Two SOM projects were honored with Awards of Merit at the 2018 Architectural Engineering Institute (AEI) Forum, which took place from April 5-6 in Omaha, Nebraska. Created by the American Society of Civil Engineers to publicly acknowledge outstanding achievement in design and construction, the AEI Professional Project Awards (PPA) program educates students and professionals on the integrated approach to architectural engineering. The New Consulate Compound was recognized in the Architectural Engineering Integration category, and the Bank of Beijing Science and Technology Research and Development Center was honored in the Mechanical category.
The U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Building Operations’ (OBO) New Consulate Compound is designed in accordance with OBO’s Excellence in Diplomatic Facilities guiding principles, and will serve as a regional hub for the United States’ diplomatic missions. Displaying a high degree of technical integration between architecture, structure, and interior design, the design of the New Consulate Compound exhibits a careful respect and appreciation for local architectural traditions and history. It is targeting LEED® Silver certification with a 40 percent reduction in water usage and a 22 percent reduction in total energy costs under LEED v2009.
The Bank of Beijing Science and Technology Research and Development Center is a landmark project in Beijing’s Shunyi New Town City. The 200,000-square-meter campus integrates an office tower, a data center, an employee residence, and a training facility. Each building incorporates high performance glass, strong geometries, and natural materials such as stone in order to foster visual cohesion across the campus. A common concourse level links the buildings and create a strongly defined central courtyard that serves as a natural, green sanctuary where employees and visitors can gather.