Natural Resources Defense Council

Location
Chicago, Illinois

Owner
Natural Resources Defense Council

Team
Acoustics - Threshold
Architect - Studio Gang Architects
MEP Engineers - WMA Consulting Engineers

Size
16,000 square feet

Schedule
Completed 2013

Architectural Record
February 15, 2014 by Josephine Minutillo

“If it were only a case of ‘practice what you preach,’ the sustainably designed Midwest offices of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) would offer an impressive enough example, with a new space that exploits daylight and incorporates reclaimed materials. But this esteemed environmental-action group and its architect, Studio Gang, wanted to set a new standard. The project surpasses LEED Platinum to become the world's first tenant retrofit to achieve certification through the Living Building Challenge, the built environment’s most rigorous performance standard. More than that, though, the office is a stunning workplace, with a carefully considered layout that caters to the unique needs of the Chicago branch of the organization's small but growing staff of lawyers, economists, engineers, communications specialists, and policy experts.”

The Natural Resources Defense Council’s offices in Chicago have achieved LEED Platinum certified under v 2009 for Commercial Interiors guidelines and Petal certification from the Living Building Challenge 2.1 (LBC). As sustainable designs emphasize the use of natural lighting penetrating deep into the office cores, the open office floor plan solves the lighting needs while providing collaborative work environments. A series of small meeting rooms and phone booths were strategically located within the spaces to provide breakout spaces and minimize distracting noise of group conversations. Quiet Rooms provide additional space for those craving a higher level of focus.

Materials were carefully chosen to comply with the LBC materials Petal, remove unnecessary toxins from the air, and were locally sourced to reduce transportation carbon footprint during construction. Rapidly renewable felt materials provide absorption in the meeting spaces while reclaimed baseboard and crown molding wood panels provide diffusion. Climbing gardens installed on rope fixtures in the open office areas and moss art installation in phone booths not only help to naturally purify the air and create an aesthetically pleasing work area, but also provide sound absorption.