 Vincent James Associates Architects, VJAA, is another architectural firm that EnviroCitizen.org found has been recognized for their green projects in 2009. Founded in 1995, the Minneapolis based firm has grown into a visionary place of change. The staff works on a variety of residential, institutional and cultural projects.
The team itself has received fifteen national design awards within twelve years. Quite an accomplishment for a young firm. Their approach is one that takes a few key points in planning a building. VJAA looks into daylighting, energy conservation and land conservation so that their buildings are designed to be integrated with the surrounding environment and landscape. They are also designed for human comfort and aesthetic appeal as well as being able to adjust to seasons.
VJAA website states, "We believe that the most sustainable way to build is through well made buildings that are beautiful, function well, and are easy to maintain. These buildings have a natural longevity and value."
The staff is largely LEED accredited and helps clients to be led through the LEED process to create sustainable buildings. One example of their work is the work that won a spot in the American Institute of Architects, the John Hostler Student Center in Beirut, Lebanon. In traditional Mediterranean cities, the use of urban and architectural space is closely calibrated with the natural environment, and this building follows the same course. Daily human motion throughout the urban environment allows social activities to happen subconsciously. There are also various locations as spaces are exploited for their microclimates—sun or shade, thermal mass with radiant surfaces and natural ventilation. Many of the sustainable design strategies used in the project couple these traditional techniques with contemporary technologies. While intended to increase social interaction, all of the strategies also focus on reducing the requirements for energy and water consumption. The program is organized as a cluster of interior and exterior spaces rather than a single building, allowing the building forms themselves to redistribute air, activity and shade. The east-west orientation of the building helps to shade exterior courtyards, reducing the amount of southern exposure. The orientation also directs nighttime breezes and daytime sea breezes to cool outdoor spaces. Green spaces on the rooftops allow for a more pleasing physical and visual integration with the upper campus, providing usable rooftop areas for activities and reducing the amount of exposure to the sun. Usable program area on the site is increased through shading and ventilation of outdoor spaces.
VJAA is continuing to produce more green building ideas. With ideas like this all over the world, EnviroCitizen.org believes that green architecture is making the green future not look quite so far away.
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