Surface 678 provided site design for the 244,000 square foot downtown Durham County Human Services Complex that houses the new Department of Public Health and Social Services. Surface 678 collaborated with The Freelon Group on the new Department of Public Health and Social Services. Registered as a LEED Gold certification project, the complex is the largest such project in North Carolina.
The design features a bluestone and granite paved interior courtyard that serves as a large employee gathering space. The courtyard is closed off from the street by a series of glass doors to increase security while at the same time preserving the relationship between the interior and exterior. LEED features include a 50% reduction in potable water through efficient irrigation design, 50,000 gallon cistern, native and urban tolerant plants, and stormwater features. Special soil mix in the streetscape design allows increased root growth for larger and healthier trees at the site perimeter.
