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Van Andel Institute : Grand Rapids Development, Michigan, USA

Van Andel Institute Education and Medical Research Center Project - design by Rafael Viñoly Architects

20 Apr 2011 Van Andel Institute Phase II Building Rafael Viñoly Architects’ Van Andel Institute Expansion Awarded LEED Platinum Certification NEW YORK – Rafael Viñoly Architects’ design for the Van Andel Institute’s Phase II building has been awarded LEED Platinum status by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). A major fixture of Grand Rapid’s “Medical Mile,” the Institute was designed by Viñoly in 1997 as a phased-growth facility, expandable and adaptable to meet the changing needs of its team of elite researchers. Phase II added 240,000 square feet of new laboratory space as well as innovative environmental and service features that bring the building to the forefront of the health sciences in the 21st century. images © Brad Feinknopf This achievement further underscores West Michigan’s role as a leader in sustainable development, as Grand Rapids has the third highest concentration of LEED certified buildings in the United States. VAI is only the second facility awarded LEED Platinum Certification for New Construction in Michigan, and sets Rafael Viñoly Architects and the VAI apart as national leaders of sustainable building practices in the field of biomedical research. Developed by USGBC, the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. “We are extremely proud of Van Andel Institute’s achievement in attaining the highest standard of LEED certification. This is no easy task and demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and leadership within the Institute’s own industry as well as that of green building. It will also continue to help Grand Rapids stay at the forefront of the green building movement,” said Renae Hesselink, Chair, U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan. images © Brad Feinknopf Various contributing factors to gaining LEED Platinum status include sunlit labs–signifying less need for electric lighting–and 13,000 square feet of photovoltaic panels; waterless urinals and a vegetated “green roof” to reduce water consumption; a 33,000-gallon rainwater storage tank to collect runoff for irrigation and use in the cooling tower; and intelligent building design features including CO2 sensors throughout the building that detect the presence of people and automatically adjust room temperature. Lockers, showers and changing facilities on each floor also encourage the use of alternative forms of transportation. The building itself was constructed in large part from materials extracted or manufactured locally and the construction team diverted 79% of construction waste from landfill. The site itself—situated on a former brownfield site in a dense urban area with little disruption to the surrounding natural habitat—adds to VAI’s green credentials. Built into a hillside overlooking downtown Grand Rapids, the Van Andel Institute’s dramatic stepped silhouette follows the sloping topography of its scenic site. Inside, terraced floors punctuated by double-height atria are glazed in segmented-arc skylights that allow natural light to flood into the laboratories below. Rafael Viñoly Architects would like to acknowledge the Phase II construction and design team for their invaluable contributions to this project: Owner -- The Van Andel Institute, Structural Engineer -- Thornton Tomassetti Engineers, MEP Engineer -- WSP Flack + Kurtz, Fire Protection System Engineering -- WSP Flack + Kurtz, Laboratory Consultant -- Research Facilities Design (RFD), Vivarium Planner – Jacobs Consultancy, Construction Manager (including Cost Estimating) -- Hunt Construction Group and Owen-Ames-Kimball, Acoustics and Vibration Consultant -- Papadimos Group, Inc., Building Code -- Hughes Associates, Life Safety Consulting -- Hughes Associates, Building Enclosure Consultant -- Heitmann & Associates, Inc., Foodservice Consultant -- Hopkins Foodservice Specialists, Lighting Consultant -- Brandston Partnership, Inc. (BPI), Parking Consultant -- Philip Habib & Associates, Vertical Transportation Consultant -- Lerch Bates Associates, Inc., Water Feature Consultant -- The Waterworx Company, Architectural Concrete Consultant -- Reginald D. Hough, FAIA, Specifications Consultant -- Robert Schwartz and Associates, Door Hardware -- Door Security Solutions, Waterproofing Consultant -- Gale Associates, Wind Tunnel Testing Facility -- CPP, Inc., Enclosure System Testing Facility -- Architectural Testing, Inc., LEED Administration and Commissioning -- Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc., Geotechnical Engineering -- Materials Testing Consultants, Inc., Interior Finishess, Landscape and Civil Engineering -- URS Corporation, Building Integration -- Building Intelligence Group, Security, Audio/Video and Telecommunications -- Commtech Design and Furniture, Fixtures and Non-Laboratory Equipment -- Custer Workplace Interiors. The Van Andel Institute Education and Medical Research Facility is one more addition to Rafael Viñoly’s already impressive portfolio of institutional projects for the healthcare industry including Stanford University Medical Center, University of Chicago Medical Center, University of California San Francisco, University of Pennsylvania Health System, the National Institutes of Health and Princeton University. 9 Dec 2009 Van Andel Institute Grand Rapids RAFAEL VIÑOLY ARCHITECTS COMPLETE PHASE II EXPANSION OF VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE EDUCATION AND MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER Biomedical Research and Educational Facility Slated for High LEED Certification images © Brad Feinknopf NEW YORK - Rafael Viñoly Architects announce the completion of Phase II of the Van Andel Institute Education and Medical Research Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A major fixture of Grand Rapid's "Medical Mile", the Institute was designed by Viñoly in 1997 as a phased-growth facility, expandable and adaptable to meet the changing needs of its team of elite researchers. Phase II adds 240,000 square feet of new laboratory space as well as innovative environmental and service features that bring the building to the forefront of the health sciences in the 21st century. Built into a hillside overlooking downtown Grand Rapids, the Van Andel Institute's dramatic stepped silhouette follows the sloping topography of its scenic site. Inside, terraced floors punctuated by double-height atria are glazed in segmented-arc skylights that allow natural light to flood into the laboratories below. At the heart of the building, the central research space is as functional as it is flexible, with equipment-intensive zones located beneath interstitial service levels for ease of maintenance on each floor, and laboratory benches that have been transformed into mobile lab stations, complete with integrated task lighting, power/data management systems, and vacuum and specialty gas piping. Connecting the laboratories, brightly lit public corridors and stairwells encourage chance interactions among researchers, while on the lower floors, light- and vibration-sensitive spaces-including a 325-seat auditorium and imaging spaces-are tucked into the face of the hill, along with loading docks and parking for 35 cars. With Phase II, the building has doubled along the line of its vertical concrete service core, which now acts as a central spine embedded in the structure. To the east of the core, three sky-lit floors housing laboratories and administrative offices are cantilevered over the main entrance plaza and lobby; from there, visitors can directly access conference and event spaces, as well as the cafeteria and library. To the west, five more laboratory and administrative floors cascade down the hill, offering researchers and administrators breathtaking views over downtown Grand Rapids and the Grand River beyond. Phase II is also expected to achieve LEED Gold in 2010. Sunlit labs mean less need for electric lighting, and 13,000 square feet of photovoltaic panels makes up much of the difference. Waterless urinals and a vegetated "green roof" reduce water consumption and runoff; the building itself was constructed in large part from materials extracted or manufactured locally and from recycled materials. Even the site-in a dense urban area, on a former brownfield site, with little disruption to the surrounding natural habitat-adds to VAI's green credentials. CGI of Proposal: picture from architects The Van Andel Institute Education and Medical Research Facility is one more addition to Rafael Viñoly's already impressive portfolio of institutional projects for the healthcare industry including Stanford University Medical Center, University of Chicago Medical Center, University of California San Francisco, University of Pennsylvania Health System, the National Institutes of Health and Princeton University. Van Andel Institute Education and Medical Research Center images / information received 091209 Rafael Viñoly Architects

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