Citizenship & Immigration Services Building, Irving, Texas
From Archiplanet
 | Citizenship & Immigration Services Building |
| Designer | 4240 Architecture Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Location | Irving, Texas, USA |
| Date | April 12, 2007 |
| Building Type | Government Building |
| Architectural Style | Modern |
| Builder | JDL Castle Corporation of Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
| Street Address | |
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| Building Details | |
| Area | 50,000 sf |
| Stories | 2 |
| Site | Irving, TX within a developing office district (between Highway 114 and Campus Circle Drive along Long Horn Drive) |
| Awards | {{{building_awards}}} |
According to Robert Benson, 4240 Architecture’s Chicago Studio design director, “The Irving facility has the stature of a United States Government building. At the same time, it is approachable and not imposing to immigrants seeking assistance and citizenship status.” Benson, lead designer on this project, was selected this year for the Building Design + Construction’s international list of “40 under 40” rising stars.
Besides improving the USCIS’s ability to provide full-service immigration and benefits services, the Irving building has been designed to celebrate the experience of becoming an American Citizen. Simultaneously approachable and dramatic, the architecture will stand as a beacon along Highway 114.
Supergraphics on the façade will be a key feature of the new facility. Clearly legible from the nearby highway, they project the resonant opening words of the Oath of Citizenship: “I will support and defend the Constitution and the Laws of the United States.”
The location and L-shape layout of the field office will enable USCIS to improve its level of service and make a “great work environment” for what the agency calls “our customers” as well as its employees, Benson explains. A full-service office, it meets USCIS’s goal of transforming its field and district offices into community-based processing facilities that offer comprehensive resources.
The focal point of the building is the Ceremony Room, a light-filled, double-height glass space that is visible from adjacent Highway 114. The rest of the building has candidate interview rooms and administrative offices for 140 employees.
The four-foot-high supergraphic lettering that wraps the Ceremony Room creates a billboard of sorts for the most essential words in the naturalization ceremony. When the words are viewed up close, it becomes apparent that each letter is formed from a cutout reproduced from the actual U.S. Constitution. As the sun passes overhead, the oath is also reflected onto the floor of the Ceremony Room. USCIS plans to adopt this feature in its future buildings.
The new facility, whose design is consistent with federal sustainability policies, is a candidate for silver LEED™ status. Energy-efficient features of the building include architectural overhangs and sun shades to provide protection from the Texas sun. A pergola with sun-shading louvers protects the Ceremony Room and public lobby. Many materials, including brick, will come from local manufacturers. Building systems and fixtures will conserve energy and natural resources.
Exterior:
The CIS Building has a distinctly modern appearance derived from the context of the site and the specific program components and the nature of CIS. The exterior of the office maintains a professional, yet inviting image that is meant to welcome someone on their way to citizenship much like a retail store welcomes a customer into its store. Brick and glass are used throughout. The masonry speaks of the stature and permanence of this government office. The brick of the building’s facades speaks to the craft and labor of many Americans and immigrants that have worked to build this country and have made it what it is today. The brick is a common material that has been used to build simple, workers cottages to highly symbolic civic buildings. Its human scale presents a welcoming touch as one enters the building. The glass speaks to the openness of the CIS in helping those seeking Citizenship. These two materials represent the new and the old and how America embraces the past while striving toward the future in the same way that immigrants have helped to build this country in the past and will continue to do so in the future. A significant amount of glass is used to convey a sense of openness and transparency to this office’s intent of helping people become citizens. Additionally, the intent is to brighten the office space with natural daylight and create a pleasant work environment that will promote efficiency.
Interior:
The building’s floor plan responds to the program in a simple and efficient manner. The 30’-0” structural bay, 5’-0” planning module and compact core create a functional building which is easy to space plan, flexible and will allow future changes without difficulty. A stairway and an elevator are located each end of the building which adds to the efficiency of the building. All finishes, fixtures and equipment throughout the building will meet the requirements of the SFO.
Maps
References
External Links
DHS CIS Building at 4240architecture.com
