The Genzyme center in all fairness and respects is one of the most articulate architectural designs of our times given its energy conservation techniques and standards. It goes without saying that it has met the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which is a mark of all excellence and outstanding levels. Apparently, this I the highest standards of design merits any private office has ever achieved and reached. In order for a building to be awarded and acquire the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, it must meet some strict criterion and standards. For instance, such a building must have a forty-two percent reduction in energy cost, exhibit and lower usage of up to thirty-four percent in water use. The construction process ought to reduce the total and overall weight of the building by up to twenty-five percent (Brailsford, 2). As far as natural light is concerned, the building in this argument and aspect must also allow for up to ninety percent of natural light to reach and permeate the building.
Comparatively, the government service center is an ancient piece of architecture which when it was being constructed did not meet all these marks of qualities. It is imperative to note that it- government service center has been in existence for close to five decades. Additionally, its primary concern at that point during its construction was to ensure that there was maximum utility of space. It was so because it was aimed at reaching and utilizing maximum space due to the high number of offices that it would house. The visible design and outlay of the government service center does not permit the passage of natural light to its interior. It goes without saying that the visible outlay is not visually appealing since ingenuity in design was not given utmost priority. Instead, prospect of how the building would occupy maximum space and several participants was the informing factor in this line of thought and argument (Steele, 9). As far as weight is concerned, the government service center does not reduce in any way the prospects of lowering the overall weight of the building. Thus the Genzyme center in this sphere scores better than the government service center.
The above is true because the people –student engineers and structural designers who are charged with the mandate of the repair are forced to have a holistic and thorough overview of repair and re-design aspect. It stems from the fact that they would consider all the aspects of the building for a lengthy period to see if there are any loopholes and spaces of improvement that could be made on the building. In brief, the Genzyme center was made in a post-modern mentality, whereby there are prospects and chances that the building would still conform and adhere to the designs and improvements of the future.
Subsequently, the Genzyme center was designed in a modern infill redevelopment, the use and full usage of an internal and external renewable energy mechanism and the storm water mitigation techniques. For instance, the building in itself maximized on the ever scarce resources available in the world. For instance, there was use of recycled materials and products, thus ensuring that little went to waste, there was also filigree wide slab construction techniques. As far as water efficiency and conservancy is concerned, there is a mechanism which factors in the harvesting of rainwater, there also low flow fixtures and water sensors (Mattila and Hartman, 11). There is also a green roof and a storm water filtering aspect, factored in. All these are however different with the government service center which depends entirely on the municipal or artificial water; there is no green roof thus energy conservation would not be covered. Government service center also uses artificial electricity and thus no chance or prospect of renewing energy, in this line of thought and aspect. For instance, the government service center was not designed with photovoltaic panels and non-renewable sources in terms of electricity. Thus, in retrospect the government service center does not have all the green factors and considerations that the Genzyme center does.
Works Cited
Brailsford, Jr., Gordon. Genzyme Builds New Corporate Headquarters in Cambridge. (n.d.)
Mattila, Rick, and Lisa Hartman. Genzyme. Interview. May 4, 2005, and May 26, 2005.
Steele, James. Behnisch, Behnisch, & Partner, Genzyme Center. 2004. FMO Publishers,
Stuttgart, Germany www.high-profile.com/2002/nov/genzyme.html(accessed May 15, 2005
