flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Clemson's new Outdoor Education Center uses a Mass Timber Structural System

University Buildings

Clemson's new Outdoor Education Center uses a Mass Timber Structural System

Cooper Carry designed the project.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | May 19, 2020
Clemson's Outdoor Education Center

All photos: Jonathan Hillyer

Clemson University's 16,000-sf Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center has become the first mass timber structure on the campus and the second mass timber facility in the nation to use Southern yellow pine as the primary building material. The project is located at the Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Complex.

Designed to enhance the opportunities of Clemson students to achieve mental and physical wellness through interaction with nature,  the Center comprises two multi-use classroom studios capable of supporting activities such as yoga, rowing, wellness seminars, nutrition, expedition planning, and other events. The facility also includes a resource for trip planning, equipment rentals, a bike repair/rental shop, a boathouse, a covered patio, a lounge, and a second-level deck overlooking Lake Hartwell.

 

People carrying a boat in front of the Clemson's Outdoor Education Center

 

The boathouse, which provides storage for rental kayaks, paddleboards, and rafts, is enclosed in passively ventilated skin of local cypress. The cypress skin helps to enhance the visual appeal and sustainability of the building.

The building is positioned to be net-zero ready and has the potential to be operated off-grid with the installation of photovoltaics. Sustainable elements include expansive windows that offer natural daylight, sensor-controlled lighting, and large-scale fans that help reduce cooling loads. Passive cooling is used for boat storage spaces.

 

See Also: Erudite eSports: Colleges build their very own eSports arenas

 

The Center supports student engagement with nature by anchoring a master planned precinct on campus, which includes 14,000 sf of synthetic turf fields for intramural and club sports, woodlands for hikes, beaches, and lake access for water activities. Additionally, the building's covered terrace and second-level roof deck overlook the lake and provide opportunities for people to access the exterior environment.

 

Outdoor Education Center at night

 

Outdoor Education Center interior

 

Covered patio space

Related Stories

| Jul 19, 2013

Reconstruction Sector Construction Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

Structure Tone, DPR, Gilbane top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction contractor and construction management firms in the U.S.

| Jul 19, 2013

Reconstruction Sector Engineering Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

URS, STV, Wiss Janney Elstner top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.

| Jul 19, 2013

Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]

Stantec, HOK, HDR top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.

| Jul 19, 2013

Renovation, adaptive reuse stay strong, providing fertile ground for growth [2013 Giants 300 Report]

Increasingly, owners recognize that existing buildings represent a considerable resource in embodied energy, which can often be leveraged for lower front-end costs and a faster turnaround than new construction.

| Jul 2, 2013

LEED v4 gets green light, will launch this fall

The U.S. Green Building Council membership has voted to adopt LEED v4, the next update to the world’s premier green building rating system.

| Jul 1, 2013

Report: Global construction market to reach $15 trillion by 2025

A new report released today forecasts the volume of construction output will grow by more than 70% to $15 trillion worldwide by 2025.

| Jun 28, 2013

Building owners cite BIM/VDC as 'most exciting trend' in facilities management, says Mortenson report

A recent survey of more than 60 building owners and facility management professionals by Mortenson Construction shows that BIM/VDC is top of mind among owner professionals. 

| Jun 17, 2013

DOE launches database on energy performance of 60,000 buildings

The Energy Department today launched a new Buildings Performance Database, the largest free, publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information.

| Jun 11, 2013

Building a better box: High-bay lab aims for net-zero [2013 Building Team Award winner]

Building Team cooperation and expertise help Georgia Tech create a LEED Platinum building for energy science.

| Jun 5, 2013

USGBC: Free LEED certification for projects in new markets

In an effort to accelerate sustainable development around the world, the U.S. Green Building Council is offering free LEED certification to the first projects to certify in the 112 countries where LEED has yet to take root.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category



Mass Timber

Bjarke Ingels Group designs a mass timber cube structure for the University of Kansas

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and executive architect BNIM have unveiled their design for a new mass timber cube structure called the Makers’ KUbe for the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design. A six-story, 50,000-sf building for learning and collaboration, the light-filled KUbe will house studio and teaching space, 3D-printing and robotic labs, and a ground-level cafe, all organized around a central core.


halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021