Painted Desert Community Complex Undergoes Net-Zero Historic Rehabilitation

Painted Desert Community Complex Rehabilitation Featured in BD+C Network

The Painted Desert Community Complex headquarters and visitor center for Petrified Forest National Park is undergoing a comprehensive rehabilitation that restores and strengthens one of the National Park Service’s most significant modernist landmarks. Designed in 1965 by Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander, the National Historic Landmark is being carefully rehabilitated to address long‑standing structural, code, and accessibility issues while restoring key historic features and preserving Neutra’s original vision.

Led by Hennebery Eddy Architects in partnership with the National Park Service, the $38 million project balances historic preservation with ambitious sustainability goals. The revitalized complex is designed to operate as a net‑zero energy facility, with new photovoltaic panels, all‑electric systems, heat pumps in housing blocks, and a VRF system serving the visitor center and administration building. Passive design strategies such as rehabilitated cantilevered roofs, canopies, and south‑facing masonry walls help reduce heat gain while protecting extensive glazing.

The current phase of work includes rehabilitation of five buildings and the central plaza, along with foundation stabilization, enclosure improvements, mechanical and electrical upgrades, and enhancements to visitor amenities that promote water conservation and long‑term operational efficiency. All work adheres to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings.

Read the full article on BD+C Network to learn more about the design approach, restoration strategies, and sustainability goals for this landmark project.