U.S. Federal Office Building

The New Federal Office Building houses a key federal agency within a facility seeking the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification on a secure campus. The new campus is designed to meet AT/FP criteria and includes a parking garage with a green wall and photovoltaic panels, surface parking, annex, vehicle checkpoint, pond, and jogging loop in addition to the main office building. The team created a functional and sustainable design that exceeded the program requirements by utilizing the native climate, existing site conditions, and project specific design components. These considerations delivered a site and landscape plan that minimizes impacts and maximizes harmonization with the adjacent conservation areas and nearby Florida Everglades. The site design for the campus respects the natural Florida landscape, incorporating the wetlands throughout the project as well as incorporating them into interior and exterior courtyards. The main building’s signature curtainwall style integrates the wetlands into the building with glass transparency. The project includes a jogging path located around the reconstructed wetlands as well as locations for gatherings and relaxation. The project team made use of locally sourced materials with high recycled content, FSC wood and native and adaptive plant species throughout the design. The result is a sustainable native plant community located within aesthetically appealing grounds that also provides water quality treatment for the project area. The main goals identified in the project such as long-term flexibility, collaboration, and accessibility have been applied to the design of this project allowing for the creation of a facility that is uniquely suited to the tenant. photography by: krueck + sexton architects