Muscular Dystrophy Association gets LEED silver certified

Published on Mon, Dec 17, 2012 (noon)

Submitted by CSD Architects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2012

Elena Otter
Carpenter Sellers Del Gatto Architects
1919 South Jones, Suite C
Las Vegas, NV 89146
Phone: 702.251.8896
Fax: 702.251.8876

MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSOCIATION GETS LEED SILVER CERTIFIED

LAS VEGAS — Carpenter Sellers Del Gatto Architects, www.csdarchitecture.com, celebrating their 25th anniversary is proud to announce the LEED Silver Certification of the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Tucson, Arizona.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is a non-profit organization that is a voluntary health agency -- a dedicated partnership between scientists and concerned citizens aimed at conquering neuromuscular diseases that affect more than a million Americans. Their Headquarters is located in Tucson, AZ and was built in 1992 during an economic recession and despite another downturn, MDA moved forward to expand their Health Services, MVP, Advocacy, Community Program and Research departments. MDA initially wanted to demolish their existing car-port structure and repeat their existing architecture in a 16,000 s.f., two level office addition. After further analysis and design exploration, we elected to preserve their existing structure by developing the new office addition just north in an abandoned wash. This decision resulted in protecting existing views for residences uphill toward Mt. Lemon and avoided costs associated with demolition. The new addition complements the existing entrance sequence by introducing a field of northern, vertical glazing that reflects the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Staff and volunteers that are familiar with the office can view the desert from a different perspective, seeing it again for the first time. The east wall of the addition has a refined version of their existing stone cladding that draws you toward the covered entrance and provides donor naming opportunities. A desert roof or “green roof” enhances the idea of laying low on the land; “repurposing” nature that is being utilized by the footprint and considering the effects of heat island effect and provides a deck that can be used for fundraising events.

Carpenter Sellers Del Gatto Architects has received the following design awards for the MDA Headquarters: the 2012 AIA Built - Merit Award, the 2012 ENR Southwest Contractors, the 2010 AIA NV Un-built Citation Award and the 2011 Southwest Contractor Best Small Project Award.

For more information about this press release or CSD Architects please contact Elena Otter at 702.251.8896.
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