SmithGroup's photovoltaic-clad Academic Building One opens at Virginia Tech

SmithGroup has completed Academic Building One, the first phase of Virginia Tech's all-electric Northern Virginia Campus in Alexandria, on the Potomac River. The building's pyramidal massing was optimized using an in-house computational tool that iterated 1,400 envelope options to maximize solar yield while meeting zoning restrictions that prevented rooftop photovoltaics. The facade integrates photovoltaic glass with terra-cotta and aluminum fins, spaced for passive shading. Three facet types respond to solar orientation: south faces use horizontal PV panels with aluminum fins; east and west facades have deeper terra-cotta fins for shading; north faces pair terra-cotta fins with various glass types. The design is heliomorphic, shaped by the sun's path. Maintenance features include concealed davits, a perimeter catwalk, and heat-trace systems for snow and ice. The warm terra-cotta fins soften the geometry, which resembles an abstracted sundial. Key team members include Sven Shockey (national design director), Ryan Asava (principal and building technology specialist), and Patty Boyle (director of architecture).