PHILADELPHIA - EwingCole, a national architecture, engineering, interior design and planning firm, today announced it has begun design work on the new Exploration Sciences Building at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. The multi-million dollar facility, which will achieve LEED compliance as an environmentally responsible structure, is the first part of GSFC's Master Plan and will serve as a "launching pad" for NASA-driven research over the next 50 years.

The Exploration Sciences Building (ESB) will enable cutting-edge research and promote greater internal collaboration among scientists at Goddard. It is the first project in a campus-wide master plan, and is planned as the centerpiece of a unified campus that will help meet a goal of consolidating related research initiatives. The EwingCole team's new design, developed in collaboration with San Francisco-based M+W Zander, implements elements of the GSFC master plan that will unite the campus, currently located across two separate areas.

"We selected the EwingCole team, not only because of its expertise but because of the collaboration team members demonstrated with us and each other," said David Larsen, NASA Project Manager. EwingCole worked closely with NASA officials and users to establish the parameters for the building design. "he exterior and interior design will reflect and support NASA's unique research culture," said Jim Wolters, AIA, EwingCole Project Manager. "NASA's daily project activities demand a scientific discipline, requiring a mix of semi-private and group meeting areas. The facility layout is flexible enough to support this work style and the future effects of evolving technology."

EwingCole's flexible design will also accommodate the need for efficient and effective configuration of utilities and laboratory spaces at ESB, including new chemistry, electronics and research laboratories, "clean rooms," computer rooms, and offices. In addition, the building will achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification, and will be built with a focus on sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. With more than 30 LEED accredited professionals, EwingCole was uniquely qualified to meet NASA's "green-friendly" goals.

"The Exploration Sciences Building will be unlike any facility in the world," said S. Mark Hebden, AIA, EwingCole's Principal-In-Charge and Executive Vice President. "Designing this facility requires a collaborative approach which brings a breadth and depth of experience that aligns with the project goals. Together, our team provides this high level of expertise and leadership, mirroring NASA's successful tradition and culture of scientific collaboration."

EwingCole
EwingCole, in practice for more than 40 years, is a nationally recognized, fully integrated architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning firm of more than 300 professionals. As an integrated practice, the firm believes that design of the built environment can enhance an organization's ability to achieve long-term success. EwingCole has emerged as a leader in the design of Academic, Corporate, Cultural, Government, Healthcare, Research and Development, and Sports and Entertainment facilities. Based in Philadelphia, the firm has offices in Cleveland, Irvine, Las Vegas, and Washington DC. Visit www.ewingcole.com.

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