Animal Teaching & Research
Matthew Hillyard Animal Teaching & Research Center, Utah State University
The Animal, Teaching and Research Center is a facility for the College of Agriculture at Utah State University. This 20,500 s.f. building is a combination of classrooms associated with a meat harvesting facility, an animal reproduction lab, and a veterinary clinic.
The form of this building was derived from the different scales and functions of students, teachers, researchers, and animals. Joining the two wings of this building is a 35’ tall central colonnade, twisted 35 degrees from the parallel of the structure. The colonnade provides expansive views to the mountains directly to the east and west. By exposing and celebrating the structure, infrastructure, and the industrial programmatic functions within this building, the Animal Teaching and Research Center becomes a balance of form and function filled with natural light throughout.
The design merges an academic environment with an industrialized working environment. The harvest classroom inside the building is raised 2 feet above the harvest floor and is integrated with a viewing platform for students to witness the harvest process. Additionally, the cold storage rooms and mechanical equipment are designed so that carcasses can be rolled via meat rail into the classroom for student study.
From the exterior, the Animal Teaching and Research Center reads as a modern barn within the agricultural setting of Cache Valley. From the interior, the building feels like a graceful cathedral that welcomes students, teachers, researchers and farmers.
Energy efficient design strategies: The building is oriented to take advantage of natural daylighting opportunities; the envelope is designed with a high R-valued factory-insulated metal panel that was detailed to provide an uninterrupted skin to avoid cold bridging; the design includes high efficiency HVAC equipment
