September 15, 2020

East End Transformation Achieves LEED Platinum

Inside the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts' new Anabeth and John Weil Hall, a 30-foot living wall. Designed in collaboration with Sagegreenlife, the vertical garden is inspired by the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. | Photo by James Ewing | JBSA

Five buildings at Washington University in St. Louis achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum designations from the United States Green Building Council. LEED Platinum is the highest level awarded by the USGBC and recognizes a building that achieves superior sustainability measures. Read the full release here
 
Three of the five buildings are KieranTimberlake designs: Sumers Welcome Center, Schnuck Pavilion, and Weil Hall. Located on the on the newly transformed east end of the Danforth Campus, they feature flexible, naturally lit space for classes, studios, presentations, and recreation, all positioned around a new landscape designed by Michael Vergason Landscape Architects to support a lush and more connected campus experience. 
 
The project reshaped Washington University's east end of campus by transforming it into a welcoming and lush environment for learning. The Society for College and University planners recognized the project with for Excellence in Planning for a District or Campus Component, noting the remarkable change from a parking-dominated landscape. While remaining faithful to the university's original Cope and Stewardson plan, each of these buildings embodies a vibrant, contemporary approach to materials, technology, and sustainability. 
 
The projects also represent KieranTimberlake's dedication to creative stewardship of our planet's irreplaceable resources. KieranTimberlake is a signatory of the AIA 2030 Commitment and a founding signatory of US Architects Declare. We believe it is our collective ethical obligation to tackle climate change, social inequity, and ecological fragility on every project. Since 2006, KieranTimberlake has completed 13 LEED Platinum projects.