The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design at Georgia Tech

The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design | Atlanta, Georgia | Education, Environment | livingbuilding.gatech.edu

Working toward a sustainable future in the Southeast.

The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design (The Kendeda Building) is the first academic and research building in the Southeast designed to be certified as a Living Building by the International Living Future Institute. It opened in October 2019. Georgia Tech has 12 months to prove it has met all requirements of the Living Building Challenge (LBC) 3.1 certification; its innovative sustainable solutions provide hope for our future.

THE CHALLENGE

In partnership with Georgia Tech and Lorenc+Yoo Design, Good Thinking created a visual, visible voice for The Kendeda Building. Our aim was to communicate complexity disguised as simplicity and show how the building will deliver on its promise to be the South’s first certified Living Building. By the close of 2019, hundreds around the world had taken the Living Building challenge. You can see a map of all current projects here.

THE OUTCOME

After opening in October 2019 (but before COVID-19), Georgia Tech hosted tours for hundreds of people and the media. Performance data is recorded daily and used to demonstrate the building’s adherence to LBC 3.1 certification requirements. The building is open to the public. Comic illustrator Ben Wallis’ (aka Beardy Glasses) mural depicting the building’s personality, performance, and impact is a highlight. Good Thinking will post updates on the building to our blog several times a year.

Working toward a sustainable future in the Southeast.

TEAM

Angela Aquino
Ben Wallis (Beardy Glasses)
Brenda Henry
Chung Youl Yoo
Jan Lorenc
Kathi Roberts
Matt Porter

The distinctive branded voice includes visual elements that connect the building’s innovations and purpose with a wide range of audiences, from students, faculty, and staff to interested community members throughout the Southeast and the world. In close collaboration with Lorenc+Yoo Design of Roswell, Georgia, we created an information experience system that includes signage, information graphics, and a 25’x40’ wall mural by Atlanta’s Beardy Glasses. The mural uses joy and whimsy to tell the story of the building’s water and energy system.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE.

[dica_divi_carousel _builder_version=”4.6.3″][dica_divi_carouselitem title=” “I confess: the politics of working with a large group of stakeholders of competing perspectives and demands was a challenge unlike any I’ve faced. But the final result, especially the exhilarating mural, made the effort worthwhile. This building is now part of Atlanta’s history, and that is immensely gratifying.” ” button_url_new_window=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.3″ header_level=”h1″ header_font=”Hepta Slab|300|||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#f9423a” header_font_size=”26pt” header_line_height=”1.5em” body_text_align=”right” body_text_color=”#000000″]

Kathi Roberts
Designer, Good Thinking Atlanta

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