Joint Force Headquarters

The Nebraska Military Department completed a highly-acclaimed 140,000 s.f. office building to serve as the strategic headquarters for the Nebraska Army and Air National Guard units.  The facility also includes a new state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Command Center for Nebraska Emergency Management.

Sinclair Hille Architects was the lead design firm for the $24M facility, which is receiving high praise from Nebraska’s political and military leadership. The high-performance building design qualifies for LEED Silver status in the New Construction category. It includes many innovative daylighting features that enhance office working morale and achieve energy efficiency goals.

The building is organized around a large multi-story assembly atrium with offices adjoining the north and south sides of the atrium. The offices are filled with both direct and indirect daylight using a combination of lighting techniques. These include a large interior light shelf in the ceiling that indirectly reflects daylight into interior offices flanking the space. Direct lighting is also featured with bands of upper clerestory windows, which are protected on the exterior by solar shade metal awnings.

Long-term construction materials were used in the building including colored pre-cast concrete, cast-in-place concrete, exterior metal panels, and interior wood acoustical panel systems. Physical security measures were incorporated into the design to maximize the stand-off distance from roads, parking areas, and vehicle unloading areas. By incorporating natural landscaping berms, retaining walls and bollards, additional security concerns were also addressed. Outside supporting facilities include military and privately-owned vehicle parking, access roads, sidewalks, and site lighting.