The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Agriculture & Natural Resources Building
Project data
- Location Knoxville, Tennessee
- Size 180,960 SF
- Services Acoustics, Audio-visual, Communications, MEP/F, Security
- Client BarberMcMurry architects
- Associate Architect Lord Aeck Sargent
About this project
The Agriculture & Natural Resources Building (ANRB) is a multifunctional facility designed to facilitate education, research, and public service in agriculture and natural resources. It serves as the central facility for the UT Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR), housing departments such as Biosystems Engineering, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Plant Sciences, and Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries.
The ANRB features state-of-the-art laboratories, classrooms, offices, and community spaces aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation among students, faculty, and visitors. Specialized facilities include interdisciplinary labs, teaching labs, lecture halls, and a 500-seat auditorium adaptable for various uses. Additionally, the building incorporates social interaction areas, study rooms, and an auditorium supporting both academic activities and informal gatherings.
The ANRB is equipped with a green rooftop designed to manage stormwater runoff and offer additional research opportunities. Spanning 10,000 square feet, the rooftop includes spaces for informal and group learning, gardens for plant sciences study, and storage for gardening tools. Moreover, the rooftop’s three light monitors enhance natural daylighting into the two-story atrium that spans the ANRB, aligning with UT’s masterplan to enhance student and faculty wellbeing through daylighting, strategic window placement, landscape design, and opportunities for interaction with nature.
Adjacent to the ANRB, the Third Creek Building supplements UTIA’s research capabilities with office and laboratory space, accommodating graduate research assistants and faculty offices. Originally intended as temporary space, Third Creek has become a permanent asset within the university’s infrastructure.
Together, the ANRB and Third Creek Building create a comprehensive environment supporting UTIA’s mission in agriculture and natural resources research, education, and community engagement.