Project Update: IUPUI Rotary Building

IUPUI
Rotary Building Renovation for Indiana University

South facade

The Rotary building on the IUPUI Campus in Indianapolis was originally constructed in 1931 as a home for orphaned and ill children. It was later turned over to IU for academic and administrative purposes.  The facility is one of the few remaining historic structures on the IUPUI campus. Its location offers the building as a link between the new Eskenazi Health Complex and the IU School of Medicine.  The purpose of the project was to renovate the existing facility into medical offices and support spaces for Indiana University. 

Some of the key design opportunities for this project were:

• Re-establish the original 2nd floor balcony terrace overlooking the therapeutic gardens.
• Replace existing windows and create a more efficient building envelope.
• Increase amount of natural light into the building.
• Incorporate grand communicating stairway.
• Open top floor ceilings to create dramatic voluminous space.
• Integrate high-performance building systems within the existing building shell.
• Achieve LEED Silver certification.

Monumental stair at 1st floor

The renovation construction was completed over the summer of 2014. The facility recently was awarded LEED Silver certification, achieving 57 points. The scores for the renovation project were as follows:

• Sustainable Site: 16 out of 26 possible points
• Water Efficiency: 4 out of 10 possible points
• Energy & Atmosphere: 18 out of 35 possible points
• Materials & Resources: 4 out of 14 possible points
• Indoor Environmental Quality: 9 out of 15 possible points
• Innovation & Design Process: 3 out of 6 possible points
• Regional Priority Credits: 3 out of 4 possible points

The renovations to this existing facility have provided IU with a great office space that meets their programming needs and sustainable design goals. The urban location contributes several points to the project. The renovations included energy efficient mechanical systems, upgraded electrical power, lighting and data.

This project's new use allows it to maintain its presence as a jewel on the IUPUI campus.  For more information on the project visit: 

Green Building Information Gateway/LEED Dashboard

INScope article

IU newsroom article

More project photos:

Conference Room entrance

Monumental stair

Monumental stair

Private conference area on 3rd Floor

Terrace overlooking therapeutic garden

Project update - Marian University

Marian University
Michael A. Evans Center for Health Sciences

This landmark facility has been in operation over a year now. It is Indiana's first new medical school in the last 110 years and it is  the nation's first osteopathic medical school at a Catholic university. The facility was recently honored at the 2014 Indianapolis Monumental Awards for Merit in Architecture.

In March of this year, the building received LEED Gold certification, scoring 62 points using LEED 2009.  LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is a green building certification program that recognizes the best-in-class building strategies and practices. It is a scoring system verified by the USGBC (US Green Building Council) that focuses on sustainable design different categories. The Michael A. Evans Center scores in each of the categories were as follows:

• Sustainable Sites: 21 out of 26 possible points
• Water Efficiency: 7 out of 10 possible points
• Energy & Atmosphere: 12 out of 35 possible points
• Materials & Resources: 5 out of 14 possible points
• Indoor Environmental Quality: 9 out of 15 possible points
• Innovation & Design Process: 5 out of 6 possible points
• Regional Priority Credits: 3 out of 4 possible points

The urban location of Marian University obviously was key to achieving so many site credits. The regional credits achieved were also site related. The building utilizes a water-cooled VRF (variable-refrigerant-flow) mechanical system which contributes greatly to its Energy and Atmosphere score achieving 26% more efficient than ASHRAE 90.1 - 2007 threshold. For a Health Care facility this is a very respectable score, since these type of facilities tend to use much more energy to accommodate all of their systems and patient comfort.

The innovation credits achieved for the project were for exemplary performances for use of recycled content (30%), maximum open space, and regional materials (30%).  

The facility has elevated the expectations for future developments at Marian University as well as the City of Indianapolis.

Video presentation of Marian University Michael A. Evans Center for Health Sciences

Corridor Artwork

Interior view of Chapel altar

Exterior view from North 

Monumental stair

South facade near intersection of 30th and Cold Spring

Exterior view of Chapel