Willow Center Case Study architecture Analysis

1. The Willow School:
Health, Wellness & Nutrition
Center
Gladstone,
New jersey
USA
Built year:
2015
Architect:
Farewell
Architects
Cost:
$7,500,000
Area:
1860 m²

2. Why this case ?
• 3 LEED Certified Buildings
• The Health, Wellness & Nutrition
Center runs on 100% renewable
energy, and all rainwater is
captured, treated and utilized
• use of reclaimed materials
• gardens supplement providing
students a concrete understanding
and appreciation of the food cycle
from seed to table, while the
sustainable design of classrooms
promotes appreciation of the natural
world.

3. Health, Wellness & Nutrition Center
• The Health Wellness and
Nutrition Center is the third
phase of a multi-phase build-out
of the independent school
campus.
• The new, 20,000 square foot,
one story building reinforces the
outdoor spaces of the campus,
forming a U-shaped central
woodland area that is play and
teaching space. Since the
project is seeking to meet the
Living Building Challenge as
well as LEED platinum
certification, adjacent gardens,
orchards and other agricultural
uses are integral to the spaces
around the building.
“A very small school, for very small people in a very large green space”
• The Willow School wanted to
build a model environmental
building for its health, wellness,
and nutrition programs.
• The school established high
environmental goals for the
project, including that the
building receive certification by
the Living Building Challenge.
• Certification by the LBC
requires that the building be
net-zero energy, net-zero water,
and meet other highly rigorous
environmental requirements.
• To achieve these goals, the
school sought assistance from
experienced net zero building
designers.

4. Design approach

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7. 2013 2015
2010
Timeline

8. 2020 2023
2017
Timeline

9. Plan

10. Plan- zoom in

11. Plan- zoom in

12. Plan- photo

13. Elevations
front
back

14. Elevations
front
back
natural light.
Our floor to ceiling windows in the classrooms and library enable
students to be immersed in and engaged with the natural world
even when they are inside. Classrooms and spaces for art, music,
and performances also harness the maximum natural daylight.
Our indoor spaces open directly to the grounds for seamless
outdoor study, exploration, and play.

15. Elevations
left
right

16. Elevations
near daylight autonomy, net-zero energy performance by use
of solar photovoltaics
left
right

17. SUSTAINABILITY
• The environmental approach has been the
ground for poetic design
• The Willow School phase one building was
called the “Greenest School in America” by
Eco-Structure Magazine
• Project are designed to LEED platinum and
net zero energy standards

18. SUSTAINABILITY
STORMWATER Instead of merely reducing the
impact of stormwater runoff,
Biohabitats designed a system of
vegetated swales to replace
expensive concrete pipes and catch
basins.
This, in combination with reduced
paving and increased natural ground
covers, helped recreate the original
sponge-like character of the site.
A detention pond with wetland
plantings saved money and improved
the environmental performance of
the site significantly beyond that

19. SUSTAINABILITY
WASTEWATER
all human waste generated
onsite is treated with an
integrated system of
constructed wetlands, trickle
filter, and a sand filter.
The treatment cycle is so
effective that treated
effluent can be reused on
site for irrigation and
protective groundwater
recharge.

20. SUSTAINABILITY
RAIN HARVESTING
Rain is harvested from the Art
Barn Roof and the Health,
Wellness, and Nutrition Center.
Rain is treated in the buildings
and reused as a non-potable
supply for toilet flushing.
Biohabitats currently has a
maintenance contract to
support routine and
preventative maintenance on

21. Structure
The building has a robust range of
structure and materials, evocative of
the agrarian structures of the region.
Major elements including timber, stone,
and steel are locally sourced, recycled
or renewable resources. Products and
materials have been reviewed for Red
List compliance, with advocacy letters
sent to manufacturers to encourage
elimination of red list elements.
The new building draws upon the
vocabulary of the earlier phases of the
School to create a village of structures.

22. Sections

23. Sections

24. Any questions?