The 25,000-sf Indiana Toll Road Administrative and Operations Building is the epicenter for 157 miles of toll road monitoring, maintenance, and administration.
Having previously operated out of a maintenance garage, the client sought to consolidate its administrative functions into one building that would improve the efficiency of its operations and the work environment of its employees.
The new LEED Gold facility features open office seating and a large control room to monitor road conditions and roadway accidents. A central, two-story atrium functions
as the building’s hearth both programmatically as the primary amenity and gathering space, and performatively as a warm winter solarium and shaded collaboration space in the summer.
Atrium at the new Indiana Toll Road headquarters provides space for employees to relax. Photo: Courtesy SmithGroup
SMITHGROUP LEADS INTEGRATED PROJECT TEAM
SmithGroup (architect, interior designer, civil engineer, landscape architect) led the functionally integrated team of TGWRA (structural engineer), Primera Engineers (MEP), Baumann Consulting (commissioning), and HJ Kessler (LEED consultant).
The atrium prioritizes employee well-being by bringing natural light into the floorplate. Ample reflective materials create bright spaces free of glare.
A mix of open collaborative zones, lounge areas, meeting rooms, standing desks, and bench seating offer options for both collaborative and individual work.
A large central stair with sculptural detailing and warm wood accents creates an informal gathering area.
Summer section shows environmental considerations that went into LEED Gold certification. Image: SmithGroup
Winter section for solarium and office areas with environmental components. Image: SmithGroup
CAREFUL ATTENTION TO NATURAL SETTING
The facility lies in a young woodland site, with sprawling grasses and mid-density trees surrounded by a toll road clover loop. The project team left 80% of the site untouched, but excavated the site to create water basins and sculpted landforms. The result: a naturalized landscape that holds water onsite and requires no additional irrigation.
A gravel pedestrian path meanders through the site, and photovoltaic solar panels generate more than 40% of the building’s energy needs.
Employees also have access to an indoor workout room and a second-story terrace.
Related Stories
| Feb 21, 2014
Calatrava ordered to pay millions for 'shortcomings in his work' on conference center project
Famed architect Santiago Calatrava must pay 2.9 million euros due to faulty design work on the Palacio de Congresos project in Oviedo, Spain.
| Feb 14, 2014
Crowdsourced Placemaking: How people will help shape architecture
The rise of mobile devices and social media, coupled with the use of advanced survey tools and interactive mapping apps, has created a powerful conduit through which Building Teams can capture real-time data on the public. For the first time, the masses can have a real say in how the built environment around them is formed—that is, if Building Teams are willing to listen.
| Feb 12, 2014
First Look: Futuristic Silicon Valley campus designed to draw tech startups
The curved campus will consist of four different buildings, one exclusively for amenities like a coffee bar, bike shop, and bank.
| Feb 6, 2014
End of the open workplace?
If you’ve been following news about workplace design in the popular media, you might believe that the open workplace has run its course. While there’s no shortage of bad open-plan workplaces, there are two big flaws with the now common claim that openness is bad.
| Jan 30, 2014
The evolving workplace: One designer's inspiration board
"Open office" has been a major buzzword for decades, and like any buzzword, some of the novelty has worn off. I don't believe we will abandon the open office, but I do think we need to focus on providing a dynamic mix of open and closed spaces.
| Jan 28, 2014
2014 predictions for skyscraper construction: More twisting towers, mega-tall projects, and 'superslim' designs
Experts from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat release their 2014 construction forecast for the worldwide high-rise industry.
| Jan 28, 2014
16 awe-inspiring interior designs from around the world [slideshow]
The International Interior Design Association released the winners of its 4th Annual Global Excellence Awards. Here's a recap of the winning projects.
| Jan 13, 2014
Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects
The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.
| Jan 11, 2014
Getting to net-zero energy with brick masonry construction [AIA course]
When targeting net-zero energy performance, AEC professionals are advised to tackle energy demand first. This AIA course covers brick masonry's role in reducing energy consumption in buildings.
| Dec 31, 2013
BD+C's top 10 stories of 2013
The world's tallest twisting tower and the rise of augmented reality technology in construction were among the 10 most popular articles posted on Building Design+Construction's website, BDCnetwork.com.
