Structure Type: Courtyard canopy
Project Scope: Design Build
Project Size: 5,723 SQFT
Material: ETFE
Location: Eugene, OR
Completion Date: Fall 2020
Owner: University of Oregon
General Contractor: Hoffman Construction Company
Architect: Bora | Ennead
Engineer: ETS
Photo credits: Trevor Jones
Phil and Penny Knight’s philanthropy is extensive, especially on the campus of the University of Oregon. The Knight building on the campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact is another example. The ETFE canopy proved to be a cost-effective alternative to the original glass canopy design. The ETFE clad canopy provides weather protection at a reduced cost due to the light mass ETFE film and the significant reduction in steel tonnage versus the much higher dead weight of an equivalent glass canopy. The ETS delegated design team, provided the optimized steel strategy that delivers a sustainable solution with less cumbersome steel. Installation by the ETS team was also more cost effective. The lighter mass steel and ETFE solution reduced installation time by over 20%.