Nestled in the rolling landscape of the Flint Hills, the Youngmeyer Field Station provides a haven for Wichita State University bioscience students and faculty. The new 3,400 SF facility promotes continual research of the area’s wildlife and terrain. With a retreat center feel, the field station boasts a meeting space, lab, and office as well as living quarters with a kitchen and three bunk rooms. With fully functioning facilities, students and faculty can stay near their research, giving way for more intentional use of their time.

Driven by the goal to be ecologically conscience, PEC engineers dug deep to ensure their design left a positive footprint in this regional treasure. One of the biggest factors in the design was the desire to have the building be 100% off-grid. Solar panels are the main source of power with a generator available as a backup. Keeping the solar panels discreet was also a concern. The best solution to respect the surrounding environment was to design the solar panels to be installed on the roof with the pitch of the roof being a clean line aesthetic.

Along with electrical, PEC also provided mechanical and structural design. Working with one of PEC’s longtime partners, Hutton Builds, required excellent communication on such an eco-forward project. While sustainability was a major goal, an equally important one was designing a solid and secure structure while maintaining the beautiful visual landscape of the Flint Hills. The building is partially embedded in the surrounding land consistent with the architect’s vision to minimally impact the area. This required adjustments to what is normally used in a structural design. The most distinctive visual aspect is the roofline of the field station. Intended to look as if blended in with the horizon, PEC engineers created structural solutions for the unique design.

The Youngmeyer Field Station design and build recently won the Honor Architectural Project, which is the highest design award by AIA Kansas in the 2023 Excellence in Design Awards.

SERVICES
Electrical
Mechanical
Structural

PROJECT SIZE
3,400 SF

COMPLETION DATE
2022