Mesa Laboratory
Encyclopedia
The Mesa Laboratory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research
is a research center
located in Boulder
, Colorado
. The building complex was designed by modernist architect
I. M. Pei
in 1961 as his first project outside of city building design. It has been noted for its Anasazi-inspired architecture and use of bush-hammered concrete to blend in to the surrounding area. The laboratory was named the 1967 Industrial Research Magazine's Laboratory of the Year.
(UCAR) appointed Walter Orr Roberts
as the founding director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research
(NCAR) and designated the Table Mesa below the Flatirons
sandstone cliffs as its laboratory site. After agreeing to preserve the entire 565 acres (2.3 km²) site from development, the state of Colorado purchased the land and turned it over to NCAR for the research laboratory. Pietro Belluschi
, then the dean of architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
advised Roberts on the selection of the architect for the center. Utilizing the deans of architecture at the UCAR constituent universities as an expert committee, they eventually selected I. M. Pei as the project's architect. Until this time, Pei had been known for his work on large-scale urban projects and for his innovative use of concrete in building and lacked a reputation in rural projects or laboratory constructions.
However, from 1962 to 1964 Pei dedicated a significant portion of his time to designing the lab. Through his revisions he moved from a single tall tower concept to a series of three 5 story towers set up in a village-like model. Also, he moved from a single stage construction to an incremental two phase approach that better suited NCAR's National Science Foundation
-imposed budget constraints. Despite the budgetary constraints, Pei managed to incorporate such features as bush-hammering of the concrete finish and crows nests on top of the towers that sought to meet NCAR's goal of a complex structure.
Pei based his design on the Anasazi cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde
. He used techniques such as bush-hammering the concrete, laying out geometric shapes for the buildings, and using a local pinkish aggregate to help the complex blend in with the surrounding Flatirons hills on the Table Mesa. He also laid out the building in a maze-like fashion to encourage greater interaction among the scientists.
In January 1963 the NSF approved Pei's design, modifying it by removing the south tower and conference center to meet the budget constraints. In April 1964 the Martin K. Eby Construction Company broke ground on the lab, with an estimated cost of $23.50 per square foot, well within the limit set of $25. The building was completed in 1966 and dedicated in 1967. Despite problems with leaky roofs and personnel flow, the building was considered a success in the scientific and architectural communities and, , remains the primary NCAR laboratory.
In 1969 Pei designed the complementary Fleischmann Building on the same site to serve as the administrative headquarters of UCAR. The main building was expanded underground in 1977 to make room for the expanded supercomputer studies and in 1980 an above-ground annex provided additional space. In 2008, Pei donated a 68 by 98 inches (2,489.2 mm) model of the Mesa site from the 1960s to the laboratory for a history display.
National Center for Atmospheric Research
The National Center for Atmospheric Research has multiple facilities, including the I. M. Pei-designed Mesa Laboratory headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. NCAR is managed by the nonprofit University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and sponsored by the National Science Foundation...
is a research center
Research center
A research center is a facility or building dedicated to research, commonly with the focus on a specific area. There are over 14,000 research centers in the United States...
located in Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The building complex was designed by modernist architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
I. M. Pei
I. M. Pei
Ieoh Ming Pei , commonly known as I. M. Pei, is a Chinese American architect, often called a master of modern architecture. Born in Canton, China and raised in Hong Kong and Shanghai, Pei drew inspiration at an early age from the gardens at Suzhou...
in 1961 as his first project outside of city building design. It has been noted for its Anasazi-inspired architecture and use of bush-hammered concrete to blend in to the surrounding area. The laboratory was named the 1967 Industrial Research Magazine's Laboratory of the Year.
Design and construction
In 1960 the University Corporation for Atmospheric ResearchUniversity Corporation for Atmospheric Research
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research is a nonprofit consortium of more than 75 universities offering Ph.D.s in the atmospheric and related sciences. UCAR manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research and provides additional services to strengthen and support research and...
(UCAR) appointed Walter Orr Roberts
Walter Orr Roberts
Walter Orr Roberts was an American astronomer and atmospheric physicist. He received his doctorate in astronomy from Harvard University in 1943. He taught online for the Western Behavioral Sciences Institute in the mid-1980s, and also published an online weekly column entitled "Provocations"...
as the founding director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research
National Center for Atmospheric Research
The National Center for Atmospheric Research has multiple facilities, including the I. M. Pei-designed Mesa Laboratory headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. NCAR is managed by the nonprofit University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and sponsored by the National Science Foundation...
(NCAR) and designated the Table Mesa below the Flatirons
Flatirons
The Flatirons are rock formations near Boulder, Colorado consisting of flatirons. There are five large, numbered Flatirons ranging from north to south along the east slope of Green Mountain, and the term "The Flatirons" sometimes refers to these five alone...
sandstone cliffs as its laboratory site. After agreeing to preserve the entire 565 acres (2.3 km²) site from development, the state of Colorado purchased the land and turned it over to NCAR for the research laboratory. Pietro Belluschi
Pietro Belluschi
Pietro Belluschi was an American architect, a leader of the Modern Movement in architecture, and was responsible for the design of over one thousand buildings....
, then the dean of architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
advised Roberts on the selection of the architect for the center. Utilizing the deans of architecture at the UCAR constituent universities as an expert committee, they eventually selected I. M. Pei as the project's architect. Until this time, Pei had been known for his work on large-scale urban projects and for his innovative use of concrete in building and lacked a reputation in rural projects or laboratory constructions.
However, from 1962 to 1964 Pei dedicated a significant portion of his time to designing the lab. Through his revisions he moved from a single tall tower concept to a series of three 5 story towers set up in a village-like model. Also, he moved from a single stage construction to an incremental two phase approach that better suited NCAR's National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
-imposed budget constraints. Despite the budgetary constraints, Pei managed to incorporate such features as bush-hammering of the concrete finish and crows nests on top of the towers that sought to meet NCAR's goal of a complex structure.
Pei based his design on the Anasazi cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is a U.S. National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. It was created in 1906 to protect some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the world...
. He used techniques such as bush-hammering the concrete, laying out geometric shapes for the buildings, and using a local pinkish aggregate to help the complex blend in with the surrounding Flatirons hills on the Table Mesa. He also laid out the building in a maze-like fashion to encourage greater interaction among the scientists.
In January 1963 the NSF approved Pei's design, modifying it by removing the south tower and conference center to meet the budget constraints. In April 1964 the Martin K. Eby Construction Company broke ground on the lab, with an estimated cost of $23.50 per square foot, well within the limit set of $25. The building was completed in 1966 and dedicated in 1967. Despite problems with leaky roofs and personnel flow, the building was considered a success in the scientific and architectural communities and, , remains the primary NCAR laboratory.
In 1969 Pei designed the complementary Fleischmann Building on the same site to serve as the administrative headquarters of UCAR. The main building was expanded underground in 1977 to make room for the expanded supercomputer studies and in 1980 an above-ground annex provided additional space. In 2008, Pei donated a 68 by 98 inches (2,489.2 mm) model of the Mesa site from the 1960s to the laboratory for a history display.