United States Land Port of Entry
Messena, New York - 2008
First United States Port of Entry to Restore Natural Wetlands and Akwesasne Mohawk Nation Relations
The idea started with the notion to remove an underutilized highway infrastructure that was constructed in the 1950s to give the Akwesasne Native American community back access to their sovereign lands while restoring and expanding the wetlands that existed prior to the traffic circle.
This effort also reduced the amount of gas needed to cross the border and removed large amount of asphalt that disrupted the site's natural ecosystem. The project remediated 4.7 acres of low-quality wetlands and added an additional 9.4 acres of stormwater wetlands with drought-resistant plantings.
Water to Energy
The Port Buildings have a unique relationship to the site. Due to the wetland’s high water table, the Fire Reserve Tank for the Massena Campus could not be buried underground. Instead, the design folded the Tank into the building envelope as a passive heating solution.
By placing the water walls on the southern end of the building, it becomes a heat sink, absorbing energy during the day and radiating it back at night. The result is a symbiotic relationship between tank and building that lowers the overall life-cycle energy consumption and base construction cost.
