Sacred Places
American Geophysical Union, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy
A plaza at the first net-zero energy renovation in the country.
WHERE
Washington, DC
SETTING
Neighborhood
PARTNER INSTITUTION
The Nature Conservancy
Visit
Where it is
2000 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009
What happens here
The plaza gives staff, building tenants, and neighbours somewhere to reflect with nature, while retaining stormwater and reducing the urban heat island effect.
HOW IT CAME TO BE
The neighbours wanted the planets kept.
01
The Need
The AGU building in Dupont Circle needed renovation. AGU wanted the result to be a living representation of its mission, science, and purpose, and a 21st-century workspace using technology and flexible design to foster a healthy, collaborative environment with an emphasis on wellbeing for staff and tenants.
02
The Vision
AGU had already run several stakeholder engagement and charrette meetings before Nature Sacred joined in 2017, which meant the design could build on what the community had already said. One element that surfaced in those charrettes proved crucial: the solar system diagram inlaid into the walkway outside the building, right where the Sacred Place would go, was a highlight for neighbours and had to be retained.
03
The Transformation
The building became the first-ever net-zero energy renovation project. Its outdoor plaza became a Sacred Place incorporating strategies to retain stormwater and reduce urban heat, with the solar system inlay kept in place.
WHO TENDS IT
Matthew Boyd
Firesoul, American Geophysical Union, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy
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Holly Lennihan
Firesoul, American Geophysical Union, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy
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