Houston's New "Green" FBI Building

[citykid09]

I have been seeing this building for years now, and I always thought it was an abandon building that never completed construction. I wonder what took so long? Here is a link: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/091104_fbi_robert_mueller

[Highway6]

I wonder what took so long?

Reason 1. Security. The amount of security issues involved both in designing the building, but also in construction greatly stretches the timeline.

Reason 2. Government Building = Government bureaucracy. I've had design clients in both the public and private sectors and the design process for public entities generally always take longer.

I'm a little surprised they are making a big deal out of the opening and giving it media exposure. I know times have changed with google maps, but most people probably didn't know where the FBI's old offices were in their large unmarked building and security-wise, the FBI probably like it that way.

[JLWM8609]

I'm a little surprised they are making a big deal out of the opening and giving it media exposure.

That's because the real FBI building is located 10 stories underneath Katy Mills. The one on 290 is just a decoy, everybody knows that!

[infinite_jim]

I really like the tectonic expression of the green to white exterior blast panels. My issues are with the bldg site positioning (although I admit to not knowing the site's PL's) and the water retention. Hopefully they built a solid 100 year building here.

[Highway6]

My issues are with the bldg site positioning (although I admit to not knowing the site's PL's)

The building's orientation only seems weird juxtaposed against diagonal running 290. The building actually is oriented lengthwise along an E-W axis which is optimal for passive solar control.