineered to achieve living building challenge and LEED platinum standards, the building will provide experiential learning to a projected 20,000 students as well as thousands of people who visit each year. the conservancy now has a home base for its growing environmental education programs, which are offered to students in pittsburgh’s public schools.

the FEC acts as a gateway to the 644-acre frick park

to meet sustainability standards, the FEC will use 35% less energy than comparable structures. the building will achieve net zero energy, while water utilizing elements such as ground-source heat pumps, radiant floors, a photovoltaic array, and a reclaimed water system will provide captured and filtered storm water for irrigation, use in the fountain, and non-potable use. to minimize the project’s carbon footprint, all construction materials came from within a 1,200-mile radius of the site.

the scheme will use 35% less energy than comparable structures