The 25,000-sf Indiana Toll Road Administrative and Operations Building is the epicenter for 157 miles of toll road monitoring, maintenance, and administration.
Having previously operated out of a maintenance garage, the client sought to consolidate its administrative functions into one building that would improve the efficiency of its operations and the work environment of its employees.
The new LEED Gold facility features open office seating and a large control room to monitor road conditions and roadway accidents. A central, two-story atrium functions
as the building’s hearth both programmatically as the primary amenity and gathering space, and performatively as a warm winter solarium and shaded collaboration space in the summer.
Atrium at the new Indiana Toll Road headquarters provides space for employees to relax. Photo: Courtesy SmithGroup
SMITHGROUP LEADS INTEGRATED PROJECT TEAM
SmithGroup (architect, interior designer, civil engineer, landscape architect) led the functionally integrated team of TGWRA (structural engineer), Primera Engineers (MEP), Baumann Consulting (commissioning), and HJ Kessler (LEED consultant).
The atrium prioritizes employee well-being by bringing natural light into the floorplate. Ample reflective materials create bright spaces free of glare.
A mix of open collaborative zones, lounge areas, meeting rooms, standing desks, and bench seating offer options for both collaborative and individual work.
A large central stair with sculptural detailing and warm wood accents creates an informal gathering area.
Summer section shows environmental considerations that went into LEED Gold certification. Image: SmithGroup
Winter section for solarium and office areas with environmental components. Image: SmithGroup
CAREFUL ATTENTION TO NATURAL SETTING
The facility lies in a young woodland site, with sprawling grasses and mid-density trees surrounded by a toll road clover loop. The project team left 80% of the site untouched, but excavated the site to create water basins and sculpted landforms. The result: a naturalized landscape that holds water onsite and requires no additional irrigation.
A gravel pedestrian path meanders through the site, and photovoltaic solar panels generate more than 40% of the building’s energy needs.
Employees also have access to an indoor workout room and a second-story terrace.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024
BOMA updates floor measurement standard for office buildings
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has released its latest floor measurement standard for office buildings, BOMA 2024 for Office Buildings – ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 18, 2024
A modular construction solution to the mental healthcare crisis
Maria Ionescu, Senior Medical Planner, Stantec, shares a tested solution for the overburdened emergency department: Modular hub-and-spoke design.
Codes and Standards | Mar 18, 2024
New urban stormwater policies treat rainwater as a resource
U.S. cities are revamping how they handle stormwater to reduce flooding and capture rainfall and recharge aquifers. New policies reflect a change in mindset from treating stormwater as a nuisance to be quickly diverted away to capturing it as a resource.
Plumbing | Mar 18, 2024
EPA to revise criteria for WaterSense faucets and faucet accessories
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to revise its criteria for faucets and faucet accessories to earn the WaterSense label. The specification launched in 2007; since then, most faucets now sold in the U.S. meet or exceed the current WaterSense maximum flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm).
MFPRO+ New Projects | Mar 18, 2024
Luxury apartments in New York restore and renovate a century-old residential building
COOKFOX Architects has completed a luxury apartment building at 378 West End Avenue in New York City. The project restored and renovated the original residence built in 1915, while extending a new structure east on West 78th Street.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 18, 2024
YWCA building in Boston’s Back Bay converted into 210 affordable rental apartments
Renovation of YWCA at 140 Clarendon Street will serve 111 previously unhoused families and individuals.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 17, 2024
5 criteria to optimize medical office design
Healthcare designers need to consider privacy, separate areas for practitioners, natural light, outdoor spaces, and thoughtful selection of materials for medical office buildings.
Construction Costs | Mar 15, 2024
Retail center construction costs for 2024
Data from Gordian shows the most recent costs per square foot for restaurants, social clubs, one-story department stores, retail stores and movie theaters in select cities.
Architects | Mar 15, 2024
4 ways to streamline your architectural practice
Vessel Architecture's Lindsay Straatmann highlights four habits that have helped her discover the key to mastering efficiency as an architect.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 15, 2024
First comprehensive cancer hospital in Dubai to host specialized multidisciplinary care
Stantec was selected to lead the design team for the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Hospital, Dubai’s first integrated, comprehensive cancer hospital. Named in honor of the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the hospital is scheduled to open to patients in 2026.