A History of the Architecture of the USDA Forest Service

Research Buildings

When the Forest Service was created in 1905, it was recognized that research was needed to guide the new agency's efforts. European experience, which provided the best example of forestry at the time, was not an adequate basis for American forestry because of the different species, climates, and social and economic conditions prevailing in the United States. At that time, field studies were conducted throughout the United States, but all of the investigators were headquartered in Washington, DC. [1]

A significant change in the research organization occurred in 1908 with the establishment of a system of forest experiment stations. The first station was established at Fort Valley on the Coconino National Forest in Arizona, with similar stations built in Colorado, Idaho, California, Washington, and Utah. [2]

These "stations," however, were rather small and localized—more like what were later called "field centers" or "work centers" or even "experimental forests." In 1915, research in the Forest Service was consolidated within the newly established Branch of Research. The first regional forest experiment stations were the Appalachian and Southern Forest Experiment Stations, which were established in 1921. In 1923, the Lake States and Northeastern Forest Experiment Stations were established, followed in 1924 by the Pacific Northwest Station and in 1925 by the Allegheny, Central States, and Northern Rocky Mountain Stations. The California Station (1926), the Intermountain and Southwestern Stations (1930), and the Rocky Mountain Station (1935) completed coverage of the forested regions of the continental United States.

In 1909, forest products research was centrally located at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. This Forest Products Laboratory building (figure 2-139) was built by the University for the Forest Service and was dedicated in 1910.

Figure 2-139. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin: original building

Early in its history, the Forest Service established experimental forest reserves, areas set aside from normal day-to-day operations to study various ecosystems through scientific controls. The first buildings were similar to those constructed for the forest management buildings, using the same style and materials. When the first stations were created, they were all associated with universities; the buildings were either college buildings on campus or rented facilities just off campus.

In the 1930's, as with administration buildings, there was a boom in construction for research. Many of the scientific research facilities were built by the CCC. Groben's 1938 "Acceptable Plans" book included a research facility (figure 2-140).

Figure 2-140. Office and laboratory, Irons Fork Experimental Forest, Mena, Arkansas, Region 8

In California, three notable complexes of buildings were constructed, as was a unique structure at an experimental forest. The complex of buildings at the Fresno Experimental Range was designed in the regional office to be constructed of adobe blocks. Experts from Mexico were brought in to teach the CCC construction crew how to mix, mold, sun dry, and build with this southwestern construction material. North of Fresno, in Placerville, the Forest Genetics Laboratory was constructed by the CCC (figure 2-141). In southern California, the headquarters of the San Dimas Experimental Forest in Glendora and a lysimeter on the experimental forest were designed in the Regional Office and constructed by the CCC.

Figure 2-141. Office and laboratory, Institute of Forest Genetics, Pacific Southwest (PSW), Placerville, California (1938)

The headquarters building for the Priest River Experimental Forest in Idaho's Panhandle National Forest (figure 2-142) was constructed in the late 1930's. The buildings at this complex have been nominated for the National Register of Historical Buildings. Figures 2-150 and 2-151 on page 162 show examples of other research building styles of the 1930's.

Figure 2-142. Priest River Experimental Forest, Priest River, Idaho (1939)

Between 1931 and 1932, a new laboratory building for the Forest Products Laboratory was designed and constructed on the campus of the University of Wisconsin. The laboratory was designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Holabird and Root. Both Holabird and Root were graduates of the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris and the firm's background included the steel framed Rand Tower and the Palmolive Building, early skyscrapers in the commercial district of Chicago. The firm also designed the Chrysler Building at the 1939 New York World's Fair.

The building (figure 2-143) typifies the American Perpendicular or Modernistic phase of the Art Deco style as it was applied to commercial design. The building is detached, with a U-shaped plan. The frame of the building is steel covered with concrete. The exterior is faced with smoothly dressed white Indiana limestone blocks. The windows are massed in groupings of four: one-over-one, double-hung sashes with flat surrounds. Cypress-wood fins running the height of the vertical faces flank each window and add a decorative and functional detail. The fins shade the glass in the windows during the heat of the day and reduce solar gain. Atop the vertical mass is a set-back "penthouse" housing the building's mechanical systems. The roof is flat, with a plain parapet, and there is no cornice decoration. This building style is unique. The building entrance is from Walnut Street and is called Gifford Pinchot Drive.

Figure 2-143. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin: new building constructed under WPA program (1932)

In the postwar years, the Forest Service set up two Engineering Technology and Development Centers. One was located in Missoula, Montana, and the other in Arcadia, California. At the outset, the main function was development of road building and maintenance equipment. Over the years this was expanded to firefighting, recreation, and building systems and equipment. In the early 1970's, a new center for the California group was constructed just outside the city of San Dimas (figure 2-144).

Figure 2-144. Equipment Development Center, San Dimas, California (1970)

In the early 1960's, Benny DiBenedetto moved from his post as Regional Architect for Region 6 to become Station Architect for the Pacific Northwest Experiment Station. DiBenedetto almost immediately began to design the new laboratory facilities at Bend and Corvalis, Oregon. His work was so unique that it was published in national architectural magazines (figures 2-145 and 2-146). Examples of other design styles of the 1960's through the present can be found on pages 163 through 168.

Figure 2-145. Silviculture Research Laboratory, Bend, Oregon (1963)

Figure 2-146. Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Corvallis, Oregon (1963)

In the mid 1960's, a joint venture by the Southeastern Forest Experiment Station and the Forest Products Laboratory produced several designs for low-cost wood homes. The designers were Harold F. Zornig of Athens, Georgia, and L.O. Anderson of Madison, Wisconsin. The various Regions constructed several of these as prototypes to be used in public service announcements. The estimated cost for construction was about one-half the cost of standard-design tract homes of the time (figures 2-147 through 2-149). The actual construction costs were higher than estimated.

Notes

1. Herbert C. Story, History of Forest Science Research, Development of a National Program, p. 8.

2. Ibid., p. 13.

Figure 2-147. A Hillside Duplex of Wood: This interesting design for a two-family home is intended particularly for sloping sites. It provides a total of 900 square feet in each of the two units, approximately half on each of two floors. The design is based on a pole-frame structure with wood arches that can be built in a simple shop.

Figure 2-148. Tubular Home of Wood: This unusual home offers attractive living space within its curved walls. It is intended for sloping sites in rural areas. This home provides 1,000 square feet of floor area.

Figure 2-149. A Round House of Wood: This unique design provides a three-bedroom home with 1,134 square feet of living area. It is designed for a flat site. A smaller version provides three bedrooms and a total area of 804 square feet.

Gallery of Forest Service Research Buildings

Figure 2-150. Combined office, laboratory, and bachelor's quarters, Roscommon, Michigan (1934)

Figure 2-151. Greenhouse, San Juaquin Ranger PSW, O'Neals, California (1936)

Figure 2-152. Northern Institute of Forest Genetics Reinlander, Wisconsin (1960)

Figure 2-153. Headwaters Forest Research Center, Grand Rapids, Minnesota (1960)

Figure 2-154. Northern Forest Fire Laboratory, Missoula, Montana (1961)

Figure 2-155. Shleterbelt Laboratory, Bottineau, North Dakota (1962)

Figure 2-156. Forest Hydrology Laboratory, Wenatchee, Washington (1963)

Figure 2-157. Laboratory, Durham, North Carolina (1963)

Figure 2-158. Moscow Laboratory, Moscow, Idaho (1963)

Figure 2-159. Silviculture Laboratory, Sewanee, Tennessee (1966)

Figure 2-160. Provo Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Station, Provo, Utah (1969)

Figure 2-161. Redwood Sciences Laboratory, Arcata, California (1971)

Figure 2-162. Corvallis Laboratory, Corvallis, Oregon (1978)

Figure 2-163. Fresno Laboratory, Region 5 (1985)