SUSTAINABLE DESIGNCASE STUDY

IN GENUINE STONE - Willow School in New Jersey

- Jefferson Hall West Point Library in New York

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Project Type: Independent K-8 Day School Location: Gladstone, New Jersey, USA Architect: Ford Farewell Mills & Gatsch, Architects, LLC

Construction: Phase I – 2003 Rating: LEED Gold

The Willow School

Front entrance of The Willow School

The Willow School

Foundation and Goals for the School

> Sustainability

> Whole Systems Integration

> Energy savings was important, as well as the creation of a healthy indoor environment that feels good to students and faculty

> A firm belief among the project team: “The building should resonate with our human biology, evolutionary experience and reflect an understanding of ecological process and teach us that we are connected to the larger community of life.”

3 Top: Recycled stone and wood beams;Bottom: Native planting

The Willow School

Foundation and Goals for the School

•Establishing a Sense of Place-the history of the local area included

stone quarryng

•Defining a 150-year Life Cycle

4The surrounding site and its connection to

place

The Willow School

Foundation and Goals for the School

• Regional Vernacular Response to the Environment

• Integrated Curriculum

• Regenerative Approach – a process where humans participate with nature so that both human and natural systems can grow and co-evolve together

• Highly Collaborative Process – including all stakeholders who may affect or be effected by the project and ensuring that they are involved early in the process

5 Top: Recycled metal roofingBottom: Salvaged timber framing

The Willow School

A Process that Supported the Use of Local, Recycled Stone

> Experience in salvaging old barns

> A good barn may yield 400-500

tons of stone

> Stone supplier, Wood Natural

Restoration

> Worked closely with local building

officials since much of this was new to

the officials

> Local Amish mason from Gladstone,

New Jersey, provided the stone

construction

6Constructing with recycled stone

The Willow School

Stone Details

Classrooms used the remains of two barns and a house from Eastern Pennsylvania dating to the 19th century.

• 75% hand-cut limestone

Old Stone originally not mortared together; cracks were filled with mix of clay and lime. Wood framing could be removed, walls toppled over, and stone simply washed with water.

Other recycled stonework included: • Bluestone flagstones disturbed from their

original site by Boston’s Big Dig• Granite curbing from an interstate

exchange in Connecticut

7 Stone transitions easily and naturally from the building’s interior to exterior