Buchart Horn Architects Receive 2018 USGBC Rise to the Challenge Award

Buchart Horn Architects is thrilled to receive the 2018 Rise to the Challenge Award from the US Green Building Council Central Pennsylvania for the Hildreth-Mirza Humanities Center at Bucknell University. BHA’s Chris Urban accepted the award and spoke to the project at USGBC Central PA’s Forever Green event held at the Civic Club of Harrisburg on Friday, November 1, 2018.

Now the Hildreth-Mirza Humanities Center, Bucknell University purchased the building formerly known at the Demosthenean Hall home to Delta Upsilon Fraternity in 2005 and utilized it as a residence hall for more than 10 years until the decision was made the create an inviting facility for humanities students and faculty that promotes humanists collaboration and research.

The LEED-silver facility boasts a green roof, a living wall, Shakespearean Garden, and energy-efficient façade and system upgrades. The project consisted of an addition on the north side to provide an accessibility entrance, an elevator to service all the floors, and a great room as well as renovations to the existing building. The building is part of an historic quadrangle and is surrounded by old growth trees which had to be protected.

Now that the renovations are complete the building is home to the Bucknell Humanities Center, The Griot Institute for Africana Studies, and the Bucknell University Press. The building is intended for the use of all students, faculty and staff members engaged in humanistic work of any sort.