ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS

DESCRIPTIVE DATA

Project No. 5:            Environmental Protection Agency                                         Regional Headquarters
Architecture Firm                                                                 of Record:                Langdon Wilson
Design Firm:             Langdon Wilson
Completion Date:      2000
Role of Nominee:      Design Director / Project Designer

The Environmental Protection Agency Region Seven Headquarters Building in Kansas City, Kansas is a Design/Build Development by KOLL Developers for the U.S. General Services Administration.  The 5 story, 220,000 gsf Building meets the specific design and financial requirements of the detailed Solicitation For Offers (SFO) for large efficient floor plates, solar control/energy conservation, emphasis on natural light/day lighting, environmental sensitivity and very competitive fixed rental rates. The building acknowledges the freeway and urban relationship to Kansas City, Kansas and integrates the massing and stepped parking into the natural topography of the dramatic river bluff site.  The linear atrium focuses on its regional relationship to the confluences of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers and downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Use of deeply recessed windows, light shelves and skylights help bring reflected natural light into the interior of the building while controlling heat gain.  The terraced atrium allows this light to penetrate far into the interior spaces and fosters employee interaction with its open plan.  The upper levels open up to the terraced atrium and house the open office workstations. The entry plaza level has most of the public conference and education facilities, while the lower ground level houses the computer room, library, health club, and storage facilities.  The stone cladding on the west-facing entry wall with recessed punched windows relates to the historic masonry buildings in downtown Kansas City. The north and south sunscreened/lightshelfed linear glazed and pre-cast concrete façade allows natural light into the open office area. 

“Off the Shelf” environmentally responsible materials used include double low-E glazing with ceramic frit patterns, carpet made of recycled tires, and ceiling tiles made with recycled slag.  The project has been given a very high rating by the LEED’s evaluation team and is one of the EPA’s best examples of energy sensitive and low environmental impact for a competitive leased commercial office buildings in a “brownfield” site context. When the building opened, it received universal praise from the EPA staff while Dennis Gram, EPA Regional Director, called it “…the best public architecture he has ever experienced…”

AWARDS RECEIVED:        

                GSA Honor Award for Architecture
                GSA Developer/Design/Build Competition Winner

PUBLICATIONS:      

                Building Design and Construction
                Off the Shelf Report  1999 GSA/EPA/Koll Green                   Team