Sandia National Laboratories, in conjunction with the Department of Energy is building an ambitious science application's campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico - MESA. MESA includes 3 new buildings, and 4 existing buildings in a campus setting intended to stimulate scientific thinking. Sites Southwest provided the campus planning and design which included streetscapes, parking areas with an entry promenade, a 150' security buffer/open space, and an internal campus. This $130,000,000.00 project is intended to attract the nation's best minds and be visited by international dignitaries. Landscape concepts included a central campus, which included walkways, seating areas, an amphitheater and shade structures. The design used sustainable approaches, which included use of recycled water, water harvesting, and use of native and endemic plant species. The MESA MicroLab has achieved a LEED Silver rating.
