The Architecture Building Expansion is a reflection of the school’s curriculum and a working laboratory for sustainable practices. The south side of the site is occupied by a water conservation demonstration garden showcasing five different Arizona ecosystems, where students and the public can learn about water efficient irrigation and native plants. Water captured from the roof deck and condensate from the HVAC system filters into a 12,000 gallon holding tank used for the garden’s irrigation system, resulting in an 87% reduction in the use of potable water for the garden.

The architectural vocabulary of the building is based on exposed building systems. The use of exposed mechanical, structural and architectural systems becomes a teaching tool for the students who occupy this building. The use of glass, steel and concrete, as well as exposed utility systems, minimizes the quantity of materials, and the need for multiple layers of finishes resulting in a building assembly of naturally low VOC emitting materials.

Architects: Jones Studio
Location: University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
JSI Team: Eddie Jones, Neal Jones, Brian Farling, Maria Salenger
Contractor/CMAR: Bill Lloyd
Landscape Architecture: Ten Eyck Landscape Architecture
Civil Engineering: Evans Kuhn & Associates
Electrical Engineering: Woodward Engineering
Structural Engineering: rudow + berry
Mechanical Engineering: Kunka Engineering
Specifications: Litter & Associates
Acoustics: Mckay Conant Hoover
Cost: C.C.M.C.
Client: Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of University of Arizona College of Architecture + Landscape Architecture
Project Area: 33,645 sqf (new), 37,190 sqf (remodel)
Project Year: 2007
Photographs: Robert Reck, Bill Timmerman