THE FORUM AT MARVIN HALL
The Forum was built to transform historic Marvin hall for the University of Kansas School of architecture, design and planning. There had never been a “there” in Marvin hall - a living room for students and faculty to interact, a place to welcome visitors, a place that defined the school. Nor had there been a place for assembly, all architectural lecture classes, visiting speakers and special presentations had to happen elsewhere on campus.
Marvin hall is early 20th century building with much of its masonry and timber structure hidden behind layers of plaster and drop ceilings. The Forum is an inside-out expression of these materials as the stone elevation of Marvin hall and new glue laminated timber structural frame commands the space. The addition is wrapped by a glass dual wall with operable western red cedar louvers. The back wall of the lecture space supports a living wall made up of ferns and begonias that are fed by harvested rain water. The space required a high performance projection screen designed to absorb ambient light and can be used in brightly lighted conditions.
Passive strategies to save energy typically require a tolerance for temperature swings and varying light levels. For a 121 seat lecture hall to work conditions need to be predictable and consistent. With this in mind the mechanical system minimizes the need for active heating and cooling by working with the sun, wind, heat, light and other energy flows in and around the project to formulate a solution based on the local climate and the needs of the user. The double-wall, ventilated facade is composed of two walls of insulated glass units. They are separated by a 41 inch airspace which houses the automated louvers. If sensor readings show that fresh air can assist or take over for cooling the double-wall dampers will be set to promote cross-ventilation and introduce fresh outdoor air. During the summer months the louvers are programed to track the sun and reduce the solar heat gain by shading the interior glass wall and the dampers will open to remove the heated air at the top while bringing cooler air in from below. During cold winter days all of the dampers are closed and the space between the double walls will trap the sun’s heat to create a "warm blanket” to surround and insulate the addition.
Images and Plans
Technical Description
With a very few exceptions all of this work is built by the students. From the moment a Studio 804 class gathers in August the work is hands-on. Even the design phase includes working on mock ups. We do everything ourselves; the students are on site every day working on the excavation, pouring concrete, framing walls, welding steel, laying masonry, installing roofing, folding flashings, and setting windows and doors. We run plumbing lines and set fixtures, and we even do work on the mechanical systems and as electricians. In short, there is little about building the students won’t have a chance to experience during a Studio 804 project.
SUSTAINBLE FEATURES
- LEED Platinum Certified
- The combination of sensors and dampers will activate the dual wall to promote cross-ventilation and introduce fresh outdoor air, or to vent out heated air and block the sun when cooling, or trap the sun’s heat to create a "warm blanket” to insulate the addition.
- The roofing is a highly reflective white single-ply membrane to reduce the heat island effect.
- All the rainwater from the roof is harvested and stored in an underground cistern and used to water the living walls.
- All of the materials, paints, flooring, sealants and adhesives used inside the addition emit low or no volatile organic compounds.
- The living wall naturally filters the interior air cleaning it of toxins.
- Built on a difficult site complicated by the remains of decades of utility lines, service tunnels and the foundations of past structures
- The roof is covered with photovoltaics to power the addition.
- The furniture in the commons room and review space are vintage refurbished pieces.
- The framing is done with engineered lumber which is manufactured from fast growing underutilized lumber.
- The roof and floors are insulated to three times the code minimum.
- All of the light are LED’s and are automated to be used only during period that the natural daylighting levels are too low to support the functions of the space
- All of the materials, paints, flooring, sealants and adhesives used inside the addition emit low or no volatile organic compounds.