The new building is the centerpiece for the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, housing a myriad of advanced research laboratories, faculty and research offices, support and processing spaces. A primary function of the new building is the consolidation of irreplaceable wood sample archives into the renovated building adjacent to the new structure.
concept
The Bryant Banister Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research is the world leader in Dendrochronology Research. The new 35,000 square foot building is the centerpiece for the Tree-Ring Lab, housing a myriad of advanced research laboratories, faculty and research offices, support and processing spaces. A primary function of the new building is the consolidation of irreplaceable wood sample archives into the renovated 21,000 square foot building adjacent to the new structure.
The building is an abstraction of the forest structure: a columnar stand of trees with an over story of filtered shade. Steel columns are randomly clustered and are expressed for their full forty foot height. The building is permeable on the ground floor, which houses exhibit and outreach spaces, opening this prized collection to the public, a major goal of the project.
Laboratories are located along the southern edge of the building for vibration control, and to maximize the open lab configuration. Lab support is located internally within the laboratory block for adjacency, and to allow for view into the labs from the corridor. Faculty offices flank the east and west, while allowing the big “picture window” view to the Catalina Mountains from the floor to the open plan. All perimeter spaces utilize clerestories to get maximum daylighting to the interior. The ground floor contains a double-height lobby and exhibit areas. Adjacent to the archive, the lobby features elements from the collections. The multipurpose room is directly accessed from the lobby. The exterior plaza was configured for exterior exhibit and gathering areas for faculty and student use.