Grand Rapids Art Museum
wHY Architecture
The first LEED Gold art museum, this building significantly reduces energy use while maintaining a sensitive climate-controlled interior environment for
its collections. Atelier Ten helped ensure that over
70% of interior spaces are daylit, creating a perfect environment for artistic appreciation.
DETAILS
LOCATION: GRAND RAPIDS, MI
AREA: 125,000 SQ FT
COST: $50M
DATE: 2007
SERVICES
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN CONSULTING
BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING
ENERGY ANALYSIS
LEED GOLD
Strategy
Atelier Ten informed the design of the extensive daylighting systems for the museum. This included development and testing of daylight screening and diffusion systems for the toplit galleries, and recommendation of external bris soleil for sidelit galleries and circulation spaces.
As building services engineers, Atelier Ten designed the advanced HVAC system that includes displacement ventilation to galleries, and air handling with adiabatic cooling in the summer and enthalpy heat recovery in the winter. Between integrated daylighting and high performance building systems, the museum achieves a 38% energy savings.