Architect Builds On His Respect for Nature

by David Hunt  

When he was starting out as a young architect three decades ago, Frank Harmon quickly made a name for himself as a professional who insisted on respecting the natural environment.

"My buildings have always been about nature and finding our place in it," he says. "I believe that architects should leave the landscape better than when we found it."

It's not surprising, then, that the North Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) selected Harmon's design – from among four dozen – for its new headquarters in downtown Raleigh. The $4.5 million project, described as a testament to sustainability, is designed – literally – to demonstrate how architecture can enhance the urban landscape without harming the environment.

Frank Harmon in his Raleigh studio.

Harmon is a professor of practice in architecture at North Carolina State University, where a campus-wide focus on renewable energy is driving research across campus. His design for the AIA facility showcases a score of environmentally friendly technologies.

The building itself will sit on the edge of the property – on a triangular plot of land at the corner of Peace and Wilmington streets – leaving plenty of room for a gently sloping lawn and lots of shady trees. The idea, Harmon says, is to create an interlocking and interdependent system, preserving the natural topography of the land and making optimal use of sun, wind and rain.

"The building will be synchronized with the environment," he explains.

A layer of grass will cover the roof of the building to absorb the heat of the sun and collect rainwater. The building will use both passive and active solar technologies to reduce energy consumption, and the interior is designed to take advantage of the area's natural airflow to provide cross ventilation on warm days.

A parking lot adjacent to the building will also be green. Harmon plans to pave the lot with turf stones, a kind of pavement that allows grass to grow between diamond-shape stones. The result will be a kind of "parking garden" that could be used for community events, like a farmers' market, in addition to parking. Not only will the lot be visually appealing, it will also reduce the amount of rainwater runoff the site generates.

"Sixty percent of the surface area of downtown Raleigh is taken up by parking," Harmon says. "We want this to serve as a role model, to suggest that there is another way to design for parking."

In fact, the entire project is a model of quality sustainable design that Harmon hopes will raise the standards in the industry.

"Buildings use 40 percent of all the energy consumed in this country," he says. "But energy is limited and we live in a world where our use of energy has created environmental problems. That alone should put architecture on the cutting edge."

But, he acknowledges, architects are under pressure from clients to keep costs down. The long-term benefits of sustainable design may not be obvious on a project cost estimate.

"It's very hard to be an architect," he says. "It takes courage. More people than not will say no to anything innovative, anything that's not part of the established system."

Harmon had his own crisis of faith early in his career when he was hired to design a neighborhood shopping center.

"I went out to see the site, and realized it was a place I used to run around on and explore when I was a child," he says.

Harmon's design is clean and elegant, reminiscent of Raleigh's modern design heritage of the mid-century years.

The thought of robbing future generations of this idyllic spot was distressing, he says. Fortunately for Harmon, the plans were shelved. But he resolved then to work only on projects that enhanced – not destroyed – the environment.

His next client was a writer who wanted to build a home on the James River.

"He said, 'There's this little knoll of land covered in moss and live oak trees, and I want you to put the house there.' But I told him, if you put the house there, you won't have that special little place to enjoy any more."

The client agreed and Harmon designed the site so the house was situated on the edge of the property – much like the design he developed for the AIA project.

"It's something I learned from one of my teachers," he says. "You start your career where you want to finish it."

It's a lesson he wants to pass on – to his fellow architects and to the public. The AIA project gives him the opportunity to promote the design principles he holds dear. As a very visible example of quality sustainable design, Harmon says, it may serve as a tool to educate the public about the best practices in the field.

It may also reinforce the idea that architecture can inspire. Harmon's design is elegant and striking, reminiscent of the clean modern designs pioneered at NC State's College of Design in the 1940s and 1950s, when the faculty included such luminaries as George Matsumoto, Eduardo Catalano and Matthew Nowicki.

Harmon hopes that when the building is open for business – in about two years – it will bring fresh energy to the area.

"We want to be part of bringing Peace Street back as a lively urban area," he says. "The plans call for a café, as well as an exhibit space. We want it to be a fun and pleasant place."

Links

• NC State College of Design

• AIA North Carolina

• Frank Harmon Architect