Trees Atlanta, founded in 1985 to protect and improve Atlanta's urban forest, recently expanded its mission and organization, necessitating a new, larger headquarters. In 2019, the organization purchased a 3-acre brownfield site in Southwest Atlanta along the BeltLine Westside Trail. Lord Aeck Sargent led the masterplanning and design of the new 22,000-square-foot facility, which includes two buildings integrated with regenerated ecological habitats like wet/dry meadows, wetlands, and native tree trails. The sustainable design features water reclamation and reuse, with rainwater managed through pervious pavers, bioretention cells, and cisterns for irrigation. Completed in 2023, the facility transformed a century-old industrial site into a celebration of Georgia trees while embodying Trees Atlanta's mission of environmental education and advocacy.
Atlanta, GA
Targeting Living Building Core and Energy Petals
23,000 sf
Office, Workplace
ULI Atlanta
Excellence in Mission Advancement
The working landscape at Trees Atlanta's new headquarters features regenerated ecological habitats, including wet/dry meadows, wetlands, and native tree trails, designed to support the organization's mission of environmental education, conservation, and community engagement.
Photo: Lord Aeck Sargent
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
The new facility accommodates Trees Atlanta's growth while also providing space for three other environmental nonprofits: The Conservation Fund, Birds Georgia, and The Nature Conservancy in Georgia, all of which align with Trees Atlanta's mission of environmental education, advocacy, and action.
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
The LAS staff had a great time volunteering to plant the greenspace of the new headquarters, assisting with planting trees and shrubs and installing wet meadows and bioswales.
Photo: Lord Aeck Sargent