The Archaearium Building

The 7,500-square-foot Nathalie P. & Alan M. Voorhees Archaearium opened in 2006. The building overlooks the site of the original Jamestown settlement and rests on a series of pilings carefully sited to preserve the 17th-century architectural features of Jamestown’s Statehouse, which are visible through glass portals in the floor. The museum is clad in copper, enhancing the structure’s energy efficiency and acknowledging the importance of copper in trade between the Virginia Indians and early settlers. The building design allows it to withstand high winds and possible rises in water levels in this hurricane-prone region. The Archaearium’s design also incorporates many “green building” technologies including geothermal heating and cooling, reflective thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roof technology, low-water-flow appliances, a high-performance building envelope, and the use of natural lighting.

Building Design: Carlton Abbott & Partners, Williamsburg, VA
Construction: Daniel & Co., Inc., Richmond, VA.
Exhibit design: Haley Sharpe Design, Ltd., Leicester, England
Exhibit fabrication: Color-Ad, Inc., Manassas, VA
Award: Virginia Society of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Award for Excellence in Architecture, 2006
Content: Preservation Virginia’s Jamestown Rediscovery Project