Mayo Clinic Kellen Building & OC San Headquarters Win 2025 Metropolis Planet Positive Awards
Metropolis has awarded two HDR-designed projects with wins in its 2025 Planet Positive Awards, a program that recognizes excellence in sustainable, healthy and just design at every scale in the built environment.
Mayo Clinic Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Building in Rochester, Minnesota, is the winner in the healthcare category, and the Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters in Fountain Valley, California, is the winner in the civic category. Both projects deliver reimagined workplace experiences that enhance collaboration for multidisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, researchers and technical professionals, and feature integrated sustainability strategies that improve occupant wellbeing and reduce energy use and embodied carbon by design.
Designed as a high-performance, future-ready biomedical facility, it anchors a dynamic ecosystem of life sciences, technology, and entrepreneurship … A risk-zoned floorplate organizes wet, damp, and dry labs for optimized safety and energy efficiency, while a distinctive parametric metal scrim — drawn from Mayo’s three-shield logo — modulates daylight, reduces glare, and enhances performance. Inside, natural materials, unassigned workstations, and integrated technology cultivate a flexible, equitable, and wellness-focused research environment ….
Read more about the project on Metropolis: Mayo Clinic Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Building - Metropolis.
Biogas from sewage treatment provides 60% of the building’s energy needs, while photovoltaics generate 104%, delivering net-zero operational energy. A high-performance envelope … withstands the site’s high-pollution, high-salt conditions, while optimized orientation, shading, and efficient systems reduce solar heat gain loads and enhance comfort. The building promotes occupant well-being with views of nature and daylight reaching 97.5% of occupied spaces.
Read more about the project on Metropolis: Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters - Metropolis.
