Case Study: Penn State Forestry Building

To find a building project that displays great architectural innovation I looked coast to coast and couldn’t find a better example than Penn State’s The Forest Resources Building. The facility includes four stories, plus a lower floor, and encompasses nearly 100,000 square feet. It is truly an architectural design treasure. The building is designed as a showcase of hardwoods. Not so much in the flooring, but on the walls. This unique building design is simply to display the beauty of hard timber as can be used on any interior building surface. The forestry building at pen state is a work of art that every design student can learn from.



From the outside the building looks basically like any other on campus. It is made up of red clay bricks. This still is a very green way to build the exterior. This prize of a building sits solemnly on the east end of campus comfortably with East Halls residence halls, Business Building and East Parking Deck.

Penn State stakes great pride in this unique architectural innovation. As outlined on their department web site “Teaching and outreach facilities encompass 27 percent of the new building; research another 43 percent; with housing for faculty, staff, and graduate students requiring 29 percent. Our teaching areas include four teaching laboratories devoted to forest soils and water, wildlife and forestry, fisheries, and wood products; two technology classrooms with 60- and 80-seat capacities; the Steimer Auditorium, with a 150-seat capacity; three computer labs (two for undergraduates and a GIS graduate lab).” *


The spacious main lobby features huge windows, open stairs and a beam ceiling of the giving an open air feel almost like you are outside or walking through a forest. The interior features a number of woodworks as well as enduring warm forest tones in to stay on the Forestry Building's mission of an enveloping learning environment.. The masterpieces of hard woodwork are displayed everywhere but the floors, as this art is made to last. The floors are a similar toned brown laminate on concrete floor. There are high open staircases with multi story windows to allow natural light to illuminate the hardwood spectacle. I strongly believe in the use of these products and materials as well as this overall design. The design was made with green building in mind as well as beauty and learning. These are all strong values that we should attempt to put in all our work. That is, the values of cultivating the natural beauty of wood while maintaining the longevity of our natural forest


This special facility gives pride to the whole university at every level. “This building is no ordinary classroom laboratory facility,” said Penn State President Graham Spanier. “It is an outstanding example of a structure that was designed to stimulate learning and serve as an instructional tool itself. Exposed structural elements…demonstrate the uses of wood and the beauty of natural elements.” **


To make the dreams of the Penn State School of Forest Resources come to pass it took a strong partnership with the Pennsylvania Forest Products Association (PFPA). Who collaborated with its member companies to donate an illustrious package of Pennsylvania produced timber used throughout like in the red oak and ash hardwoods, the moldings and trim in native black cherry.

The structure also features a massive three level atrium that is topped with exposed beams made from PA red maple, also given by the PFPA. I am also impressed by their choice to finish all the wood with a simple clear finish to allow the natural beauty of the wood to show. This is a subtle detail to show the visual design impact of natural woods. There is no need to “dress up” what already looks great as is.



This feature design has a plethora of solid wood wainscot paneling (1,700 linear ft). The PFPA has total donations of various materials are estimated to exceed $670,000. These being highly specialized products make the PFPA partnership an invaluable key to the success of the building project.

It is extraordinary to see such a coalition of efforts when organizations come together with common good in mind. It inspires me as a student to see educational originations come together with an association like the PFPA to reach a common goal like this truly inspiring building.

This green project that promotes learning and appreciation for our natural recourses; I hope that other educational institution can learn from this building. Any time you can immerse the student more into what they study, that opportunity should be exploited. The designers of this great building did just that and should be an inspiration to designers everywhere.

Bibliography:

* http://sfr.psu.edu/facilities
** http://www.lewislp.com/pdfs/psu-forestry-article.pdf
http://live.psu.edu/album/202