Location:  Kemeri National Park, Latvia

Program: Ecological Visitor Center

Status: Speculative

The Kemeri National Park is the third-largest national park in Latvia and covers over 380 km². The park is home to countless species of birds and wildlife, with a varied landscape that makes it a popular visitor attraction. Just 10% of the park is occupied by lakes, rivers and sulfur springs, while over half of it is forest.

Nearly a quarter of the park, however, is made up of bogs, and this is what most of the park’s visitors come to experience. The Kemeri Bog boardwalk offers guests a chance to explore the vast network of wooden boardwalks and nature paths that traverse the park. Visitors can see nature up close and venture into a world virtually untouched by man.

ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY

Sustainability plays a central role in the Visitors Center. Construction materials utilized in the design are locally available and environmentally sound. The climate of the area is cool and temperate (July ≈ 17.1°C, February ≈ -4.7°C). With only electrical service to the site, the main challenge becomes water management and heating. The environmental control system of the building combines several basic technologies in unison for optimal performance. Rain water is collected in a retaining pond that serves as a feature for the site design. This water passes through a filter and is stored for building use. A compost heating system that uses forest waste, working in tandem with a solar hot water array, will provide energy for the building’s radiant heating system and hot water for occupant use. During the summer the building will stay cool via the shaded facade and natural ventilation.

Location:  Beiyuan District, Nanjing, China

Program: Urban Planning

Status: Design Complete

Tumu Studio collaborated with U+ Design Partners to develop this urban design for the Beiyuan District in Nanjing China.  The Beiyuan District sits just north of Nanjing’s central business district, nestled between the Laoshan and Longwang mountains.  The existing zoning called for a mix of high-tech incubator with offices, retail, and apartments. One issue that our team quickly identified was that the surrounding area had lot of residential housing but no real destination for the local community to gather.  This was resulting in most residents traveling out to other parts of the city for work, dining, and entertainment.  Our team proposed a development that would serve as a focal point for the community.

The long site is situated between two streets of vastly different characteristics. The eastern side features a fast-moving state highway, whereas the west faces an old industrial neighborhood that has more narrow streets with less traffic. The design concept for the building’s massing within the district is to create a juxtaposition that reflects the varied character of the two sides. The fast-paced eastern side features more uniform, flush facades to create an impressive unified front. On the west side of the site, outdoor patios and building setbacks cascade down to street level and break up the building masses. This lowers the volume of the large buildings to a more human scale and creates outdoor space for residents and workers that affords beautiful views to the mountains.

A linear park creates a buffer zone on either side of the highway and activates retail at grade.  Each site within the district is envisioned to have a retail podium with green space at grade and above.  A generous landscaped bridge connects the development with a large residential area to the east.

We used green space to create a more people-friendly pedestrian experience. Larger public spaces welcome occupants at the main entry points within the plan.  Pocket parks provide breaks in the massing of the buildings and create public and private amenities throughout the district.

Location:  Fermilab, Batavia, IL

Program: Architecture, Office, Research Facility

Status: Complete

Located on the Fermilab campus of the U.S. Department of Energy this 83,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility houses offices, a technical lab, a 175 seat lecture hall, and educational space to study and create cutting-edge accelerator technologies. Tuned to the environment, the building features many sustainable practices including underfloor air distribution, sustainable materials, and optimum design for daylighting and views. The building was awarded LEED Gold Certification.

Tumu Founder, Ross Barney, worked as Project Designer and Architect for this project while at Ross Barney Architects.

Location:  Chicago, Illinois

Program: Urban Planning + Design, Community, Ecological

Status: Complete

The Chicago Riverwalk is a linear park and urban space that stretches from Michigan Avenue to the confluence at Lake St. The design revolves around the creation of ‘rooms’ that are linked through a common design language and feature unique urban landscape and activities. The project has received numerous awards and recognition and has become a bustling place for business and recreation in the heart of Chicago.

Tumu Founder, Huili Feng, played an essential role for more than a decade working on the riverwalk while at Ross Barney Architects.  She touched almost every aspect of this project and was specifically in charge of the development of the stainless steel underbridge canopies and the water fountain room.

Location:  Nanjing, China

Program: Architecture, Arts + Culture, Sports

Status: Under Construction

This cultural center in the Jiangbei district of Nanjing was designed to serve as a beacon for the community in the rapidly developing area. The complex consists of four buildings arranged to create a multipurpose plaza and community park. The program includes a large performing arts theater, art museum, classrooms, fitness center, and sports arena.

Tumu Founders, Huili Feng and Ross Barney, lead this project as Project Designers and Architects while at Ross Barney Architects.

Location:  Chicago, Illinois

Program: Elevated transit station, Infrastructure

Status: Complete

The new Green Line station at Cermak serves the Chinatown and Motor Row area of Chicago and is the first station at that location since 1977. The station fills in a major gap in CTA service that once existed at McCormick Place since the previous station was removed from service and demolished. The unique design features a highly durable and visually striking stainless steel skin that shelters the platform.

Tumu founder, Huili Feng, played a major role in this project while at Ross Barny Architects.  She was particularly instrumental in the design, development, and realization of the stations’ iconic stainless steel facade.