New Buffalo Township Hall-New Buffalo Township, Michigan

The New Buffalo Township Hall renovation project commenced several years before construction or design work took place. Early in the design process Wightman was commissioned to conduct a building and facility report for the existing Township Hall and Fire Station facility. The growing township had three choices in expanding their facilities to serve their residents. The first was to abandon the existing building and move to an adjacent office property. The second was to demolish the existing facility and build new. The third option was to relocate the fire department and renovate the entire facility for the township hall offices. Many factors were investigated for the building and site evaluation. A cursory building program was developed to determine spatial requirements and adjacencies to determine the optimum size for the township hall spaces. 

The central tower reflects the coastal character of the region. Local artists designed and created the signature glass sculpture “Ascension” to represent varying shades of blue bubbles within the tower’s interior, which reflect sunshine in the daylight and are visible to the passersby at night. Special consideration was taken when considering the selection of interior finishes, to provide a cohesive coastal feel throughout. Tones of cool blues with the mix of neutral and warm wood tones provide a calm environment. The flooring in the main meeting space slowly morphs from a tan carpet tile to dark blue to represent both beach and water.