ST. ALBANS STATE OFFICE BUILDING

Located on Federal Street between Kingman and Lake Streets in St. Albans, this building houses the Department of Health, the Department of Labor, the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Children and Family Services. VIA worked extensively with representatives of these agencies to design a building that was comfortable, friendly, and calm for its client groups and those who work there, and which fostered greater connections, both internally and externally. Private offices for the sensitive and confidential matters of vulnerable clients surround a more public space with cubicles and conference rooms for greater collaboration among departments. The building is primarily brick, with accents of metal panel construction. Some glass storefront at the street also helps to reduce the visual mass of the building. Principles of sustainability employed in the building include: use of local materials such as regional brick, use of high-recycled content structural steel, a well-insulated envelope, minimized thermal bridging, and efficient building mechanical systems with energy recovery technology. The building’s design respects the historic downtown district and surrounding buildings yet reflects its own time.