Showcase 7 - Gresham, Smith and Partners

SHOWCASE

Gresham, Smith and Partners provides design and consulting solutions for the built environment that contribute to the success of national and international clients. For more than 45 years, GS&P has focused on enhancing quality of life and sustainability within our communities. GS&P consists of industry-leading professionals practicing architecture and engineering design as well as scientists and highly specialized strategic and management consultants in Aviation, Corporate and Urban Design, Environmental Services, Federal, Healthcare, Industrial, Land Planning, Transportation and Water Resources. GS&P consistently ranks among the top architecture and engineering firms in the world.

SHOWCASE7

CONTENTS 9

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Jim W. Henderson Administration and Welcome Center

23 37 49 61 71 83 91 103 113

Jackson National Life Insurance Company - The Zone

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts

T.F. Green Airport - Deicer Management System

CityPlace - A Rawlings Foundation Project

Shanghai Pudong International Airport South Satellite Concourse Design Competition

TDOT - I-440 Bridge Maintenance and Preservation

Dunn Building Company - Corporate Headquarters

Charter Communications - Retail Store Prototype

Tennessee Oncology Clinic at Saint Thomas West Hospital

GDOT - I-20 at Washington Road Lighting

123 133 143

Rashid Hospital Medical Center Campus Master Plan

Schwan Cosmetics USA Corporate Headquarters and Flagship Production/R&D Facility

Tampa International Airport Main Terminal Interior Modernization

155 171 179 189 203

TDOT - Expedited Project Delivery

University of North Florida - Interfaith Chapel

Morton Plant Hospital - Patient Tower

REVIVE Birmingham - Third Avenue North Revitalization

SHOWCASE7

EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY JIM W. HENDERSON ADMINISTRATION AND WELCOME CENTER

mbry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) has been a leader in aviation education for close to 50 years. Today, ERAU is the oldest, largest and most respected aviation school in the world, with nearly 32,000 full-time students enrolled worldwide. More than 5,100 of those students are served by the university’s flagship campus in Daytona Beach, Florida, which encompasses 185 acres adjacent to the Daytona Beach International Airport.

In 2011, GS&P won an invitationonly competition to design a building that would house both staff offices and a student welcome center on the former site of Spruance Hall, an administrative building devastated by the Christmas Day tornado of 2006.

ERAU wanted the new facility to better reflect the school’s leading status in aviation and aerospace education, and to serve as a striking introduction to their main campus.

“The project started out some time ago as a 12,000-square-foot student welcome center, but the university

president wanted to combine the welcome center with the new administration building,” says GS&P senior vice president and project manager Leith Oatman. “The client’s vision was to create a space that would not only serve multiple functions, but also make a dramatic and memorable impression on prospective students, alumni and donors.”

Slated to stand prominently at the primary entrance to the campus, the new 30,000-square-foot facility—to be named the Jim W. Henderson Administration and Welcome Center—would serve as ERAU’s worldwide headquarters, and house the university’s development and administration staff, as well as conference space, a welcome center and an exhibition hall.

“Because of its prominent location, we knew this facility would come to mind whenever one thought of Embry-Riddle,” says Oatman. “So we set out to design an iconic building that would become the university’s defining image.”

1. Atrium 2. Development Offices 3. Boardroom 4. Assembly 5. Kitchen

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FIRST FLOOR

The north side of the first floor accommodates meeting and exhibition functions for large and small assemblies. The meeting room can be subdivided into four separate, flexible classrooms.

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4 1. Conference Room 2. Administrative Offices 3. Open to Below 4. Terrace 5. Special Dining Room 6. Lounge 7. President’s Office

SECOND FLOOR

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2 The second floor open walkway outside of administration has open visibility of the entire atrium and adjoining meeting rooms. This provides university leadership with a visual connection to all activities being conducted in the facility.

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E mbry-R iddle A eronautical Universit y - Jim W. Henderson Administration and Welcome Center

2

history of flight, and its axis runs right to the entry door of the facility.

Rather than have the Legacy Walk stop outside the entrance, we allowed it to extend visually into the building.

The open space in the atrium is the terminating nodal point while the visual axis is preserved.”

Despite the visual simplicity of GS&P’s design, the team faced a number of structural complexities during the project’s execution phase.

“We had multiple building forms connected to the glass curtain wall system, which is a fragile component,” explains Kolb. “We also knew there would be differential movement between parts, which required a lot of analysis and consideration to resolve.

Some of that resolution meant more traditional or conservative systems to ensure we stayed within the budget.”

GS&P creatively incorporated aeronautical references in both the exterior and interior designs. On the outside, the roof plane was sculpted and arced into a derivative of an airplane wing. On the inside, the white terrazzo floor integrated a pattern that reflected computational fluid dynamics used in engineering.

“We sought something that wasn’t necessarily a duplication of a logo or seal, but more related to what the

school does,” says Kolb. “They are leading researchers on ramjet propulsion, for example. So we looked at a series of designs and ended up with a symbol—a vortex representative of different fluid dynamics. Because we kept the design simple, the result was elegant and uncomplicated; an unexpected delight.”

Around the outside of the structure, water basins on the east and west sides reflect morning and afternoon sunlight, which animates the building forms. The landscape design evolved to align with client preferences, including a palette of date palms, magnolias and flowering rose bushes.

Prior to the construction of the new administration and welcome center, ERAU had completed a number of new buildings at its Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses, and wished to continue that contemporary design vocabulary with the new facility.

“The university wanted to advance its goal to present a campus that communicated a progressive institution,” says Oatman. “And this iconic signature building at the entrance to the campus achieves just that.”

Different points along the walk commemorate the history of flight, and its axis runs right to the entry door of the facility.

Rather than have the Legacy Walk stop outside the entrance, we allowed it to extend visually into the building.

JIM KOLB, Design Principal The Legacy Walk is a wide promenade that runs through the heart of campus to ERAU’s flight line at Daytona Beach International Airport.

E mbry-R iddle A eronautical Universit y - Jim W. Henderson Administration and Welcome Center

For ERAU’s signature building, GS&P applied sweeping curves, foils and expansive spaces to capture the spirit of flying. The construction features timeless, durable materials both inside and out, including poured-in-place concrete, exposed form ties, white metal panels and reflective glass.

“The client clearly wanted a statement piece of architecture at the entryway that established a progressive feel for the campus,” says Oatman.

The building provides unique views to various populations—prospects, visitors, current students and staff—depending on the angle of approach, all while maintaining a consistent sensory experience. The east facade presents the signature view from Clyde Morris Boulevard into the university’s main entrance.

The west elevation welcomes students and other pedestrians coming up the Legacy Walk—a wide promenade that runs through the heart of campus to ERAU’s flight line at Daytona Beach International Airport.

“Embry-Riddle has been developing the Legacy Walk for a while now,” says senior architect and design principal Jim Kolb. “Different points along the walk commemorate the

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A CONTEMPORARY VERNACULAR

1

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The university wanted to advance its goal to present a campus that communicated a progressive institution... this iconic signature building at the entrance to the campus achieves just that.

LEITH OATMAN, Project Manager

1. The various entries serve students, prospective students, visitors and administrative staff, but the sensory experience is similar for all. The east elevation has a dramatic presence on the main street.

2. The use of concrete, white metal panels and reflective glass portray a contemporary design. Durable materials require minimum upkeep.

3. The building incorporates the sustainable design elements of daylighting, high efficiency mechanical and lighting systems, stormwater management, water conservation, low-VOC/recycled materials, and a construction process that reduced and recycled construction waste.

SHOWCASE 7

FORM AND FUNCTION

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While the client’s proposed floor plan estimated the required components for the building, it lacked a deeper grasp of proper spatial dynamics. However, this presented the design team with the perfect opportunity to draw upon years of combined experience when it came to architectural space programming.

“We received a suggested floor plan as part of a package from the facilities group which encompassed the square footage for the different functions that ERAU wanted to include,” says Oatman. “We developed the program for the building using that floor plan, and applied our extensive experience and understanding of how office space best functions in terms of the shape, size and adjacencies of the program requirements.”

The south side of the building houses the university’s administrative offices. On the first floor are the offices for development staff, and a boardroom for board members, donors and visiting dignitaries.

Administrative staff offices and the presidential suite are situated on the second floor. The layout allows school leaders to travel to and from offices without directly traversing the public gathering area. The university president has a private elevator that allows direct access to and from the boardroom on the first floor to further ensure privacy.

The north side of the building features a multipurpose room that can accommodate large assemblies or formal events as well as small meetings or classes. The space comfortably seats up to 265 people, and when the operable wall between the meeting space and the atrium rolls away, the extended area can accommodate up to 500 guests.

“A number of formal events have already taken place in the new space,

A monumental stair connects the two-story administration portion and becomes a sculptural form within the space. The extended atrium can accommodate up to 500 guests.

A number of formal events have already taken place in the new space, including an annual military ball... the beauty of the room well accommodates the clarity of design, which provides an elegant setting for these events.

LEITH OATMAN, Project Manager

including an annual military ball,” says Oatman. “The school previously rented hotel ballrooms for such occasions, but the beauty of the room well accommodates the clarity of design, which provides an elegant setting for these events.”

Between the two sections of the building is the atrium—an expansive, glazed structure with an open vista from east to west that creates an atmosphere of open air while being protected from Florida’s harsh temperatures. Since the facility’s opening, the atrium has provided a central meeting point for a variety of student gatherings and other campus events.

“Naturally, the building would have included a lobby, but we created a space that was resultant from other areas,” says Kolb. “Rather than contriving a space, the atrium evolved from the rest of the architecture.

The result is an area that’s better integrated into the overall design.”

Although LEED certification wasn’t required for the project, the design team sought the most sustainable

approaches for the building, including an open atrium that’s well-lit by natural light during the day. Terraces that manage solar gain at the west and east ends of the administrative wing (while providing outdoor access for staff), were yet another energyefficient feature.

“We used solar sunscreens on the south and west facades to shade the large expanses of glazing and thus reduce energy usage,” says Oatman.

“On the inside of the building we used materials high in recycled content like the terrazzo flooring. We continually sought out design solutions that lent themselves to sustainability.”

The building also features highefficiency mechanical and lighting systems, water conservation and stormwater management, and a construction process that reduced and recycled construction waste.

...the result was elegant and uncomplicated; an unexpected delight.

JIM KOLB, Design Principal

Dramatic yet elegant, GS&P’s signature architectural design of the Jim W. Henderson Administration and Welcome Center has been hailed by the school, the local community and even industry peers, with GS&P garnering the Award of Excellence for the project at AIA Jacksonville’s Design Awards Gala.

“We have received accolades in spades from our peers in the architectural community,” says Oatman.

“And I’ve heard visitors remark on the beauty and simplicity of the design.

Like a museum, it’s breathtaking—an art form that moves you. The building is consistently highlighted by ERAU as their go-to architectural statement for the campus, and university leadership is extremely proud to bring alumni donors to and from the building.”

The new facility is part of a fiveyear, multimillion-dollar capital improvement plan that includes a number of new campus buildings.

As ERAU carries out its master plan, the new administration and welcome center will set the tone for the school’s brand moving forward.

“A university campus is an everevolving system, but typically has legacy buildings that stand the test of time,” says Kolb. “This building, with its simplicity and drama, will be an ideal gateway into the future for the campus.”▪

This building, with its simplicity and drama, will be an ideal gateway into the future for the campus.

JIM KOLB, Design Principal

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

SIZE

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

30,000 Square Feet

LOCATION

TEAM

Daytona Beach, Florida

PIC Joseph F. Thompson, AIA, LEED AP PM Leith A. Oatman, LEED AP

MARKET

Corporate + Urban Design

SERVICES

Architecture Interior Design

PP Brian J. Schulz, AIA, LEED AP PD James R. Kolb, AIA, LEED AP PC, PD Michael L. Compton, AIA, EDAC, LEED AP BD+C PC Ray A. York, Jr. ID Sarah A. Rink, IIDA

Carolyn Fleetwood Blake, IIDA, LEED AP Joseph C. Bucci, AIA, NCARB Matthew Flores Woudly Homicil Karen L. Lauther LouAnn Skinner

ATTRACTING and RETAINING J AC KSON N ATI ON AL L I FE I N S UR AN C E C OMPAN Y

SHOWCASE 7 25

y employing college students on a part-time basis, Jackson National Life Insurance Company—one of the largest sellers of annuities in the U.S.—identifies and begins training its future associates. Spurred by overcrowding at its Lansing, Michigan, headquarters, as well as the opportunity to increase recruitment efforts, Jackson leased a 33,000-square-foot, two-story building adjacent to Michigan State University (MSU) to house its new workspace for the highly sought-after millennial generation.

Dubbed “The Zone,” the new office space—a former Barnes & Noble location—would provide students with a unique place to gain real-life work experience and direct access to employment after graduation.

As their long-time consultant, Jackson enlisted GS&P to provide interior design, graphic design and programming services, as well as facilitate focus group studies with students. The overarching goal was the creation of a new development center that would not only help the firm attract and retain top talent from MSU, but also increase its public outreach by providing a home base for the Jackson National Community Fund (JNCF), offering students, community members and Jackson associates opportunities to volunteer.

“Jackson identified the vacated Barnes & Noble bookstore space for their new development center for its opportunity to be a before- and after-class hub of student activity just a block away from MSU,” explains Jack Weber, senior interior designer and principal-in-charge on the project. “They wanted a property with extremely close proximity to the campus, and its downtown location is ideal because it’s right across the street from the main part of campus, along with student centers and housing.

“One of the unique aspects of this project was the business-driver attraction and retention component. Jackson is a big player in Lansing, and their market share has to grow within Lansing in terms of the number of people

they’re able to recruit to the firm, so they have to be very creative in how they draw and keep talent.”

Encompassing a complete interior renovation of the two-story building, GS&P’s modern makeover would include: replacing two escalators with a feature stair; a hip and flexible common area for students; a break area; bike storage; a work area and space for the JNCF on the building’s main level; and an open workspace with enclaves, training rooms and support spaces on the lower level.

“The old bookstore space was dark, dingy and outdated,” says Weber, “so one of our biggest challenges was to make it far more inviting despite the limited amount of natural light. We were also charged with generating the design and construction documentation within an incredibly tight time frame so the space would be ready for the students by the fall semester, and that presented yet another formidable challenge.”

After: The Zone faces the main part of Michigan State University’s campus, making it an ideal location.

Before: Barnes & Noble was dark, dingy and outdated.

The challenge was to make the space more inviting despite the limited amount of daylight.

SHOWCASE 7

BIKE STORAGE

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WORK ZONE

“HANG SPACE”

FI R S T FLOOR TRAINING ROOM

BREAK AREA COLLABORATIVE AREA

BLEACHER STAIRS

ENCLAVES

G R OUN D FLOOR

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FROM A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE After carefully determining Jackson’s functional needs for space, GS&P began to explore design and function from the students’ point of view. This involved leading a student-centered focus group through a process of discovery that revealed what students considered important for both image and functionality. This distillation of information also allowed the design team to glean the importance of issues such as access to information, social gathering, bike storage, privacy and comfort.

From there, GS&P’s next task was to quickly begin conceptualizing the layout and locations for primary work zones, training, break areas and collaborative and utility spaces, as well as an area that would officially be called the “hang space.”

“The Zone was all about the students, and we wanted to support what was the most comfortable to them,” says

Weber. “We interviewed potential students, as well as students who were already working for Jackson at their headquarters, and asked them what they’d most like to see, do or have access to. One of the significant findings to come out of the work session was that they needed an area where they could simply hang out—a place where they could eat, do their homework or whatever they wanted to. It had to support a variety of activities and at the same time be hip, comfortable and inspirational.”

Offering a variety of seating areas, mobile booths and table spaces—along with a kitchen area that gives students a place to study or simply socialize—the hang space is located on the building’s main floor at street level, providing prime storefront visibility.

Jackson N ational Life Insurance Compan y - T he Zone

During the process of discovery, a student focus group revealed what they considered important for the image and functionality of the space.

It’s not a typical space for anything. It’s not retail. It’s not office.

It’s not somebody’s living room. It’s everything that other spaces are not.

JACK WEBER, Senior Interior Designer

30 Jackson N ational Life Insurance Compan y - T he Zone

“Jackson’s main goal was to attract the students from across the street, and they wanted them to be able to see inside as they were heading to the nearby Starbucks or bookstore in between classes and say, ‘Wow; what’s that?’” says senior interior designer Michelle Oakley.

“The design solution we came up with is both eye-catching and functional, and it features distinctive elements such as a huge chalkboard wall that allows students to

communicate announcements or events that are happening throughout the month.”

“It’s unique to anything in East Lansing,” adds Weber.

“It’s not a typical space for anything. It’s not retail. It’s not office. It’s not somebody’s living room. It’s a very different place. And students like things that are different and not necessarily the status quo, so that makes it hip.

It’s everything that other spaces are not.”

Designed to be flexible as well as stylish, GS&P’s hang space design incorporates polished concrete floors, wood elements, open ceilings, glass partitions, inside bike storage and an on-site training room. The multipurpose space also doubles as a public zone for Jackson’s Community Fund activities, allowing for large group meetings.

SHOWCASE 7 31

Before: Escalators in the former Barnes & Noble space connected the building’s upper and lower levels.

AN ENGAGING SOLUTION Another prominent feature to emerge from the studentcentered focus groups was the creation of the bleacherseat stairway that serves as a large gathering space for impromptu collaboration, study sessions or larger groups.

“The old Barnes & Noble layout featured two escalators—one going up and one going down—which connected the lower level to the main level,” explains Oakley.

“We immediately started thinking about how we could change this because escalators aren’t necessarily inviting or fun. We wanted to keep that space open because there are no windows at all downstairs, so to engage the upper and lower levels, we came up with the concept of

a connecting bleacher stair that could also be used for community events.”

“The bleacher-stair solution maximizes that vertical space,” adds Weber. “It makes it an active space versus just making it a link and circulation route. Now it’s a place of communication and camaraderie.”

Encouraging collaboration and impromptu interactions as students come and go from their workspace, the 25-by-25-foot bleacher stair has the capacity to hold up to 50 people easily, and features reclaimed wood from barns and horse stables in Michigan.

After: The new bleacher-

Jackson N ational Life Insurance Compan y - T he Zone

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stair solution maximizes the vertical space by making it a place of communication and camaraderie.

SHOWCASE 7 33

WORK ZONES AND MORE Located on both the main and lower levels of the building, the design team centered work zones around the large opening between the floors where the bleacher stair connects the two spaces both physically and visually.

“We designed these work zones for both full-time and part-time associates who we knew would have the ability to tailor their individual work schedules around their class schedules,” explains Weber. “These spaces weren’t meant to be collaborative because the nature of the work is primarily data entry. So it was more about creating visual access to the entire environment, and it’s a very open and flexible atmosphere. There are no assigned seats in

these work zones, and students can simply come in and choose their workspace on any given day.”

To offer privacy when needed for small groups or private phone conversations, enclaves were distributed throughout the space. Glass-enclosed meeting spaces were also added throughout to provide places for larger group meetings. As training is a large component of Jackson’s new employee onboarding, a large training room and pre-function space were designed to accommodate up to 40-person training sessions.

34 Jackson N ational Life Insurance Compan y - T he Zone

Several cafÊ areas were distributed throughout the two floors to give associates access to refreshments or a place to simply take a break and converse with fellow coworkers. A large bike storage facility on the building’s main level provides a secure place for associates to lock up their bikes, scooters, wet clothes, umbrellas, snow wear and other personal gear away from their desk.

SHOWCASE 7

DESIGNING WITH TRANSPARENCY 35

To breathe new life into the former Barnes & Noble space—which only featured windows on the side of the building’s main level and on its front facade facing the street—GS&P incorporated glass walls and access to daylight to help the dark two-story interiors feel bright, open and spacious.

“Wherever there was daylight, we maximized exposure to it by using glass walls almost everywhere,” explains Weber, “so there are very few enclosed drywall offices or spaces of that nature.

“We looked at the lighting and ceiling components in a different way with this project, and tried to keep the ceilings open so it created bigger volumes of space rather than trying to bring a ceiling down to the standard 9-foot height. And when something did need to be enclosed, we mostly enclosed it in glass to allow the light to come through.”

“We didn’t want people to look up and experience a sea of ceiling tile,” adds Oakley. “So we took out all the ceilings to expose the structure, which not only opened up the space but also made it feel more current.”

“I think we did a good job transforming the interiors from what everyone on campus knew as a Barnes & Noble to this more electrified space where they could enjoy hanging out,” says interior designer Amy Klinefelter.

“In fact, a student and Jackson associate who was very familiar with the former Barnes & Noble told me that she immediately sees the contrast when she walks in the building, and that it’s gone from a ‘boring space’ to an environment that’s fun and lively.”

Completing the design as well as construction documentation within an extremely aggressive one-month schedule, GS&P successfully met one of the project’s key challenges, allowing The Zone to be open for business by the fall semester.

“The Zone is a win-win project for the city of Lansing, Michigan State and Jackson,” says Weber. “We were able to take a two-story, 33,000-square-foot space, turn it into something that wasn’t your typical office space, make it flexible, efficient and inspiring, and do it super fast!”

“We’re pleased that GS&P created the visionary facility we were looking to provide, and our associates greatly value the fresh, welcoming environment,” concludes Greg Farhat, director of workplace strategies and delivery at Jackson. “The modern, multipurpose space not only meets our associates’ needs, but also serves as an ideal meeting spot for local organizations, helping our company better connect to our community.”▪

We’re pleased that GS&P created the visionary facility we were looking to provide, and our associates greatly value the fresh, welcoming environment.

The modern, multipurpose space not only meets our associates’ needs, but also serves as an ideal meeting spot for local organizations, helping our company better connect to our community.

GREG FARHAT, Director of Workplace Strategies and Delivery, Jackson

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PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

Jackson National Life Insurance Company LOCATION

East Lansing, Michigan MARKET

Corporate + Urban Design SERVICES

Environmental Graphics Focus Group Workshops Interior Design Programming SIZE

33,000 Square Feet TEAM PIC Jack E. Weber, IIDA, MCR, LEED AP PM Kelly Knight Hodges, NCIDQ, LEED AP PD Brian Hubbard PD Michelle M. Oakley, IIDA, LEED AP PD Amy Klinefelter, IIDA, LEED AP

Jim Alderman, SEGD G. Mike Summers

Jackson N ational Life Insurance Compan y - T he Zone

Exposure to daylight was maximized by using glass walls, while open ceilings help make the space feel bigger.

WHERE PAST

MEETS FUTURE HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts

SHOWCASE 7 39

S

ituated on the Chicopee River, the close-knit community of Ludlow boasts a rich industrial history. Constructed between the 1870s and the 1920s, most of the town’s historic mill buildings located along State Street and the Chicopee were built by Ludlow Manufacturing Company when operations were at their peak.

Today, the historic site is part of the Ludlow Mills mixed-use district, and is considered the largest brownfield site under redevelopment in New England.

A half-mile from the abandoned mill’s stock houses that once processed jute fiber into rope, cloth and twine, HealthSouth had outgrown its existing leased space in Ludlow Hospital, built in 1908. Portions of the building had become unusable, and the aging infrastructure no longer supported the needs for new technology or the group’s physical therapy practices. Moreover, a limited amount of windows, a lack of outdoor areas and cramped spaces within the facility all added up to a subpar environment for both patients and staff.

Renowned for its high-quality, patient-focused rehabilitative care, HealthSouth had established itself as a vital part of the Ludlow community, and for many had become a place where they reclaimed their independence.

Recognizing the need for growth presented an opportunity to not only replace and modernize its existing hospital, but also help sustain a chapter of the town’s unique history, HealthSouth Corporation solicited GS&P to design a new 74,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art replacement hospital, to be prominently located in the heart of the new Ludlow Mills mixed-use development.

“GS&P’s relationship with HealthSouth began about 25 years ago, and since then, we’ve designed close to 100 facilities for them around the country,” says Robert Murphy, senior architect and principal-in-charge. “For this project—which is unique for HealthSouth’s model because it involves the brownfield redevelopment of a former mill site—we were asked to expand and incorporate LEED principles into our previously developed 40-bed rehab hospital prototype.

“HealthSouth’s old facility was woefully undersized and completely dysfunctional from the standpoint of how they operate. It consisted of 73 beds, on approximately four and a half floors, in an odd building that had very short floor-to-floor heights and extremely compact spaces. And several of the wards accommodated up to four beds. In contrast, our expanded hospital prototype places the entire facility—all patient care, administration, therapy areas, public facilities, nursing units and patient rooms—on the one level,

and consists of private patient beds, which adheres to HealthSouth’s most current patient-care delivery model.”

“The Ludlow Mills project is the first rollout of what HealthSouth refers to as the ‘DeNovo greenfield hospital prototype,’ and it’s a whole new arrangement of their spaces,” adds senior architect and planner Eddy Alonso. “Our team essentially developed a kit of parts that consists of modules which can be attached in multiple ways depending on the site configuration. And going forward, these standard components can be used interchangeably at different sites. The prototype also allows for future growth without adding to the building, and will serve to develop a 100-bed design.”

Along with private beds—70 in total, including 17 beds shelled for future expansion—HealthSouth’s goals for the new facility included: creating an open, efficient and patientfriendly environment; employing the sustainable features necessary for LEED Gold certification; minimizing the number of nursing stations while maintaining visibility of patient corridors; an emphasis on providing daylighting, views and access to outdoor spaces; and a design that pays homage to Ludlow Mills’ distinctive architectural character.

40 HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts

A half-mile from the Ludlow Mills mixed-used development, HealthSouth had outgrown its existing leased space.

Ludlow Manufacturing’s abandoned stock houses that once made rope, cloth and twine provided the perfect site for HealthSouth’s replacement hospital.

“...IT’S A WHOLE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THEIR SPACES.” EDDY ALONSO, SENIOR ARCHITECT AND PLANNER

Flooded with natural light and featuring reclaimed finishes, the main lobby and vestibule create a striking first impression.

A key part of the Ludlow Mills preservation and redevelopment effort, HealthSouth’s new replacement hospital had the unique distinction of being the first building to be constructed on the former mill site.

“Because it was set to be the flagship building inside the redevelopment, we knew the hospital would be setting a precedent for the rest of the site moving forward,” explains Alonso. “So capturing the history of the location was extremely important because there’s a real sense of pride in Ludlow about their past. And that was one of the driving elements of the design—preserving that history, while also moving them forward into the future in terms of what the new Ludlow could look like.

“To help accomplish this, we immediately explored the possibility of reusing the original brick from the demolished stock houses so we could incorporate the historic legacy of the site into the building, and at the same time support EDDY ALONSO, SENIOR ARCHITECT AND PLANNER sustainable design efforts. HealthSouth ultimately purchased the brick from the developer, and each individual piece was hand-picked, hand-cleaned and hand-stacked, and then secured for our use in the new facility. The design ended up reusing 100,000 salvaged bricks from the old mill buildings.”

“The plan to reuse the existing brick actually became quite a challenge,” adds Murphy. “It turned out that the structural capability of the original brick was fairly diminished and extremely hard to calculate. So instead of using it as the primary structural barrier for the outside of the building, we turned it into a unique accent component, and then selected a compatible brick that we could use for the majority of the structure. It certainly wasn’t our original plan, but it worked out beautifully.”

“...EACH INDIVIDUAL PIECE WAS HANDPICKED, HAND-CLEANED AND HAND-

STACKED. THE DESIGN ENDED UP REUSING

100,000 SALVAGED BRICKS FROM THE OLD MILL BUILDINGS.”

MORE THAN

ROUGHLY

UP TO

MORE THAN

OF MATERIALS CAME FROM SUSTAINABLE SOURCES

OF ALL INTERIOR FINISHES CONTAIN RECYCLED MATERIALS

WATER USAGE REDUCTION

ON-SITE RENEWABLE ENERGY

28%

10%

45%

10%

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts

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a sustainable & historic legacy

SHOWCASE 7 43

“...APPROXIMATELY 95 PERCENT OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS TORN DOWN REMAINED ON SITE—INCLUDING STONE, EXCESS BRICK AND CONCRETE, WHICH WERE CRUSHED AND USED AS FILL.” TREVOR LEE, PROJECT ARCHITECT

Artwork featuring original jute rope tells the history of Ludlow Mills as well as the LEED component of the project story.

240 linear feet of wood was salvaged from the stock houses to clad the interior walls of the main lobby.

Rooftop photovoltaic cells produce almost 60 kilowatts of electricity.

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percent of everything that was torn down remained on site—including stone, excess brick and concrete, which were crushed and used as fill.”

Also helping the facility reach the LEED Gold benchmark, more than 28 percent of the total building materials came from sustainable resources, and roughly 10 percent of all finishes used in the interiors contain recycled content. In addition, the hospital was designed to reduce the baseline water usage by up to 45 percent, and rooftop photovoltaic cells produce almost 60 kilowatts of electricity, providing more than 10 percent of on-site renewable energy. Designers also maximized natural open space and reduced stormwater runoff by using landscape elements such as bioswales.

“This effort was ultimately the perfect marriage between the LEED component, the design concept and what the design team had to bring to the table,” says Dexter Carty, project interior designer. “The LEED element really directed us to make some of the design decisions we made, and also helped us think about how we could incorporate these building reuse materials in an interesting way. I often wonder if it wasn’t for the LEED component, would we have gone that particular route because it was such a key driver for the design.”

A sustainable nod to the site’s history, the building’s design vernacular draws heavily from both the rhythm and proportions of the mill’s original stock houses—including the material color and glazing—creating a striking first impression, and complementing the character of building types, streetscapes and other community features found in Ludlow.

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts

In addition to repurposing the historic brick, more than 240 linear feet of wooden beams were salvaged from the stock houses, refurbished by a local mill, and then used to clad the interior walls of the main lobby.

“We explored multiple ways to reuse building materials to improve the sustainability of the site and the building, and also to obtain LEED credits,” says project architect Trevor Lee. “In the end, approximately 95

SHOWCASE 7 45

planning that promotes mobility As a leading provider of comprehensive rehabilitation for patients with a variety of ailments, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord and orthopedic injuries, HealthSouth sought a new, patient-centered environment that not only aided in the physical therapy process and improved outcomes, but also promoted patient mobility.

“One of the reasons HealthSouth is so incredibly successful is attributed to patients’ short length of stay within their facilities,” says Alonso. “Not only is their patient turnaround fast, but it’s also backed by excellent results. So designing an efficient and cost-effective replacement facility for them was a key priority.

“Despite their previous physical therapy space—which was fairly dark and cramped and far less efficient—HealthSouth was still known for their quality of rehab care, and we collaborated with their physical therapists and operations team to create a spacious and well-organized therapy gym that supported the type of care they deliver.”

In distinct contrast to its predecessor, the hospital’s new therapy gym features floor-to-ceiling windows, which provide views to an outside therapy garden and courtyard, as well as natural daylighting for both patients and staff to enjoy. New equipment and technology—such as HealthSouth’s AutoAmbulator, which safely places a patient in a standing position while robotics assist the patient’s legs to walk on a treadmill—were incorporated into the space, along with floor patterns that promote a patient’s movement.

“One of the things we worked on purposefully was to marry the facility planning and design of the new hospital with the operations,” says Alonso.

“And not only the operations, but the therapy that was being provided.

“HealthSouth’s physical therapy process relies on getting patients up and walking as quickly as possible, and the therapy doesn’t just end at the gym; it occurs throughout the entire facility. So the long corridors in the patient wings are purposeful because they allow for gait training by using the finishes to mark the flooring—as well as the patient’s progress—as they’re on their way to therapy, or even heading to dinner or group activities. It also allows staff to assess the patient in their daily activities in a more discreet manner as opposed to using very obvious markers on the walls. This way, they’re simply taking them for a walk, and they get more of an honest assessment of their progress. So getting a person up and walking from one point to the next actually becomes a part of a patient’s therapy, and the design facilitates that.”

Adhering to another key client goal, GS&P’s innovative design also minimizes the number of nurse stations while still maintaining clear visibility of the patient corridors.

“The program consists of two nursing units with support services, and we specifically designed the custom desks at the nurse stations to promote face-to-face interaction between patients and staff—so there’s less of a barrier and it’s far more inviting,” says Alonso. “Their centralized location also allows for patient supervision, reduces wasted steps, and greatly improves staff collaboration, including team nursing.”

Before

After: HealthSouth’s new therapy gym has floor-to-ceiling windows that provide views of the therapy garden.

State-of-the-art equipment was incorporated along with floor patterns that promote mobility.

Centralized nurse stations maintain clear visibility of patient corridors and promote face-to-face interaction with patients.

SHOWCASE 7

private patient rooms

47

Also greatly enhancing the patient-care environment was the advanced prototype’s layout of the private patient rooms.

“The plan works extremely well because of the way it’s adapted to the site,” says Carty, “and what’s really nice about the private rooms is none of them look out onto a public right-of-way—they either face an internal courtyard, or face out to the sides or back of the building, which is surrounded by natural vegetation and the Chicopee River to the south. So we essentially provided a 360-degree planning and design, and it works exceptionally well.”

In addition to offering river or courtyard views, as well as abundant natural light via large windows adjacent to the patient’s bedside, each private patient room is ADA-compliant and intentionally spacious to assist in patient mobility and staff access. Controls in each room are located convenient to the patient’s bedside to allow for personal operation of the lighting, TV and nurse call. A warm material palette carries from the patient room into the barrier-free in-suite bathroom (which permits easy wheelchair access to the toilet and shower), where design accents such as pebble stones and natural earth tones were used to simulate river stones found along the banks of the Chicopee.

The first HealthSouth facility to be LEED Gold certified, the new HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts not only maintains the historical and architectural integrity of the city’s industrial landmark, but also provides a higher level of care for patients, employees, the environment, and ultimately the community.

“HealthSouth could have chosen another location to develop its new hospital, but they selected this particular brownfield redevelopment site because they were committed to revitalizing the city of Ludlow,” says Murphy, “and they wanted to continue to serve the community they had become such a pivotal part of by taking their rehabilitative care to the next level.

“Our expanded prototype allows them to do this by giving them what they so desperately needed, coming from an antiquated building that was more than 100 years old. They now have an open and efficient facility—all on the one level—that features clean lines and simple forms, which makes it much easier for patients and visitors to get around. And because the building maintains a strong connection to the outdoors, it’s filled with natural light.

So it’s a far more welcoming environment, and it’s also quite striking in how it reflects the movement of the Chicopee River in its decor, color palette and sweeping floor patterns.”

“The new quarters is proof that a rehabilitation hospital can take your breath away and heal you at the same time,” says former patient Wesley

Pippin in a letter to HealthSouth, congratulating them on the new hospital. “It’s difficult to encapsulate the many details and features within this very complete facility, and to truly appreciate all that HealthSouth offers to benefit the patient would require a voluminous book.

“Most obvious is that the entire layout has been designed with the patient in mind,” continues Pippin.

“As I was wheeled into this unbelievable, highly functional building, I was astounded by its beauty, so carefully mixed with its purpose of design. ‘Modern’ and ‘up-to-date’ are not adequate descriptions—the new facility far exceeds those terms in every way.”▪

Patient rooms are ADA-compliant with space to accommodate mobility.

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

HealthSouth Corporation LOCATION

Ludlow, Massachusetts MARKET

Healthcare

“I WAS ASTOUNDED BY ITS BEAUTY, SO CAREFULLY MIXED WITH ITS PURPOSE OF DESIGN. ‘MODERN’ AND ‘UP-TO-DATE’ ARE NOT ADEQUATE DESCRIPTIONS— THE NEW FACILITY FAR EXCEEDS THOSE TERMS IN EVERY WAY.” WESLEY PIPPIN, FORMER PATIENT

SERVICES

Architecture Interior Design SIZE

74,000 Square Feet TEAM PIC J. Robert Murphy, Jr., AIA, LEED AP PM Randall A. Naccari, RA, NCARB PA Trevor S. Lee, AIA, NCARB PID Dexter Carty PD Edward C. Alonso, AIA PC Timothy J. Anson, AIA, LEED AP PC Jonas Booker, LEED AP

Theresa A. Ashley Janet C. Cox, IIDA, LEED AP Bryan M. Gurney, P.E. Len K. Luther Erin McCullar, IIDA Bruce M. Pitre, AIA, LEED AP Poppy Tidwell

A BIM JOURNEY T.F. GREEN AIRPORT DEICER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

T

o ensure flight safety, airports across the globe use large quantities of propylene glycol and ethylene glycol—better known as deicing fluid—to prevent ice forming on commercial aircraft during harsh winter weather. As with many airports, managing stormwater contaminated by aircraft deicing fluid has become a priority for T.F. Green International Airport (PVD). Needing to achieve compliance with Rhode Island Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit conditions, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) solicited GS&P to design a new deicer and stormwater management system that would effectively collect and treat stormwater contaminated by aircraft deicing chemicals.

“The airport required a system that was capable of meeting strict pollution minimization requirements, and there were several challenges involved in designing a solution that met those conditions,” says senior environmental engineer and project designer Timothy Arendt. “For example, the design would require traversing 3 miles of stormwater piping across much of a 1,200-acre site that contained buried and surface structures. And that had to be achieved without excessive disruption to airport operations.”

As the project team considered the site’s complexity as well as the cost of construction—a significant concern to the client because of decreasing airport revenues—it soon became apparent that traditional approaches to creating a design for the new system would be far too restrictive.

“A typical process requires multiple steps of drafting, CAD [computer-aided design] entry, checking for errors, making corrections, and then repeating that process,” explains Arendt. “So there’s a lot of back and forth. Also, once construction starts, that traditional approach can result in frustrating, time-consuming and potentially expensive change orders. For instance, a section of piping may have been left out, or perhaps there’s an electrical line in the way and the CAD software didn’t tell us where the models clashed. For a project as complex as T.F. Green, with miles of piping that I referred to as ‘a spaghetti warehouse,’ that approach would be incredibly cumbersome.”

Looking beyond conventional methods, the GS&P team elected to take a new approach to the design, even though it would mean a steep learning curve for some of the team members, as well as a significant commitment of time and a dedication to working together in new ways. The potential benefits, however, for RIAC—and for other GS&P clients in the future—were far too great to do otherwise.

SHOWCASE 7 51

A MORE STREAMLINED DESIGN PROCESS Taking a new direction, the project team adopted a design process using 3-D BIM (building information modeling) software for the implementation of the new system. Architects on the team were already familiar with BIM, but for others it would be a new experience. And even for those accustomed to BIM, the project marked the first time they would be using it in a multidisciplinary setting.

Employing the BIM software would require GS&P’s designers and engineers to interact directly with the CAD software to create the designs, removing CAD entry and back-check steps completely, and significantly streamlining the design process by eliminating the chance for errors in transferring the design into CAD. “Back in the day, designers understood the significance when CAD software replaced pencils and paper, and 3-D BIM is just as huge an advance over two-dimensional CAD,” says Arendt. “It represents a sea of change in our industry, and it’s a new wave that’s becoming increasingly commonplace GS&P designers from for many professionals and clients. many different disciplines learned “Our team was truly excited about this change and was ready to learn new ways of working together something new. However, not only did we have to learn the new software as they became more dependent systems, but we had to create an on one another than ever before. entirely new design flow that would ultimately cut out the back and forth between architects, engineers and CAD technicians.”

As a part of this new process, GS&P designers from many different disciplines learned new ways of working together as they became more dependent on one another than ever before.

“3-D BIM made it much easier to coordinate the review process among team members who were in different locations,” says Arendt. “In essence, it allowed us to ‘gather around the campfire’ and share information.”

52 T.F. Green Airport - Deicer Management S ystem

The project team adopted a design process using 3-D BIM (building information modeling) software for the implementation of the new system. Seen here is a 3-D visualization of the placement of pipes and equipment in the treatment facility.

SHOWCASE 7

The map diagrams the pipe’s route around buried stormwater piping, communications conduits, live FAA wiring, natural gas lines and sanitary sewers.

53

A COORDINATED, MULTIDISCIPLINARY EFFORT Utilizing the latest BIM technology, five different software tools would be applied to the project, integrating all major design disciplines. The design team would employ Revit BIM software for the architectural, building mechanical, plumbing and structural design; SSA and Civil 3D for the stormwater modeling and civil design; AutoCAD Plant 3D for the process mechanical design and process and instrumentation diagrams; and finally, Navisworks to visualize the integrated results from all of the models.

“Typically, a building is designed first and then the equipment is placed inside,” says Arendt. “With BIM, the team did that in reverse. The Plant 3D model of the process equipment was designed and then loaded into the Revit architecture model, and the building was designed around the plant. This form-follows-function design process ultimately helped us create a far more effective and user-friendly workspace for the plant operators at the airport’s stormwater treatment facility.”

In the past, because each drawing view was created separately, components such as pipe size and location would have to be painstakingly entered into CAD for each view. With this new process, changes in location or orientation of the pipes entered into the model were automatically updated in all views, reducing the time required for updates, and eliminating the possibility for errors from missed entry in one or more views. This was especially useful when multiple treatment plant sites were being considered at the beginning of the project.

Because the site for the airport’s new deicer treatment system was on the opposite side of the airfield from the airline and cargo ramps where stormwater is collected, routing of the stormwater conveyance piping (between the point of collection and the point of storage) was a major design undertaking that involved at least four potential options. And each option involved different yet significant constraints and risks that included wetland crossings, construction in public roadways, runway crossings, and routing force main piping through existing stormwater piping. Because of these elements, the project team had to

Navisworks

The team employed Revit BIM software for the architectural, building mechanical, plumbing and structural design; SSA and Civil 3D for the stormwater modeling and civil design; AutoCAD Plant 3D for the process mechanical design and process and instrumentation diagrams; and Navisworks to visualize the integrated results from all the models.

AutoCAD Plant 3D

Revit BIM

SSA

Civil 3D

determine the best pipe routes through buried stormwater piping, communications conduits, live FAA wiring, natural gas lines and sanitary sewers in order to minimize costs as well as hydraulic impacts to the site.

“We used the inherent capabilities in the design tools—along with the plan for sequencing the design activities—to create a vision of the different force main routing concepts,” says Arendt. “This allowed us to understand the benefits and disadvantages of each option, and to respond quickly to new design concepts for the routes raised by our client. At an airport especially, there are all kinds of things buried in the ground, and BIM allowed us to quickly see any conflicts and identify alternative routes.”

At key intervals, the project team employed Navisworks clash-detection software to identify conflicts between the various discipline models. The program provided an integrated 3-D view of the models created by all other BIM programs, and enabled architects and engineers to jointly view all aspects of the design together in three dimensions. Any design clashes—such as pipes or valves located in the same space—were easily identified and moved. Change orders and their associated costs and delays were completely avoided.

“There were multiple benefits to utilizing BIM technology for this project,” says Arendt, “from streamlining the overall design process to facilitating clash detection to producing an extremely flexible design. Put simply, BIM is a modern-day version of ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’”

Naviswork’s clash detection software alerted the team to possible conflicts.

Any design clashes—such as pipes or valves located in the same space—were easily identified and moved.

“BIM is a modern day version of ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’”

TIM ARENDT, PROJECT DESIGNER

SHOWCASE 7 55

Top: Being able to collaborate across disciplines in BIM allowed design and construction of the treatment facility to progress much smoother than usual.

Bottom: GS&P’s Mark Ervin monitors the construction progress of the pump station.

56

The ability to leverage the different software platforms and view them together in 3-D allowed the designers to see multiple systems in one view, and then analyze how those systems were interconnected. This facilitated discussion of possible design improvements as well as easy constructability reviews.

The 3-D visualization also allowed engineers and architects to experience the design from the viewpoint of the plant operator, enabling the designers to better locate controls so they would be easy to access, read and manipulate.

“Being able to view everything in 3-D ended up being a very unifying experience,” says Arendt. “For instance, during construction, the project team took their iPads and laptops into the field to consult with work crews, and the workers really appreciated the clarity of those 3-D representations.

“We were also able to show the contractors the color-coded piping layout, and that’s a unique way to interact with contractors. That particular relationship can end up being adversarial if an unclear instruction on paper results in a change order during the construction process. It can delay the project and cause headaches for the contractor. But this process made that much less likely to occur, and helped the relationship become far more collaborative.”

The ability to leverage the different software platforms and view them together in 3-D allowed the designers to see multiple systems in one view, and then analyze how those systems were interconnected.

T.F. Green Airport - Deicer Management S ystem

THE ADVANTAGES OF 3-D

SHOWCASE 7 57

A SUSTAINABLE END RESULT Addressing deicing and stormwater best management practices, GS&P’s enhanced deicer and stormwater management system for PVD includes a terminal and cargo collection system, conveyance pump stations and force mains, above-ground storage, and an on-site anaerobic biological treatment system. The design encompasses an 11,000-square-foot treatment facility that can handle 7,700 pounds of chemical oxygen demand per day; above-ground storage of two 2.9-million gallon tanks; two pump stations that perform at 4,000 and 1,100 gallons per minute; and 14,900 feet of 24-inch and 12-inch force main for conveyance from the terminal and cargo aprons.

As the client desired a system that incorporated a number of sustainable elements, GS&P’s design also includes various eco-friendly features that will provide social, environmental and economic benefits to RIAC. These comprise: building conditioning optimization that reduces emissions released into the environment and decreases operating costs; chemical storage tanks sized so that only one to two refills from trucks are required per year, reducing transportation fuel usage and emissions; influent heat exchangers for energy optimization of the treatment process; and pipelines routed to avoid the wetlands.

Additionally, by using methane gas captured during the treatment process, the design team was able to make the new system’s fluidized bed reactor as energy efficient as possible.

“The methane provides free fuel to heat the chemical-laden water, eliminating the costs associated with building a larger facility and purchasing natural gas,” explains Arendt. “As a result, the treatment plant is smaller and less expensive to build and operate.

“Throughout the entire project, we were constantly aware of the need to keep the facility’s footprint as small as possible because space is at a premium in an airport environment. We were also aware of the client’s goal to control costs. So from an operating cost standpoint, you’re actually heating the water with free fuel.”

This innovative design feature also has an environmental benefit. When released into the atmosphere, methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. Burning it as fuel greatly reduces that effect.

“Capturing the methane when it’s released as the deicing chemicals break down is truly the key to the efficient operation of the facility,” notes Arendt.

58 T.F. Green Airport - Deicer Management S ystem

Clockwise from top left: Protecting the airport’s wetlands and native species was an important sustainable element; The large chemical storage tanks only require a couple of refills per year, reducing transportation fuel usage and emissions; A screen grab of a biogas human machine interface for the treatment plant explains the process by which methane gas is converted to free fuel.

SHOWCASE 7 59

Team member Kevin Meyer demonstrates the benefits of BIM at his desk in Columbus.

Looking to the future, the team’s ‘BIM journey’—as Arendt refers to it—will continue, with the project team using BIM tools to facilitate system testing, development of operations and maintenance manuals, and assisting with startup and initial operation, including training the system’s operators and maintenance personnel. The BIM software will enhance that process, and allow for live facility walkthroughs that give operators a hands-on feel for the equipment. It will also enable airport managers to gain a realistic perspective on how the equipment “...the use of BIM on this project appears, minimizing the need for expensive travel to other locations to observe similar systems. keeps the firm at the forefront In addition, a video developed from the BIM of the industry in the use of drawings will be used to demonstrate how the system works, as well as show the general public how the technology to advance the airport is managing pollution concerns associated with deicing chemicals. design process. And that in turn “Because we took this new approach using will provide our clients with BIM, we were able to design a cutting-edge deicer and stormwater management system—one that greatly enhanced services.” collects, stores and treats millions of gallons of water contaminated with aircraft deicing chemicals—and TIM ARENDT, PROJECT DESIGNER deliver it on time and on budget,” says Arendt. “And for GS&P, the use of BIM on this project keeps the firm at the forefront of the industry in the use of technology to advance the design process. And that in turn will provide our clients with greatly enhanced services.”▪

60 CLIENT

TEAM

Rhode Island Airport Corporation

PIC John A. Lengel Jr., P.E., ENV SP PM Devon E. Seal, P.E. (Design Phase) PM Mehdi Nezami, P.E. (Construction Phase)

LOCATION

Providence, Rhode Island

PP Mark R. Ervin, P.E. PC Melanie Knecht, P.E. PD Timothy P. Arendt, P.E.

MARKET

Environmental Services

Dempsey Ballou, P.E. Tisha Bandish Eric Bearden, AIA Randall S. Booker, Jr., Ph.D., P.E.

SERVICES

Thomas E. Bradbury

Architecture

John David Chesak, P.E.

Civil Engineering

Brennon Clayton

Environmental Engineering

Michael A. Cochrane, P.E.

Mechanical Engineering

Tracey Curray

Plumbing Engineering

Danielle Dresch, P.E.

Process Engineering

Thomas L. Dietrich, P.E., LEED AP BD+C

Structural Engineering

Blair Smith Everett

Sustainable Design

Liz A. Fisher Ben Goebel, AIA Brittnee N. Halpin

SIZE

Clint Harris

1,200 Acres

Michael Jenkinson, P.E., CPESC

14,900 Feet of 24-inch and 12-inch Force Main

Diane Marable

11,000 Square Feet - Treatment Facility

Louis Medcalf, FCSI, CCS

290,000-Gallon Storage Tanks (2)

Kevin A. Meyer, EIT

1,100 GPM Pump Station

Katie Nolan, P.E.

4,000 GPM Pump Station

Ryan R. Rohe, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

Alex Martinez, P.E.

Bill Spalding Bryan A. Tharpe, P.E. James R. Wilson, P.E., LEED AP

T.F. Green Airport - Deicer Management S ystem

PROJECT DETAILS

SHOWCASE 7

T

63

he county seat of Oldham County, the picturesque town of La Grange, Kentucky, is distinguished by a street-running mainline railroad track that cuts through the center of its historic downtown district. Replete with shops, small businesses, eateries and art galleries, the city was recognized as a Preserve America Community in 2004 because of its commitment to protecting and celebrating its unique heritage.

Situated between the main interstate access to La Grange and its historic downtown core, time had not been so kind to an abandoned site accented by a discarded feedstorage building and a onetime Southern States co-op. An eyesore to most, the derelict location and its unkempt buildings spelled opportunity to Oldham County resident George R. Rawlings, owner and CEO of The Rawlings Group—a comprehensive health insurance data mining and claims recovery company—and founder of the Rawlings Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to revitalizing Oldham County.

A trusted advisor to Rawlings, GS&P designed the Rawlings Group headquarters—a 160,000-squarefoot office space located on a 60-acre greenfield site not far from downtown La Grange. Following the success of the project, the businessman and philanthropist called upon GS&P once again, this time to transform the long-forgotten downtown site and its unused buildings into a distinctive gateway element to the city of La Grange that could be utilized by the community.

“Mr. Rawlings wanted to do something that was both exciting and modern, and would introduce something new into the context of La Grange,” says project designer Jeff Kuhnhenn. “His overarching vision was to provide a signature project that conveyed the spirit of the city while serving as a gathering space for community events.

“Because of its prime location, Mr. Rawlings saw tremendous potential in the unoccupied site, and he re-imagined it to provide the city with a new state-of-the-art chamber of commerce and visitor center, as well as multiuse event space and a landscaped public park.”

Leading the rehabilitation effort, GS&P was charged with providing conceptual design, architecture, engineering and landscape architecture for a 3,500-square-foot chamber of commerce and visitor center, and a 9,000-square-foot event space that would both utilize the infrastructure

His overarching vision was to provide a signature project that conveyed the spirit of the city while serving as a gathering space for community events.

— Jeff Kuhnhenn, Project Designer

SQUARE FEET SQUARE FEET

SQUARE FEET

of the site’s two existing buildings. In addition, a new 9,200-square-foot event space was slated for construction on an adjacent property, and a vacant paved lot was set to become a park-like plaza for public use.

“Mr. Rawlings was very clear about what he wanted to accomplish with this project,” explains Kuhnhenn. “We knew from the outset that he wanted to do something

that wasn’t grounded in merely emulating the existing building topographies in the area, and he certainly didn’t want us to design a new old building. So we looked for inspiration from textures that you’d find in the area. Working off that abstraction, we started to generate a sense of place and uniqueness that warranted the function Mr. Rawlings wanted to achieve.”

Pavilion 1: Event space created using existing feed-storage barn for foundation.

Chamber of commerce and visitor center, multiuse event space and a landscaped park.

Cit yPlace – A Rawlings Foundation P roject

64

Pavilion 2: New event space for larger community events.

1. Before: Pavilion 1 was formerly a concrete-block and wood-frame pole barn used for feed storage.

2. After: Using the existing structure as the foundation eliminated the need for a brand new building and expressed the beauty of the wood-frame interior. 3. The exposed wood-frame design carries over into Pavilion 2, which provides a larger volume of space for community events.

The unexpected findings in both existing buildings were really an added benefit and provided us the perfect opportunity to visually connect all three structures through exposing their framework. — Clint Harris, Project Coordinator

66

Worn down from years of service, the former Southern States cooperative building—a previous home to feed, seed and farming supplies—may have seemed an unlikely place to house the Oldham County Chamber & Economic Development’s new offices if not for its ideal downtown location. However, great interior and exterior potential lay beneath the utilitarian structure’s rough edges, as was the case with the wood-frame barn that stood empty behind the old brick co-op.

“We discovered an amazing wood frame interior in Pavilion 1—the former feed-storage building we were transforming into an event space,” explains project architect Kelly Cathey. “It had been hidden behind years of neglect, but once exposed, it was really beautiful. So we decided to leave it intact. This feature ultimately became a catalyst for how we designed Pavilion 2, which is the new construction.”

“The old Southern States building was a one-story block and brick structure with steel joist framing, and even though it was a very different design language from the other two

structures, we treated it in the same way by exposing its steel joists,” adds project coordinator Clint Harris.

“The unexpected findings in both existing buildings were really an added benefit and provided us the perfect opportunity to visually connect all three structures through exposing their framework.”

By using the former feed-storage building as a foundation for Pavilion 1, the design team not only exploited the original building’s striking woodframe interior, but also eliminated the need for a brand new structure. The first of two conditioned spaces, the 9,000-square-foot pavilion is suitable for a multitude of events, including farmer’s markets, live performances and even wedding ceremonies.

Along with exposing the trusses in Pavilion 2 to keep it aesthetically consistent with its existing building counterparts, the new 9,200-squarefoot structure (suitable for larger community events because of its greater volume of space) embellishes on the design intent for Pavilion 1 by using the same materiality, sliding barn doors and outdoor terraces.

Cit yPlace – A Rawlings Foundation P roject

AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY

SHOWCASE 7

UNIFYING THE CAMPUS 67

With the fundamental design concept for the two existing buildings and the new construction established, the GS&P team began developing a design solution that would not only unify the new chamber of commerce, visitor center and multiuse event spaces with each other, but also with the site as a whole.

“Tying together the short, front brick building with the existing concrete-block and wood-frame pole barn and the new construction was the project’s single biggest challenge,” explains Cathey. “And that’s because they had to feel like they were all a part of the same campus. One of the ways we achieved this was by using green space and landscaping to tie everything together, and the landscape architects out of our Louisville office played a major role in making the effort an urban park-space rehab as well as a building rehab, which will allow the entire site to be used by the city of La Grange.

“We also addressed this challenge by putting new skins on all of the buildings, which gave the structures a cohesive appearance. We added a bent metal panel entry portal at the visitor center, which is the showpiece and the first thing you’ll see when you enter the town, and we carried that design language through into the new building and the existing pavilion.

That level of detailing—so that everything made aesthetic sense—was without doubt the project’s biggest

challenge. But it ultimately led to the project’s biggest success, because those previously disconnected structures now feel like they were always a part of the one place.”

“We essentially created an urban park with a series of pavilions around its perimeter,” adds Kuhnhenn, “and I don’t think anybody would have guessed that would be the outcome if they visited the location from the outset. I don’t believe anything exists in the city today that matches those event spaces. And it’s a unique transition that will create another interesting hub of activity adjacent to the downtown core.”

— Kelly Designed to serve as a verdant oasis from the nearby downtown area, the campus’ park-like garden plaza features carefully selected plant materials that not only highlight this theme but also guide visitors through the site. Spatial considerations were made to reinforce the architecture— and at times to selectively contrast with it—to call attention to design features such as the broad sweeps of the bioswale area.

Tying together the short, front brick building with the existing concrete-block and woodframe pole barn and the new construction was the project’s single biggest challenge.

Cathey, Project Architect

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Designers utilized the southfacing facade to achieve the building’s distinctive look. Metal panels taper in a multitude of directions to reflect the sky and sunlight throughout the day.

Pavilion 1 Large sliding barn doors open onto covered terraces to extend the boundaries of the building and connect the event space to the park atmosphere outside.

Pavilion 2 Landscaping was carefully selected to highlight the campus’ park-like garden theme and guide visitors through the site.

CREATING A NEW POINT OF ENTRY For a number of years, Oldham County Chamber & Economic Development desired to relocate its offices to La Grange’s town center to establish a distinct downtown presence. To help create a new iconic point of entry to the city—along with a bright, inviting space for both visitors and employees—the design team incorporated a number of key design solutions.

“We recognized that — we needed to add volume to the lobby area of the existing one-story structure to make it brighter and more open, so we extended the roof height to make it a two-story space,” explains Cathey. “This not only lifted up the lobby space, but also exposed the steel joists which became a texture for incoming light to play off. We also incorporated a folding-metal form that created a clear definition between the existing building and the new chamber of commerce.

“And because we were challenged with creating a ‘gateway’ into downtown, the new chamber of commerce and visitor center had to be its own blank canvas. So we gave the building’s exterior a distinctive look that comes from the angled canopies which form the entry access to the building. We also utilized the south facade to achieve this by incorporating reflective metal panels that taper in a multitude of directions to reflect the sky and the sunlight.

...because we were challenged with creating a ‘gateway’ into downtown, the new chamber of commerce and visitor center had to be its own blank canvas.

Kelly Cathey, Project Architect

This way, the colors on the facade will be constantly changing as the sky transforms.”

Additionally, materials that reflect the history of the county’s farmland as well as the Ohio River Valley—such as stone, wood and steel—were incorporated into the design, emphasizing the chamber’s connection to Oldham County’s unique heritage.

“If you simply look at the individual materials, a lot of them just say quasi-rustic or durable,” says Kuhnhenn. “But if you stand back and look at how those materials are applied, it’s a very sophisticated design from a detail perspective. It’s definitely not My Old Kentucky Home or a stylized horse barn. It’s its own unique architecture that draws on sensibility, and that goes back to the sense of texture and material and how it relates to the area.”

The angled canopy creates the entry axis. This architectural element is located on each of the three buildings on the campus, incorporating stone, wood and steel to reflect the history of Oldham County’s farmland and the Ohio River Valley.

To create a space for visitors and employees to enjoy, volume needed to be added to the lobby space.

By opening up the existing roof, the exposed steel joists become a texture for the new incoming light.

The folding metal form creates a clear definition between the existing co-op and the new, revitalized chamber of commerce.

We’ve taken an empty and derelict site on the main pathway into town and turned it into something vibrant and striking.

— Jeff Kuhnhenn, Project Designer

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

SIZE

Robert Keeling

George Rawlings - Rawlings Foundation

21,700 Square Feet

E. Michele McMinn, IIDA, LEED AP ID+C, EDAC

TEAM LOCATION

La Grange, Kentucky

PIC Steven P. Johnson, AIA, NCARB PM Ann Seton Trent, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP PP Kelly M. Cathey, AIA

MARKET

PC Clint Harris

Corporate + Urban Design

PD Jeffrey W. Kuhnhenn, AIA, LEED AP

David Amin Omidy, ASLA, PLA SERVICES

Architecture Civil Interior Design Landscape Structural

Danielle Dresch, P.E. Jason B. Fukuda, P.E., S.E. Tim Gehlhausen, PLS James D. Graham Jonathan D. Henney, AICP, ASLA Aaron F. Johnson, P.E.

Sydney Reddoch Jennifer M. Shupe, P.E. Mark E. Sparks, P.E. R.J. Tazelaar, P.E. Bryan A. Tharpe, P.E.

70

“And at the same time we’ve almost injected a quirkiness into this quaint Kentucky town that embodies an energy that isn’t focused in the city right now.

“At the end of the day, this new point of entry will give people a sense of ‘Hey; there’s something going on here,’ as opposed to just seeing fast-food restaurants and a gas station when you first get off the interstate. And it’s one of those little talismans that a town like this can have, which will work toward changing peoples’ perception of what La Grange and Oldham County are truly all about.”▪

Cit yPlace – A Rawlings Foundation P roject

Redefining the entry into the city of La Grange, GS&P’s design not only creates a brand new gateway element that introduces everyday citizens, periodic workers and tourists to the city, but also offers a functional, modern and unique nexus point for events and activities that will ultimately bring the community together.

“We’ve taken an empty and derelict site on the main pathway into town and turned it into something vibrant and striking that will be utilized and occupied,” says Kuhnhenn.

NEW GATEWAY GLOBAL CITY

A TO A

SHANGHAI PUDONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SOUTH SATEL LITE CONCOURSE DESIGN COMPETITION

A

vibrant international metropolis, Shanghai is the commercial and financial center of mainland China and the sovereign state’s most populous city. One of the fastest developing cities in the world, Shanghai is on a mission to solidify its status as a global centerpoint with increasing international influence.

To keep pace with continued growth, the Shanghai Airport Authority (SAA) has initiated a number of airport expansion projects in recent years. A governmentowned enterprise that operates both Pudong and Hongqiao airports, the SAA invited GS&P to participate in an international design competition for a new satellite concourse for Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to help meet the airport’s projected demand of 80 million passengers by 2020.

“Of the two airports in Shanghai, Hongqiao is closer to the urban area and serves primarily domestic flights, while Pudong is closer to the ocean and is the busiest international hub of mainland China,” says project designer Sam Lin. “The original intent had been to build a complete third terminal at Pudong International, but following a feasibility study, the client decided to proceed with a satellite concourse instead.”

The competition package called for a world-class, passenger-friendly design that facilitated flexible operational requirements for moving both international and domestic passengers and baggage; incorporated environmentally sensible features; and left travelers with an unforgettable impression of Shanghai and the People’s Republic of China.

Meeting these design goals involved two primary challenges for the GS&P team: working within preset building parameters, and coordinating intricate passenger routing patterns inside the concourse.

“The design competition package included an aircraft parking plan—a footprint—that was already established,” says Lin. “With the help of an airport planning firm, the client had already calculated the number of gates for projected volume and the general size of the building based on those gates. We had to work within those preset parameters.”

SHOWCASE 7

NORTH ATRIA (S1)

73

International Club Level SOUTH ATRIA (S2)

International Departures Level

Domestic Mixed Level

CENTRAL INTERNATIONAL PROCESSING HUB

International Arrivals Level

Ramp Level

APM Level

The design is five levels plus a mezzanine club level organized around three central cores: the north APM atria, the south APM atria, and the central processing hub for international passengers.

WILSON RAYFIELD SENIOR ARCHITECT AND PROJECT MANAGER

new concourse is a large greenfield site that lies south of PVG’s two existing terminals. GS&P’s design concept is an I-shaped facility that will support various aircraft fleet mixes and a combination of domestic and international traffic.

“The satellite facility has a north and south concourse—S1 and S2— connected by a central international processing facility,” explains Rayfield.

“Each side will connect respectively to terminals 1 and 2 by a below-grade automated people mover (APM) system. The satellite facility will process connecting passengers with border control, customs and immigration.”

The APM stations beneath S1 and S2 make up the lowest level of GS&P’s projected five-level scheme, followed by the ramp level, international arrivals, a domestic mixed level, and international departures at the fifth level. This multilevel arrangement allows for incremental growth and maximum flexibility in operations for both international and domestic passengers, and also minimizes walking distances for all passengers despite the size of the facility.

International APM Platform

74

“This concourse was an extremely complex building,” agrees senior architect and project manager Wilson Rayfield. “We had a number of challenges to figure out in order to balance passenger processing elements with the airport parking layout. And we evaluated everything from differing aircraft fleet mixes to projected passenger volumes to finalize the building envelope.”

Presently, Shanghai Pudong International Airport is comprised of two terminals with approximately 70 gates in total. Significantly increasing its capacity, the proposed new concourse would consist of almost 100 gates, which would make it the largest satellite concourse in the world. The planned location for the

S hanghai Pudong International Airport - South Satellite Concourse Design C ompetition

"THE PROCESS INCLUDED A CONCEPTUAL 'PUSH AND PULL' OF THE BUILDING ENVELOPE TO MAKE EVERYTHING FIT EFFECTIVELY."

A PASSENGER-FRIENDLY

FLOW AND FEEL

By organizing the concourse around the three vertical circulation cores, the design concept is able to strike a crucial balance between operational necessities, passenger routings and a traveler-friendly layout.

“One of the keys to a passengerfriendly facility is wayfinding,” says Rayfield. “And by arranging the building around the principal circulation centers, all major decision-making points are centrally located and appropriately sized for the projected passenger volumes.

“However, creating the different circulation paths ultimately proved to be one of the design’s biggest challenges because international and domestic passengers can’t mix. International travelers have to first clear customs and immigration before they can be released to take a domestic flight, so you have to segregate the two. Yet the processes are intermingled. So providing sterile and secure transfer paths was complicated.”

To manage these complexities, the design team analyzed 16 different passenger circulation routings for departing, arriving and connecting passengers between domestic and international destinations.

“We devised a unique solution for the various necessary routings by intentionally designing the core where S1 and S2 come together to include a processing hub at the

international arrivals level,” says Lin. “We planned out a baggage claim area for rechecking bags, and a customs and immigration checkpoint for passengers transferring from international to domestic flights. Inside this hub, all types of international travelers can be processed efficiently.”

GS&P’s effective processing capacity and accessible floor plans would ultimately amount to shorter travel and wait times, and strategically placed airline clubs, retail stores, restaurants and other amenities would also mean less stress on travelers.

THE DESIGN TEAM ANALYZED 16 DIFFERENT PASSENGER CIRCULATION ROUTINGS FOR DEPARTING, ARRIVING AND CONNECTING PASSENGERS.

FINAL VERTICAL CIRCULATION ROUTES

CENTRAL INTERNATIONAL PROCESSING HUB CIRCULATION ROUTE

International to Domestic Connection International to International Connection

a. Deplaning Gate b. Passport Inspection c. Security Checkpoint d. Vertical Connection to Departures

e. International Baggage Claim

f. Customs / Baggage Inspection

g. Baggage Re-check

1. In the core middle area, large openings cut out of the floor create a canyon feel.

2. A large overhead skylight provides plenty of natural lighting, and planters and aquatic features bring a touch of the outdoors into the space.

3. The new departure lounges aim to create a pleasant experience by being as convenient as possible.

1

2

3

Beyond functionality, the design team carefully crafted an interior ambience that stands out in pleasant contrast to the institutional feel of many other airports.

“We sought to make the interior passenger-friendly by bringing in a lot of green landscaping and natural light so visitors are in a comfortable setting surrounded by nature—not just boxed into a standard airport,” says Lin. “For example, in the core middle area where the major vertical passenger circulations take place, large openings are cut out of the

floor slabs to create a canyon feel, and we strategically located retail spaces for the most visibility. We also introduced natural light via a large overhead skylight, and planters and aquatic features bring a touch of the outdoors into the space.

“The end result is you won’t feel like you’re in an airport, but a really comfortable setting surrounded by nature, which evokes a calming and welcoming feeling. And that’s so important for passengers arriving after a long international flight.”

"YOU WON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN AN AIRPORT, BUT A REALLY COMFORTABLE SETTING SURROUNDED

BY NATURE." SAM LIN PROJECT DESIGNER

Natural Lighting

Rain Harvesting

Eco-Efficient Passenger Moving

LED Lighting

Horizontal Sunshade Devices

INCREASING

SUSTAINABILITY

IN SHANGHAI

Local and Recycled Materials

With Shanghai’s rapid development taking a toll on both air quality and the environment, the city has been making huge strides toward greener construction. In line with Shanghai’s increasing environmental efforts, the client asked that design proposals incorporate sustainability strategies with attention to energy conservation.

“Due to rapid growth and the industrialization of Shanghai, an even greater importance is placed on the consumption of natural resources and energy uses,” says Rayfield. “Our concept relies heavily on sustainable design strategies that would have the greatest bearing on their triple bottom line, considering the social, environmental and economic impacts.”

GS&P integrated eco-friendly features into the design concept from the outside in, starting with a highperformance curtain wall system to reduce heat gain, along with an

efficient building envelope sculpted to create overhangs that protect glazed surfaces from direct sun exposure, reducing the building’s reliance on mechanical cooling systems.

Atrium skylights were sized and located to introduce natural lighting into the deepest part of the building, while low-energy LED systems can be programmed to provide adequate interior lighting when passengers or staff are present.

The design also includes cisterns to collect rainwater runoff from the roof, which would then be filtered and recycled for use inside facility restrooms. The use of low-flow, sensor-operated lavatory fixtures further reduce water usage. Load and presence-sensing escalators, and moving sidewalks that only operate when passengers are present (and then use variable amounts of power based on the number of passengers), would also conserve energy.

Low-Flow, Sensor-Operated Lavatories

SHOWCASE 7 81

Adhering to the SAA’s goal of making Shanghai airports the most appealing in the Asia-Pacific region, GS&P’s design of Pudong International’s new south satellite concourse significantly enhances the traveling experience, creating a memorable welcome—and farewell—for both local and international travelers.

“Our design is a compelling architectural image—a striking addition to the airport as a whole, while

functionally supporting the needed travel services,” says Rayfield.

“An airport is the first and last impression a traveler will have of a place. And when you step off a plane in Shanghai, this design would provide a lasting image for passengers to remember long after the trip was over. And not just by the sheer scale, but rather by a modern image that beautifully reflects the essence of Shanghai.”▪

" ...WHEN YOU STEP OFF A PLANE IN SHANGHAI, THIS DESIGN WOULD PROVIDE A LASTING IMAGE FOR PASSENGERS TO REMEMBER LONG AFTER THE TRIP WAS OVER." WILSON RAYFIELD SENIOR ARCHITECT AND PROJECT MANAGER

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

TEAM

Shanghai Pudong International Airport Import & Export Corporation

PIC Kevin K. S. Kim, AIA PM Wilson P. Rayfield Jr., AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

LOCATION

PD Samuel Chunfu Lin

Shanghai, China

PD Matthew B. Amos, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP PD Brad Sucher, Associate AIA, LEED AP

MARKET

PD Paul Legan

Aviation

Sean M. Bogart, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C Alex Ge

SERVICES

Architectural Concept Design

Stefanie Zhang

EN E M A IN T G ID R B 0 44 T D O T - ISERV AND PRE

A T IO N

ANCE

takes only a glance at the news to find evidence of America’s aging—and at times failing—roadway infrastructure, from relatively minor pothole problems to tragic bridge collapses. Couple the advancing age of the nation’s roads and bridges with a trend toward declining revenues for replacement projects, and government agencies find themselves tasked with developing new and creative ways to preserve existing structures and extend their service life.

In one such case, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) engaged GS&P in an engineering-design effort to rehabilitate a set of heavily used bridges along Nashville’s Interstate 440—bridges that were originally constructed in the 1970s and ’80s, and were showing their age through increasing deck damage and deteriorating expansion joints.

It

DOWNTOWN

ACKLEN PARK DR

1 VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

MURPHY RD

2

4

I-440

NASHVILLE

WEST END AVE

3

RICHARDSON AVE

SHARONDALE DR

5

WOODLAWN DR

6 7

21ST AVE

BELMONT BLVD

8

LEALAND LN

9 GRANNY WHITE PK

GREEN HILLS

I-440 is a four-lane divided bypass loop south of downtown Nashville that spans 7.5 miles around Interstate 40, bisects Interstate 65 North and South, and provides exits to several bustling parts of town, including Hillsboro Road/Green Hills, West End Avenue/Vanderbilt University and Nolensville Road. The GS&P design team assigned to this maintenance and preservation project drew inspiration from knowing that these much-needed improvements would help ensure safer roadways for Nashville drivers and travelers passing through Music City for years to come.

“Our team has worked on many repair projects for TDOT and other entities, so we really have a keen understanding of the importance of preserving the existing infrastructure, primarily because of the reduced availability of funding,” says senior structural engineer and project leader Ted Kniazewycz.

“We knew this project had the potential to address issues that would extend the bridges’ service life for many years, prevent damage, and reduce the potential for future deterioration,” he says. “The way things are today, a lot of infrastructure is really getting old, and we’re seeing

10

I-40

FOSTER AVE

12 11

STIRTON RD

13

14

NOLENSVILLE RD

BRANSFORD AVE

I-24

I-65

I-440 is a four-lane divided bypass loop south of downtown Nashville that spans 7.5 miles around Interstate 40, bisects Interstate 65 North and South, and provides exits to several bustling parts of town, including Hillsboro Road/Green Hills, West End Avenue/ Vanderbilt University and Nolensville Road.

“ These particular bridges have quite a bit of life on them .

Anything we can do to extend that life, especially in this time of tight budgets, is really crucial. ” –TED KNIAZEWYCZ, SENIOR STRUCTURAL ENGINEER AND PROJECT LEADER

failures in multiple places. These particular bridges have quite a bit of life on them. So anything we can do to extend that life, especially in this time of tight budgets, is really crucial.”

Senior transportation engineer and project manager Mark Holloran

notes that the design team’s wellestablished rapport with TDOT proved vital to the bridge rehab work.

“This close partnership was the catalyst to a very successful project that will provide motorists with reliable, low-maintenance structures for years to come,” says Holloran.

“Our team coordinated closely with TDOT’s Bridge Inspection and Repair Office in both the development of the repair plans for these bridges, and in the fieldwork that was required during construction, including the identification of the specific areas of the bridge structures to be modified for improved inspection access.”

SHOWCASE 7 87

The comprehensive project called for making repairs that would lessen the chance of accelerated damage to the bridges and minimize the need for annual maintenance work. As critical as it was to stretch the state’s coffers, cost wasn’t the first consideration when it came to designing the bridge improvements.

“From the engineering side, public safety is always the No. 1 thing we think about when we do any project,” Kniazewycz says. “It’s not that any of these bridges were at risk of failing immediately, but we knew that the

GS&P team created bridge-specific removal plans and then incorporated standardized repair details for all of the bridges. This pivotal step allowed the contractor to have many of the necessary replacement items identically fabricated, thereby reducing costs and making installation for field crews more seamless.

“We developed the plans so the details and the items used by the team members in the field would all look similar between the bridges,” Kniazewycz says. “The challenge for us was that the original bridges were

What was initially a single bridge engagement grew to

14 separate structures along I-440—none of which was originally designed or built alike.

work would extend their life even further into the future.”

In today’s recovering but stillfragile economy, savvy taxpayers are watching every dime spent on public projects. In light of budget considerations, the design team employed innovation and standardization to make the bridge repair plans as efficient and cost-effective as possible.

The team’s task became complex early in the project development, when what was initially a single bridge engagement grew to 14 separate structures along I-440—none of which were originally designed or built alike. To meet the challenge, the

each designed by a different person.

In the bridge world, people like to put their own twist on a design. When you want to improve multiple structures that are all very different, it means the team has to look at those bridges as a whole and see how we can make the repairs similar so the contractor and their crew know the procedures, and have the right equipment and tools regardless of which bridge they’re working on. That way, they don’t have to relearn on every bridge, and they can get more efficient as they move from bridge to bridge.”

For example, many of the I-440 bridges’ original design differences

involved their decks’ expansion joints.

And some bridges had sidewalks while others did not, a factor that complicated joint installation and called for a unique solution.

As Kniazewycz explains, “The existing aluminum expansion joints experienced several modes of failure, including fatigue fracturing of the metal plates, and tear failure of rubber membrane within the joint system. This membrane was critical in preserving the overall condition of the bridges. The failed joints allowed water and road debris to clog the expansion gaps, leading to cracked concrete sections and deterioration of the substructure concrete.”

The team’s solution hinged on the installation of new, hardened steel joints and expansion membranes that would eliminate the leakage of salt-laden runoff onto substructure concrete.

“The new steel joint system is not as likely to experience fatigue issues, and the system is designed to allow for the replacement of the expansion membrane in case there is a tear in the future,” Kniazewycz says.

The required modifications included removal of some sidewalk portions and bridge railings, installation of a new joint system, and reconstruction of rails and sidewalks.

As a safety measure, and to ensure compliance with ADA requirements, a steel slider plate was installed flush with the sidewalk to eliminate any tripping hazard.

Hardened steel joints and expansion membranes rep laced

the existing failing alumin um joints.

Before After

SHOWCASE 7 89

200 access portals

1, 800 feet of expansion joints

20, 000 square feet of deck seal

6 miles of permanent roadway striping

4, 000 square feet of sidewalk

500 gallons of sidewalk sealer

The design team delivered a costeffective solution for a complex set of requirements, preserving state dollars, while adding years to the life of the bridges along a vital roadway.

The design portion of the project was completed on schedule and under budget, and construction work was completed ahead of schedule and within budget.

In total, crews installed some 200 access portals, 1,800 linear feet of expansion joints, 20,000 square feet of deck seal and 6 miles of permanent roadway striping; replaced 4,000 square feet of sidewalk; and applied 500 gallons of sidewalk sealer.

“I don’t know of any issues that came up during the duration of this project,” Kniazewycz says. “I think

it was very well communicated and executed by the contractor. There was another construction project on I-440 at the same time, and we were able to modify our plans to allow the two projects to be carried out simultaneously without impacting either one negatively.

“I think our approach to standardize the details of the design and construction as much as possible, and to ensure traffic control, all helped to keep things moving and ensured a successful result.”▪

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

Tennessee Department of Transportation Structures Division Bridge Inspection and Repair Office LOCATION

Nashville, Tennessee MARKET

Transportation SERVICES

Bridge Design Services Bridge Inspection Services Traffic Control / Maintenance TEAM PIC Joseph L. Vance, Jr., P.E. PM Mark A. Holloran, P.E. PP Ted A. Kniazewycz, P.E.

Larry Ridlen, P.E. Gary Young

90

on the local roads during the construction projects. In areas of high traffic—like at the Nolensville Road and Hillsboro Road exits—we knew we couldn’t close roads completely.

So we developed a plan to shift traffic that allowed the contractor to work while maintaining traffic flow at the same time.”

In addition, the team built in detailed plans for ‘smart’ detours that routed drivers around the work and made sure two adjacent bridges were not closed at the same time.

TDOT - I-4 4 0 Bridge Maintenance and Preservation

As in all large U.S. cities, Nashville’s roadways have become increasingly busy, making it especially difficult to repair 14 bridges across a 7.5-mile stretch of highway without severely disrupting traffic flow.

TDOT is keenly aware of public concerns about traffic during construction projects, and the department routinely schedules maintenance projects at night and on weekends. However, in urban settings such as the I-440 corridor, weekend traffic can be as congested as rush-hour traffic.

To help minimize congestion, the design team worked closely with Nashville Metro Public Works—which controls local roads and signal timing—to develop site-specific plans and lane assignments that would favor peak traffic movements during weekend construction cycles. These plans, along with detailed detour signage and advanced notification of project schedules, eased traffic congestion. In addition, the contractor was able to complete several work tasks during weeknight hours when traffic was the lightest in the area.

“Understanding how Public Works operates was a benefit to us, because we know how they do street closures, when they like to do them, and how long to do them,” Kniazewycz says, “and we prepared detailed plans to provide specific traffic movements

Dunn Building Company - Corporate Headquarters

SHOWCASE 7 93

O

ne of four independently operated Dunn companies, Dunn Building Company has been a construction leader in Birmingham for more than 135 years. When the firm decided to relocate its corporate headquarters from suburban Birmingham to a downtown site adjacent to its parent and sister companies, they selected GS&P to develop a design that represented the core of who they are, how they work and the quality results they produce.

Spurred by growth and the desire to be more collaborative with Dunn Construction Company, Dunn Investment Company and Dunn Real Estate, the construction front-runner sought an office environment that showcased their expertise, as well as expressed their way of working with clients, vendors and among themselves. Centering on that goal, GS&P set about designing a metal building structure—clad in masonry and insulated metal panels—that not only communicated the Dunn Building Company brand, but also highlighted the type of work they delivered to their clients. The design would also incorporate recommendations outlined in a workplace strategy conducted by GS&P. “The workplace strategy was really the beginning of the entire process,” says senior interior designer Julie Roquemore. “GS&P was asked to evaluate all of the Dunn companies and assess their physical connectivity as well as how they interacted with

one another. It became clear during the visioning process with the Dunn leadership team that one of their main goals was for all the Dunn companies to be connected at the downtown campus location. This location, which they already owned, housed three of the four businesses.

“Dunn Building was the only company operating off campus in a leased space in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills. It was a pretty uninspiring space, with low ceilings, poor lighting and standard tenant-grade carpets and ceiling tile.

Aside from their logo, a few pictures on the wall, and a TV screen that showed their work, there was very little to indicate they were a designbuild contractor.

“Their off-campus location prompted Dunn to evaluate their real estate holdings and develop a long-term vision of how all of the companies could be in the one location within the Birmingham city limits. As part of the workplace strategy, we studied the value of past renovations and expansions, which had provided adequate space for employees. However, Dunn Building is a design-build contractor, and they were more than ready to showcase their skills in a physical building that was their own. It was ultimately determined that Dunn had enough property on campus to move them into a new building with a standalone identity.”

SHOWCASE 7

A UNIQUE DESIGN-BUILD COLLABORATION

95

Partnered with GS&P, Dunn Building Company—both the client and the contractor—sought a design-build team approach that utilized collaboration to create a project that met their own schedule as well as their high-quality standards and budgetary demands. From the onset, the essence of the project revolved around showcasing the pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) structure. To do this effectively, the GS&P team worked closely with Dunn’s inhouse PEMB design specialist, and 3-D models were shared regularly between the two groups to expedite delivery of the structure.

“Dunn Building Company is unique in the sense that they have an on-staff PEMB specialist to assist with preliminary 3-D modeling, and this fostered a lot of collaboration during the schematic and design development phase,” says Roquemore. “Being able to work together and coordinate all of that information up front—as opposed to completely designing the building from beginning to end, and then giving it to the contractor—allowed Dunn to procure the pre-engineered metal building while the remaining design and documentation were being completed.”

Ongoing communication and collaboration with the design-builder’s subcontractor team was also critical to the design. For example, since the high-volume portion of the design featured exposed ceilings and infrastructure, it was vital to communicate that vision to the mechanical subcontractor, who was then able to coordinate in Revit building design software to communicate the concept to the team installing the components.

“Working with Dunn in a designbuild scenario is a good example of how a project should be approached,” says project architect Jennifer Carr.

“Teamwork and collaboration played a key role in the project’s success and truly made a difference in the quality of the design. For instance, when you look at the ceiling, you can see how beautifully it lines up, and that’s because the superintendent really stayed on top of how the components were installed and exposed. And this directly ties back to the success of the design-build team approach.”

Teamwork and collaboration played a key role in the project’s success and truly made a difference in the quality of the design. ­­— Jennifer Carr, Project Architect

96

3-D models were shared regularly between the two groups in order to expedite delivery of the structure.

The collaboration and 3-D modeling allowed Dunn to procure the PEMB while the remaining design and documentation were completed.

Dunn Building Company - Corporate Headquarters

The GS&P team worked with Dunn’s in-house pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) design specialist.

2

1 Early stages of the PEMB steel framing.

HIGHLIGHTING CONSTRUCTION EXPERTISE 2 Tilt-up concrete construction is highlighted in the entrance demonstrating another of Dunn’s construction specialties.

3 Exposed ceilings and clerestory windows allow natural light to illuminate much of the interior work areas.

Where other construction companies were either severely hurt or put out of business altogether by the recent economic downturn, Dunn Building Company managed to weather the recession thanks in part to its specialized skills in the industrial market. One of GS&P’s core challenges was to create a design solution that provided a showcase for those particular skills by incorporating them into the new headquarters.

“Dunn wanted to demonstrate to clients their ability to construct a quality project by integrating certain construction components into the building,” says Carr. “A good example of this is the way we highlighted the tilt-up concrete construction at the building’s front entry. The design also exposes the PEMB steel framing as well as the electrical and mechanical systems as opposed to hiding those elements.

“Dunn Building constructs a lot of pre-engineered metal buildings, and they wanted their headquarters to be a sophisticated example of the building type. So we incorporated brick and glass into the design to enhance the overall appearance while maintaining the building’s structural roots.

The successful integration of these materials essentially shows clients a more innovative and decorative approach to cladding the PEMB structure. And it’s especially helpful in allowing them to visualize this combination for their own operation, since many of Dunn’s industrial clients have a small office component that supports their primary industrial building.”

For the building’s exterior, materials such as brick were specifically selected to utilize the PEMB components as well as complement adjacent

3

campus buildings. The brick not only ties in with the existing campus aesthetic, but also blends with the nearby historic single-story brick buildings in that sector of the city.

In the building’s interior, neutral finishes and colors were selected to highlight the volume and construction details.

Stained concrete flooring included in selected areas serves as an example of the outstanding workmanship that Dunn Building Company delivers to its clients.

Due to the nature of the company’s daily activities, Dunn Building required the majority of their staff to be in private offices. To accomplish this and still maintain an open feel,

the design team took advantage of the central high bay to include clerestory windows, which bring natural

the overall design reveals industrial elements such as girts in the walls and purlins in the ceiling, so you see exactly how the building is supported.

In a nutshell, you get to experience the ‘bones’ of the structure, and just how elegant the design of a mechanical system can be when showcased as a feature.”

In addition to highlighting Dunn’s expertise via the display of industrial components, GS&P’s design incorporates Dunn Building Company’s image and brand, both in the building and on the site. For example, the company’s signature red was used as an accent in the furniture as well as on select accent walls.

...you get to experience the ‘bones’ of the structure, and just how elegant the design of a mechanical system can be when showcased as a feature.

— Jennifer Carr, Project Architect light to all areas. In addition, ceilings were lowered above the office areas at the building’s perimeter to allow for more intimate spaces.

“The design of the “lean-to” really supports the offices on the long sides of the building,” says Carr, “and

A SUSTAINABLE CONNECTOR Planned for LEED Silver certification, Dunn Building’s new corporate headquarters incorporates multiple sustainable features including an energy-efficient building envelope, stormwater collection bioswales, lowflow fixtures that reduce water usage by 20 percent and energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems.

The project also integrates permeable asphalt paving with an 18-inch stormwater reservoir beneath the parking area. In addition, 30 percent of the building materials used—including the brick, steel, carpet and doors— were obtained from within 500 miles of the project site.

“Dunn’s campus teeters on the edge of the industrial area of downtown,” explains Roquemore. “So by relocating their headquarters to this area, they’ve created a new, clean, energy-efficient and sustainable downtown structure, which has not only helped revitalize their campus,

but has also reignited their connection to the city.

“The Dunn companies are known for being strong business and community leaders in Birmingham, and one of their key objectives was to create a sustainable facility that reinforced their commitment to the community. This goal has achieved that by bringing jobs to downtown, and giving a new lease on life to the aesthetic of the southeast corner of town.”

Along with fortifying its connection with the surrounding community, Dunn also desired that its sustainable workplace foster a healthy environment for its most valued asset—its employees. To help accomplish this, energy-efficient

lighting and controls, along with efficient water-use strategies, were employed to benefit employees as well as reduce utility costs. These methods are featured and discussed as examples for Dunn’s clients to explore for their own projects. An open break and kitchen area with abundant natural light serves as a pleasant and informal gathering area for employees, and so the amenity could easily be shared by other personnel, it was located in a section of the building closest to one of the sister companies.

PERMEABLE ASPHALT PAVING

EXISTING TWO-STORY BRICK BUILDING

STORMWATER COLLECTION BIOSWALE

High clerestory windows bring natural light to all areas. Ceilings were lowered above office areas at the perimeter of the building, providing privacy where needed.

An open break room and kitchen area with abundant natural light serves as a pleasant and informal gathering area for employees.

Grand opening of Dunn Building Company’s new corporate headquarters in Birmingham. From Left to Right: Birmingham Councilwoman Maxine Parker; Birmingham Mayor William Bell; Will French, CEO, Dunn Investment Company; Andrew Edwards, President Dunn Building Company; Brian Hilson, President, Birmingham Business Alliance.

...one of their key objectives was to create a sustainable facility that reinforced their commitment to the community. This project has achieved that by giving a new lease of life to the southeast corner of town.

— Julie Roquemore, Senior Interior Designer

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

SIZE

Dunn Building Company, LLC

6,600 Square Feet

LOCATION

TEAM

Birmingham, Alabama

PIC James C. Griffo, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP PM Randall A. Naccari, RA, NCARB

MARKET

Corporate + Urban Design

PP Jennifer T. Carr, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP PP, PD Julie D. Roquemore, IIDA, LEED AP PC Poppy Tidwell PD Michael Mann, AIA, LEED AP

SERVICES

Theresa A. Ashley

Architecture Interior Design Building Information Modeling LEED Coordination Workplace Strategies

AWARDS

2013 Excellence in Construction, MERIT Award Winner, Commercial Under $5 Million, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. 2013 Watershed Conservation Development Award, Cahaba River Society

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Company brand,” concludes Andrew Edwards, Dunn Building Company president. “By placing our new office building on campus, we are able to communicate much more effectively with our sister companies and parent company because face-to-face communication trumps voicemails and emails. Our campus location also helps the community connect the dots about Dunn’s brand and services in Birmingham, and the building itself is a perfect example of the high standards to which we hold ourselves.”▪

Dunn Building Company - Corporate Headquarters

Reinforcing Dunn Building Company’s brand, vision and culture, the new 6,600-square-foot, award-winning metal and masonry building highlights what the firm is renowned for—beautiful construction and attention to detail. The result is a design that reflects and encourages communication and collaboration within the Dunn team—as well as with clients and vendors—and serves as a stellar example of sustainable design and construction.

“We are thrilled with the new building and how beautifully it expresses the Dunn Building

Designed with the

CUSTOMER IN MIND CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS - RETAIL STORE PROTOTYPE

SHOWCASE 7 105

A

leading broadband communications company and the fourthlargest cable provider in the United States, Charter Communications employs more than 21,000 people and provides services to over 5.7 million customers in 29 states. Founded in 1993, the Fortune 500 company is known for integrating high-quality customer service with leading-edge entertainment and communications products.

As a longtime, on-call consultant to Charter, GS&P originally created a prototype design for its retail stores that has since been developed into numerous schematic plans. When Charter was ready to develop the brand for its new retail locations, the communications leader called upon GS&P to craft a design prototype that not only integrated an improved customer support model and services, but also adapted to the various sizes and configurations for a multi-store rollout.

“Charter was in the midst of going all-digital and was ready to revamp how they delivered their services,” explains senior interior designer Julie Roquemore. “We had previously partnered with them to create test-fit schematics—or their initial design prototype—for store sites across the country, and it made perfect sense for them to enlist GS&P to execute another transformation of the original prototype.”

Before: Previous prototype design featured sharp edges and was separated into service areas.

To develop and implement the new archetype, Charter selected a 5,200-square-foot space in Greenville, South Carolina. GS&P was given 18 weeks to complete the fast-tracked project, from the beginning of concept design to the opening of the new Greenville store—Charter’s largest to date. The strategy to meet this aggressive timetable focused on a number of key guiding principles including: improving the current store design to align with Charter’s customerfocused model; collaboration between the owner, designer, contractor and vendors to deliver the project on time; and expressing the Charter brand and image with contemporary yet enduring finishes.

RECEIVING/STORAGE

CASH ROOM

OFFICE

IT ROO

106

Cable boxes, DVRs and

TVs, interactive areas and a

12 CSR stations, separated

welcome customers, and

other equipment stored

customer consultation room

into three groups, are

a TV monitor that displays

in the double-sided, tall

are located to give customers

positioned to provide ease

the customer’s position

cabinets can be loaded and

hands-on experience, and

of access to equipment

in line, are located at the

unloaded from both sides,

to facilitate how-to lessons

and to the sales floor for

entry of the store.

supporting staff efficiency.

for customer service

interaction with customers.

representatives (CSRs).

CUSTOMER CONSULTATION ROOM

OM

After: The new store design was intended to blend these areas and align with Charter’s customerfocused model.

Charter Communications - Retail Story P rototype

A queue station to

General illumination from thin, recessed strip fixtures provides an inviting environment and draws the eye to technology displays.

“We wanted it to be welcoming so customers didn’t feel like they were approaching a clerk behind a high counter.”

— Anne-Marie Gianoudis, Project Designer

Development of GS&P’s new prototype concept started out with the floor plan, concentrating on open views and curving forms translated from Charter’s branding. With the goal of reinforcing interaction between the customer and customer service representative (CSR), as well as conducting live technology demonstrations, GS&P’s new plan aimed to focus on those points while providing accessibility to functional support areas.

“The previous retail store prototype was more sharp-edged and regimented,” says project designer Anne-Marie Gianoudis. “It was also separated into different service areas.

For example, there was a place where you could get your wireless Internet setup, and another designated area where you could return your cable box. With this new model, Charter didn’t want visual separation between those services because all of their CSR agents were going to serve every customer—no matter what services they required. They wanted to blend these areas so there were open views and the CSRs had visual contact with the entire store.

“The central focus we kept hearing from the client was that their representatives needed to be more approachable. So we designed a work counter that was lower and not as much a buffer between the customer and the CSRs. We wanted

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it to be more welcoming so customers didn’t feel like they were approaching a clerk behind a high counter.”

In the new retail store prototype, 12 CSR stations (separated into three groups) are positioned to provide ease of access to equipment and to the sales floor for interaction with customers. Televisions, interactive areas and a customer consultation room are located to give customers hands-on experience as well as facilitate “how-to” lessons. At the entry of the store, a queue station welcomes patrons while a TV monitor displays the customer’s position in line. The new design also provides agents with clear sight lines throughout the store, and the convenient location of equipment storage and multiple interactive areas gives CSRs efficient access to the tools they require to work with customers.

“We went through several iterations when we were studying this new store prototype,” says Roquemore.

“Charter knew they were ready for a change and were on the cusp of making the decision of how the CSRs were going to interact with the customer.

So while we were developing the new design model, they were deciding what functions were going to take place.

By collaborating with the client, we were ultimately able to help stretch their thought process and spur some of the decisions that were made.”

Charter Communications - Retail Story P rototype

PLAN DEVELOPMENT

SHOWCASE 7

LIGHTING

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Another pivotal element in improving the current store design to align with the customer-focused model was enhanced lighting. Selections were made to meet Charter’s key lighting goals which included: the use of lighting to enhance visual displays, create zones of interest and provide adequate work area illumination; improved light levels and low glare on TVs and equipment; and readily available fixtures that were both affordable and easy to maintain.

“The earlier retail store prototype was a little more dimly lit and

very focused in certain places to highlight the separate service areas,” says Roquemore. “With this new model, they wanted it more open, welcoming and light, making it easy for customers to find what they actually came for.”

“A large part of this project involved taking what Charter wanted and then showing them what it could be in the end,” adds Gianoudis. “This was especially true when it came to lighting. One of the key objectives was brighter lighting that highlighted the technology. And our goal was to

give them the interior design fully developed with a new lighting concept that easily transformed from one store to the next.

“Based on a sketch of what we wanted the floor plan to develop into, our lighting team was able to create a plan and photometric layout that clearly demonstrated to the client how we could improve the lighting levels. That lighting package is now being used as a prototype element that goes out to all new contractors that Charter brings on board.”

“With this new model, they wanted it more open, welcoming and light, making it easy for customers to find what they actually came for.”

— Julie Roquemore, Senior Interior Designer

LED track lighting

Exposed structure adds drama at focal wall

Thin, recessed fluorescent strip fixture EXPOSED STRUCTURE PAINTED BLACK

Gypsum-board suspended ceiling above CSRs

Pendant fixture used in the exposed ceiling areas

Adjustable accent lighting at interactive tables

A contemporary color palette, offset by accents of woodgrain laminate, brings a bright and inviting appeal to the store.

EXPRESSING THE BRAND In contrast to the original prototype which tied components such as carpet, millwork and ceilings to the brand color scheme, Charter desired a new store model that expressed the organization’s brand in a more contemporary yet enduring fashion.

“The brand image in the old prototype, with its vibrant graphics and finish elements, is in contrast to what we were asked to achieve with this new design,” says Gianoudis.

“Previously, the floor coloring featured a lot of branding colors, and the walls and laminates also incorporated the colors in their brand.

“Charter wanted their new stores to be more elegant and sophisticated.

They desired a space that was warm, simple, relatable and monochrome. By achieving this, it helped put the focus on technology such as tablets, laptops and smartphones. Those products became the center of attention as opposed to bright, flashy coloration in the finishes.”

Reinforcing Charter’s corporate identity via a more subtle design approach, a contemporary color palette of grays and white—offset by accents of woodgrain laminate on the casework—bring a bright and inviting appeal to the store. The creative use of curves in the millwork surfaces unifies the concept and creates approachable interactive zones for both customers and CSRs. Dominant walls emphasize

brand impact and lead to open views of the entire store. A neutral color scheme was used for the store’s carpet, millwork and ceilings, and branding colors were reserved for logo elements and accent paint only.

Clean ceiling planes and general illumination from thin, recessed strip fixtures add a touch of style while drawing the eye to technology displays.

Floating ceiling elements above the CSR areas accent the stations without visual clutter, while the integration of a curved wall form featuring tall storage cabinets (located behind the CSRs) creates a dynamic framework surrounding the sales floor.

Multiple interactive areas provide efficient access to the tools needed to work together with customers.

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT To meet the aggressive 18-week schedule, GS&P and Charter prioritized each team member’s efforts, allowing critical path items such as lighting to be designed, approved and released for construction at an accelerated pace. This required close collaboration as well as daily communication between GS&P, Charter, vendors, contractors and subcontractors.

“Immediately after the lighting concept design and fixture types were approved by Charter, GS&P released these details to the contractor for order placement,” says Roquemore.

“This quick release of information

allowed the contractor and subcontractor to get lighting costs approved and orders placed.

“Another component that helped speed things along was the procurement of carpet. Charter always orders their own carpet, and for years they’ve had a national contract with a specific vendor. Knowing about this existing contract, we quickly found the collections that were right for both the budget and the design. So before we knew who was going to carry out the installation, they had the carpet ready. This particular carpet will now be standard in all the new stores.”

“Charter has trusted GS&P for a long time, and I believe it’s because we serve them quickly and in a way that’s appropriate to what they need.”

— Anne-Marie Gianoudis, Project Designer PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

TEAM

Charter Communications, Inc.

PIC, PM James C. Griffo, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP PD David L. King, AIA, NCARB

LOCATION

PD Anne-Marie Gianoudis, IIDA, LEED AP

Greenville, South Carolina

PD Julie D. Roquemore, IIDA, LEED AP PC Timothy J. Anson, AIA, LEED AP

MARKET

Chandra Clonan

Corporate + Urban Design

Janet C. Cox, IIDA, LEED AP Dexter Carty

SERVICES

Charlie A. Hall, Associate IIDA, LEED AP

Construction Administration

Amanda Hunter

Conceptual Lighting Design

Melissa Long

Interior Design

Erin McCullar Randall A. Naccari, RA

SIZE

5,200 Square Feet

Claire Neely

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demonstrate how easily the details can be adapted from one store to another,” adds Roquemore. “The finishes translate to any store size, the module of the CSR desk and their support storage units are a standard size that can be used at every site, and technology and the display of those elements is also scalable to every location.

“In the end, all this translates into a new genre of retail store for Charter Communications that brings to life their overarching vision. And it’s extremely gratifying to know that we were able to bring value to the project by helping them implement that vision.”▪

Charter Communications - Retail Story P rototype

Open, bright and engaging, GS&P’s revised prototype design creates a new signature model for Charter Communications that not only propels its brand into the future, but also delivers an exciting new retail environment designed expressly with the customer in mind.

“Charter has trusted GS&P for a long time, and I believe it’s because we serve them quickly and in a way that’s appropriate to what they need,” says Gianoudis. “They don’t need overthinking. They need fast studies that get the projects in the pipeline.”

“Since the Greenville location opened, we’ve executed multiple test fits across the country that

CARE TENNESSEE ONCOLOGY CLINIC AT SAINT THOMAS WEST HOSPITAL

A

leader in cancer treatment services in the region, Tennessee Oncology treats the largest number of cancer patients in the state, and enrolls more patients in clinical trials than any other community-based oncology practice in the nation.

When the medical group outgrew their existing location at Saint Thomas West Hospital yet wanted to remain on site, they tasked GS&P with designing a new state-of-the-art oncology clinic—in shell space on the second floor of the campus’s S&E medical office building—that would better meet the unique needs of cancer patients and their families.

“Coping with cancer affects the whole family and is both mentally and physically draining for the patient,” says project designer Steve Verner.

“Cancer patients are often weak and fatigued from the treatments they receive, and chemotherapy infusions can require them to remain in the one location for hours at a time. So it was crucial our design response place special emphasis on creating a supportive environment that aided the patient as well as their family members, and addressed efficiencies and the safety of treatment.

“To accomplish this, we focused on optimizing the overall program flow to reduce a patient’s stress and anxiety levels, and developed a plan that kept wayfinding simple, walking distances to a minimum and eliminated bottlenecks.”

SHOWCASE 7 115

Optimizing Program Flow

To create a natural flow of both patients and staff, the layout for the new 22,200-square-foot clinic was designed from the perspective of the patient.

“Every aspect of the design came from putting ourselves in the patient’s shoes and envisioning what their experience would be,” says project coordinator Chris Hoal.

“Because of the nature of the treatments, we didn’t want patients to have to do any extra work for themselves. So we came up with a design solution that was extremely intuitive in terms of what they needed and where they needed to go.”

Starting with clear wayfinding, patients CHRIS HOAL, PROJECT COORDINATOR arrive at the new clinic via an elevator lobby and are immediately greeted by a receptionist. The reception desk serves as both a threshold to the waiting area as well as a security mechanism for patient safety. Waiting is centrally located on the floor so the patient never has to walk far to treatment locations.

“We weren’t starting out with a green-grass site, and that was one of the main challenges we faced with this project,” explains Verner. “We had an envelope, we had existing stairs and we had elevators. So we walked the client through what we felt were key opportunities for the shell space, and guided them to optimize the fact that they owned the entire second floor and weren’t simply a tenant—it was strictly dedicated to Tennessee Oncology.

“The main drivers became the placement of infusion alongside the best exterior views, as well as creating an entry at reception that sets the stage and lets patients and visitors know they’ve arrived at a place with its own identity, and not just a medical office building with a series of doctors’ offices.”

“The minute you step out of the elevator, prominent The design team used bright colors throughout signage and the branding theme of the wood begins,” adds the space to indicate important locations like the Hoal. “So you’re immediately received and greeted on a reception desk. floor that is clearly its own separate entity.”

“

... we came up with a design solution that was extremely intuitive in terms of what they needed and where they needed to go.

116

Prominent signage and subtle visual cues throughout the clinic help keep added stress to a minimum.

WAITING ROOM

Existing back-of-house functions are screened from the patients’ view while visitors wait comfortably. Blood draw, the common first step for most patients, is located immediately outside of the waiting room door.

Tennessee Oncology Clinic at Saint Thomas Hospital West

RECEPTION

SHOWCASE 7

Infusion areas open directly off the main corridor to improve wayfinding.

Instituting a far more organized infrastructure for doctors, exam rooms were clustered in pods that are assigned to an individual physician or specialist, allowing them to handle their patients’ needs in an efficient setting.

117

NURSE AREA

NURSE AREA

An open plan combined with vision glass in the infusion bays allow the staff a clear line of sight to every patient receiving medication.

The layout of treatment areas in the new space was specially tailored toward the specific types of treatment the clinic offers.

INFUSION BAYS

Glass walls between bays align with the ribbon windows to blur the line between inside and out, and maximize daylight while providing acoustical separation.

Further facilitating superior oncology care, the layout of treatment areas in the new space was specially tailored toward the specific types of treatment the clinic offers.

“A patient is either going to infusion to receive his or her scheduled dosage of chemotherapy, or they’re headed to an exam room for diagnosis,” says Verner. “So we designed both options to have a distinct and separate flow to keep patients localized and contained. And neither is far from the waiting room, so patients are always close to their attending staff. Also, by having two separate, dedicated nurse stations, it assists the nursing staff in supervising their patients, which helps them deliver a far more efficient level of care than they were able to provide in the previous facility.”

“And because our overarching goal was to minimize the steps a patient has to take, we located the common areas in the center of the program and essentially broke out a circle of treatment and exam areas that always come back to that center,” explains Hoal. “This way, no one has to get lost trying to make their way around the entire medical office building because waiting, infusion, blood draw and check-out are all visually connected to one another. So in terms of physical stress and anxiety,

EXAM ROOMS

Exam rooms are clustered in pods assigned to a physician or specialist, allowing them to handle their patients’ needs in an efficient setting.

the design makes it so much easier on these patients as well as their accompanying family members.”

Instituting a far more organized infrastructure for doctors, exam rooms were clustered in pods that are assigned to an individual physician or specialist, allowing them to handle their patients’ needs in an efficient setting.

Dictation rooms located at the end of each pod are designed to keep physicians near the patient, and have been sized to be converted into an exam room to allow for future growth. Infusion areas open directly off the main corridor to improve wayfinding, and the clinic’s gynecology suite is nestled in a private setting that’s removed from the activity of non-gender-specific treatment areas.

“What’s different about the gynecology patients is they’re often wearing gowns,” says Hoal. “To allow them both dignity and privacy, we designed a space that was a little more secluded, where they can change if they have to, and then step out into a controlled environment. Only the gynecology suite staff is going to come into contact with a patient in this area, which helps support those patients, and allows them to feel comfortable in a very intimate space.”

GYNECOLOGY SUITE

The gynecology suite is nestled in a private setting that’s removed from the activity of non-gender-specific treatment areas.

Tennessee Oncology Clinic at Saint Thomas Hospital West

118

Treatment Areas

SHOWCASE 7 119

“

...it was vital to create an environment that fostered both comfort and calm.

STEVE VERNER, PROJECT DESIGNER

INFUSION BAYS

INFUSION VIEWS

The infusion bay was broken up into four pods, each taking full advantage of the best exterior views available.

Infusion was the most carefully designed space in the new clinic simply because it’s where patients spend the vast majority of their time. Its prime location in the secondfloor shell space was selected early in the design process to take full advantage of the best exterior views. Twentyone open infusion bays were broken up into four pods, creating more intimate spaces where patients can rest, recline, watch TV, view the outdoors or even socialize with other patients.

“Right off the bat, we determined where the infusion area needed to be,” says Verner. “The views from some of the windows were either of the parking garage or of buildings that were a part of the campus. We wanted infusion patients to occupy this particular corner of the second floor so they could experience views of the surrounding green space as well as the best source of natural light.

“Because of the sheer amount of time a patient can spend receiving infusion treatments, it was vital to create an environment that fostered both comfort and calm. We achieved this by not only by providing views and natural light which offer positive distractions for patients, but also by giving the patient the ability to control his or her environment—and that can be as simple as controlling the lighting in their pod so they can read, sleep or meditate. This sense of control gives patients a true feeling

of independence, and that ultimately contributes to the success of the overall healing process.”

Promoting a supportive and healing environment, the open plan combined with vision glass offers nurses clear sight lines to every patient receiving treatment, and glass walls between the bays align with ribbon windows to blur the distinction between the inside and outside, inviting nature in and providing all-import acoustical separation for enhanced privacy. The design improves both efficiency and work flow, and lets nursing staff closely observe their patients.

“Spokes” in the ceiling—similar to that of a bicycle’s— create a distinctive design feature that organizes the infusion area in a way that supports the nurses. It achieves this by keeping both staff and resources centralized in one location while patients are arranged around the nurse station. This allows nursing staff to support one another, keeps more eyes on more patients, and ensures an increased ability for multiple staff members to respond quickly to emergencies.

For higher acuity patients, two private infusion rooms— located next to the open bay infusion area—offer an extra level of privacy while still providing visual contact with nursing staff.

INFUSION AREA

Infusion areas open directly off the main corridor to improve wayfinding for patients. In designing the treatment spaces, proximity of staff to patients was of primary importance.

Tennessee Oncology Clinic at Saint Thomas Hospital West

120

Infusion

SHOWCASE 7

Check-out/Exit 121

Once a patient has completed his or her treatment, they proceed to check-out. To cut down on confusion, checkout areas were designed to be clearly visible from the treatment spaces. For the convenience of the patient, each check-out area is dedicated to either infusion or the exam rooms. From check-out, patients can exit the clinic without having to backtrack through the waiting area. This private and convenient exit—hidden behind a translucent serpentine wall which obscures existing core functions such as maintenance elevators and janitors’ closets—allows patients who have just undergone chemotherapy treatment to avoid an often busy waiting area.

“Patients are most likely not going to look or feel their best when they’ve just gone through chemotherapy, and the last thing they need to do is walk back through a crowded waiting room—it puts pressure on them and it’s uncomfortable for the other patients,” says Verner. “So we designed the serpentine wall to give patients privacy and dignity as they make their way out of the clinic—and

that’s better for everyone. And as a pure design feature, the translucent panels make the waiting room feel far more spacious.”

Also important to end users who may feel vulnerable before or after treatment, all patient-related spaces were subtly color coded to their function. This extra layer of wayfinding emphasizes Tennessee Oncology’s cutting-edge treatment methodologies and dedication to exceptional care through the use of a bright, warm and contemporary color palette.

“Associating spaces with a specific color tone adds a layer of organization that helps patients navigate the clinic,” says Verner. “For example, the exam checkout area uses the same colors and materials as the infusion check-out to create visual consistency. We also used bright colors and visually compelling local photography to mark other areas that are important for patient wayfinding.”

STAFF ZONES

SCHEDULING CHECKOUT

NURSE STATIONS

TRANSACTION TOPS

TREATMENT AREAS

The exam check-out uses the same colors and materials as the infusion check-out to create visual consistency.

The scheduling area uses bright colors and compelling local photography to mark areas that are important for patient wayfinding, reinforcing the client’s goal of creating a supportive environment.

exam rooms

procedure rooms

gynecology suite

in-practice pharmacy

bloodanalysis lab

Featuring 23 infusion stations, 21 exam rooms, two procancer patient? Every single design decision—from the cedure rooms, a gynecology suite, an in-practice pharfinishes to the program—was made from their viewpoint.” macy and a blood-analysis laboratory, the new Tennessee “And because we did our very best to see things from Oncology clinic at Saint Thomas West Hospital boasts a patient’s perspective, it’s extremely gratifying when we a larger, streamlined layout, which not only enhances get feedback related to the patients themselves,” adds the overall cancer-care experience, but vastly improves Verner. “For example, Karen Edwards, the director pathways to care by providing all oncology and hemafor Tennessee Oncology, told us that the day after the tology-related services in one Open House, she helped a convenient location. patient—who was using her IV “One of the main things I pole to support herself—walk will take away from this expearound the clinic so she could rience is the way in which we take pictures with her iPhone focused so clearly on what the because she thought it was patient was feeling,” says Hoal. such a great space. And if a “There was nothing that went patient is able to notice that into this effort that came from someone has put a great deal anybody’s design ego. It was of care and attention into their literally: imagine yourself with environment instead of focuscancer, and when you’re walking on the treatment they’re ing around this corner, what receiving, then we’ve really would you want to see as a done our job right.”▪ CHRIS HOAL, PROJECT COORDINATOR

“

Every single design decision—from the finishes to the program— was made from [the patient’s] viewpoint.

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

SERVICES

TEAM

Tennessee Oncology, PLLC

Architecture

PIC Steven P. Johnson, AIA, NCARB

Interior Design

PD Steve Verner, Associate AIA, EDAC PC Christopher D. Hoal

LOCATION

Nashville, Tennessee

MARKET

Healthcare

SIZE

22,200 Square Feet

ID Kristen Vaughn, LEED AP ID Ashley Roller

Pamela Bybee Helga Bolyard

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infusion stations

Tennessee Oncology Clinic at Saint Thomas Hospital West

23 21 2 1 1 1

GDOT – I-20 AT WASHINGTON ROAD LIGHTING

G

olf balls, birds and airplanes have a lot in common in Augusta, Georgia. All three take flight at regular intervals, and all three played a role in the timing and precision of a crucial bridge and underpass lighting project at Augusta’s I-20 and State Route 8/ Washington Road interchange.

As the primary access point to Augusta National Golf Club, which draws thousands of fans to the Masters Golf Tournament each year, the busy interchange is located beside a migratory bird habitat, and is close to Augusta Regional Airport. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) determined that daytime and nighttime visibility were insufficient inside and above the 80-foot-long underbridge at the intersection—posing a safety hazard for motorists and pedestrians—and

that time was of the essence to design and build a cost-effective lighting solution without disrupting nature, sport or aviation.

Though far from GS&P’s first project for GDOT, the groundbreaking opportunity represented a new frontier as the state’s first designbuild lighting project.

“We were just really aggressive with our design,” says Carla Holmes, senior transportation engineer. “We had clear milestones, and we coordinated closely with GDOT, the contractor and the vendors.

“It meant a lot to us that GDOT trusted GS&P enough from our previous work to allow us to assist them with the first lighting design-build project. To partner with them in developing the policies for this process was an exciting challenge for our team.”

SHOWCASE 7 125

...the innovative design will save the state more than 40 percent annually on operation and maintenance.

— Carla Holmes, Senior Transportation Engineer

At the project’s critical starting point, GS&P and electrical contractor Brooks Berry Haynie & Associates resisted the status quo, designing a solution that increased safety while being cognizant of the need to safeguard public funds.

“In similar projects involving long underpasses, the tendency has been to overdesign and overbuild using standard tunnel lighting that may be too bright at night,” Holmes explains.

“As a result, up to 75 percent of tunnel luminaries are sometimes disconnected after construction to save on annual utility costs—meaning taxpayer dollars are wasted installing fixtures that go unused.”

The interchange’s preliminary lighting plans repeated the concepts seen in other long underpass designs.

Instead of relying on routine design practices, the design-build team recognized an opportunity to provide a solution that can both meet the needs of the I-20/Washington Road underpass, and be replicated to address similar situations on other projects.

“We approached GDOT with the idea of modifying the underpass lighting design to avoid overshooting the lighting and ending up with astronomical lighting costs not only up front, but for many years to come,” Holmes says. “Previous designs may have just taken the standard specs and put the tunnel lighting in, but we wanted to

HYBRID LIGHTING SYSTEM

GDOT - I-2 0 at Washington Road L ighting

Underbridge luminaires are mounted to the bridge along beams, and provide daytime and nighttime lighting.

126

High-mast lighting reaches more than a hundred feet above ground to illuminate roadways, ramps, the overpass and surrounding areas.

make sure the state–and ultimately Georgia taxpayers–didn’t waste money they didn’t need to spend.”

GDOT officials agreed, and gave GS&P the go-ahead to work up a more efficient plan.

“We tried a number of different options and arrived at a hybrid lighting design that used fewer fixtures but still exceeded the goals of providing greater visibility and safety,” Holmes says.

The team conducted studies to demonstrate that the updated design met the required amount of luminescence both during the day and at night, and team members used 3-D models and light-visualization software to reduce the number of lighting fixtures needed in the underpass.

As a result, installation costs were reduced, and the innovative design saves more than 40 percent annually on operation and maintenance.

Designing both a cost-effective and safe solution was “very gratifying,” says Holmes. “You’re not often able to affect the outcome as much as we were here—especially with something new.

We understand from our work on all types of roadway projects that dollars do matter. You have to meet safety standards, but in a lot of cases there is flexibility. Anything we can do to optimize safety and save taxpayer dollars is a good thing.”

Anything we can do to optimize safety and save taxpayer dollars is a good thing. — Carla Holmes, Senior Transportation Engineer

SHOWCASE 7 129

Before: Underpass was too dark during daylight hours.

Underpasses longer than 80 feet can create circumstances similar to a tunnel and, as such, carry recommendations for supplemental daylighting from the American National Standards Institute, as well as the Illuminating Engineering Society.

To meet the standards, GS&P designer Jason Boyll emphasized the importance of rethinking the interchange’s lighting through the eyes of a motorist approaching the underbridge.

“On a sunny day, a driver’s eyes must adjust quickly to lower light levels. If the inside of the underpass is too dim, the driver’s ability to distinguish between objects and perceive potential obstacles is diminished,” says Boyll. “It may look like a ‘black hole’ if proper daytime lighting isn’t in place.”

Once the driver has entered the underpass and adjusted to lower

light levels, less lighting is needed to maintain visibility.

“This transition lighting is designed to ease the burden on the driver’s eyes as they transition between areas of light and darkness,” Boyll continues. “Softer lighting is necessary at night, so control strategies are required to turn off the additional lighting after dark to save energy.”

“Complexities related to lighting might surprise drivers who rarely think about roadway illumination,” says Holmes. “People tend to not think much about lighting until they realize it’s insufficient. They may think it’s only a matter of putting up some light poles and flipping a switch­—no big deal. But a lot goes into roadway lighting design: the brightness, the coverage area, the transitions and the daytime and nighttime impacts.”

On a sunny day, a driver’s eyes must adjust quickly to lower light levels. If the inside of the underpass is too dim, the driver’s ability to distinguish between objects is diminished.

It may look like a ‘black hole’...

— Jason Boyll, Project Designer

After: Appropriate daytime and nighttime illumination were added to the bridge as well as sidewalk areas.

SHOWCASE 7 131

Considering the delicate nature of the project, success hinged on a clear plan with detailed milestones and persistent follow-up throughout the process.

“Because the underbridge lighting was the challenging part—where we had to redesign, conduct a study and explain the approach—it took extra time that was not in the original scope,” says Holmes.

“We knew that taking those steps would compress the time frame, but it was very important that we did it right. It took a lot of coordination between the design-build team and GDOT not to jeopardize the schedule.”

As the work unfolded, GS&P’s design team kept in close contact with GDOT, the contractor, vendors, local engineers and utilities, and even Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials.

“Our many coordination activities included some with FAA representatives because of the interchange’s proximity to a nearby airport, and the flight path of planes taking off

and landing,” Holmes says. “We kept everyone informed, and when we identified anything that might be an issue—such as the need to redesign the underbridge lighting—we raised it as soon as possible.”

And since this was the state’s first design-build lighting project, many of the necessary steps were new.

“Most of the previous design-build projects were big roadway projects, so the same processes didn’t always apply here,” explains Holmes. “We were helping GDOT retool the policy and requirements as we went along, because we knew there was value not only for this project, but perhaps even more value for future design-build lighting efforts.

“What’s great about this project is our design didn’t simply follow the textbook approach. Our team clearly identified the problem, re-imagined the best way to address it, and demonstrated care and concern for both the taxpayers’ money and for GDOT’s goals. I like that about our team. We went the extra mile.”▪

Our team clearly identified the problem, re-imagined the demonstrated care and concern for both the taxpayers’ money

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best way to address it, and

— Carla Holmes, Senior Transportation Engineer

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

SERVICES

Georgia Department of Transportation

Lighting Design

LOCATION

TEAM

Augusta, Georgia

PIC Marion Waters III, P.E., PTOE PM Carla Holmes, P.E., PTOE

MARKET

PP Josh Williams, P.E., PTOE

Transportation

PD Jason Boyll

Mark H. Washing, P.E.

GDOT - I-2 0 at Washington Road L ighting

and for GDOT’s goals.

AN

RASHID MEDICAL CENTER - CAMPUS MASTER PLAN

THE RASHID MEDICAL COMPLEX WILL BE A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY WITH A GOAL TO MAKE THE QUALITY OF CARE SECOND TO NONE IN THE GULF REGION. Frank Swaans, Senior Healthcare Planner

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replacing—the existing hospital, as well as sustainability in a desert climate, and reflecting the spirit of a city full of iconic architecture.

“There are several medical campuses throughout the city, but Rashid is the flagship hospital,” says Kevin Kim, senior vice president and design principal on the project. To meet DHA’s goals of ensuring excellence in healthcare and promoting Dubai as a destination city for medical services, the city is planning significant expansion to its hospitals.

“With assistance from the government, citizens of the UAE often travel to the United States, Great Britain or Europe for medical care. Likewise, foreigners living and working in the UAE generally travel to their home countries for care. So the government’s goal is to provide world-class healthcare options at home to reverse this trend of outbound medical travel.”

In addition, Dubai officials are working to attract an annual goal of 500,000 medical tourists before 2020’s World Expo, particularly patients from the six countries that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, as well as from across the Middle East and North Africa.

“They are aiming high,” says Frank Swaans, senior healthcare planner and principal in charge. “The Rashid medical complex will be a state-ofthe-art facility with a goal to make the quality of care second to none in the Gulf region.”

Rashid Medical Center Campus M aster P lan

he most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai is home to just over 2 million people from more than 200 different nationalities. An emerging global city with a rapidly growing tourism sector, Dubai is slated to host the 2020 World Expo, the first time the event will be held in the Middle East.

In keeping with the emirate’s ongoing transformation, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA)—a government agency that oversees the healthcare system—has strategic goals to upgrade and expand Dubai’s hospitals to offer citizens, expatriates and regional countries world-class healthcare options.

As a part of this initiative, the DHA launched an invitation-only design competition for a master plan to expand a current facility, the Rashid Hospital, into a leading medical complex. GS&P’s winning proposal took into consideration the logistical challenges of building around—and then

The Centers of Excellence building will serve as a shared clinical and research facility.

A 250-room, five-star hotel is located on the south campus, which is connected to the rehab centers by a green roof.

collaboration and provide more time to build relationships.

“In the Middle East, they develop relationships,” says Swaans. “They want to see you, shake hands, have a meal. So we traveled there frequently.

“As the project moves into its next phases and construction begins, we will have even more of a local presence. Projects such as this are international in scope, with team members working in multiple hemispheres. But ultimately, success is achieved on site.”

The Rashid Hospital complex is located in the heart of Dubai, only 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport.

Rashid Medical Center - Campus M aster P lan

The GS&P design team initially faced the challenge of how to work most effectively across geographic and cultural boundaries. To maintain accuracy and communication throughout the design process, the team used leading-edge collaborative software and video conferencing.

Despite the great distances involved, however, the client preferred personal meetings. Team members recognized that extended trips would allow for valuable

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A GLOBAL EFFORT

NORTH CAMPUS

EXISTING METRO STATION

N

CONFERENCE CENTER

CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE

PARKING GARAGE

NEW INPATIENT TOWERS

FIVE-STAR HOTEL

FAMILY HOTEL

VILLAS FOR STAFF

RETAIL/COMMERCIAL MALL

SOUTH CAMPUS

INPATIENT TOWERS

Rashid Medical Center - Campus M aster P lan

STAFF APARTMENTS

Organized into several functional zones, the large, urban campus is intended to be a cornerstone of the regional healthcare delivery system developed for Dubai. The current master plan calls for a 900-bed tertiary hospital, multispecialty outpatient facilities, a conference and education center, research space, a central utility plant, and a 3,000-space parking structure— all on the north side of the campus.

The south side of the complex will encompass rehabilitation facilities, two luxury hotels, villas for physician consultants, six apartment buildings for staff members, a 2,400-space parking structure, and a retail market.

“The north campus is hospitalrelated, and the south campus is more residential,” says Kim. “The south campus will also have a shopping mall, since everything necessary for creating a good living environment for staff and specialists will need to be imported.”

One of the key challenges facing the GS&P team was crafting a master plan that kept the original Rashid Hospital fully functional during the first phase of construction.

“The replacement hospital will be built first, then we’ll demolish the existing hospital, and in its place there will be a new building with other functionality,” says Kim. “A newer trauma center, currently undergoing renovations, will be the only existing building incorporated into the new layout.

“These two existing facilities ultimately influenced the locations of various other components, and organizing functions and services that need to be located in relation to each other became an extensive challenge.”

The GS&P team tackled the issue through phasing construction, and by creating temporary outpatient areas within the inpatient hospital to be used until the new facilities are built.

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REINVENTING REGIONAL HEALTHCARE

SHOWCASE 7

ENERGY-EFFICIENT SYSTEMS

139

Heat recovery from the electrical cogeneration system powers chillers and provides steam for medical sterilization.

WATER CONSERVATION Rainwater is collected and reused for process water.

LOW-IMPACT TRANSPORTATION

GREEN ROOF Reduces water runoff and flow rates. Cuts down on heat absorption, boosting energy efficiency.

RENEWABLE ENERGY Parking garage roof provides ideal opportunity for photovoltaic installation.

Direct access to mass transportation significantly reduces CO2 emissions.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE FACADES High-performance glazing films minimize solar heat gain.

Thermal mass walls are designed to moderate temperatures throughout the day and night.

Rashid Medical Center - Campus M aster P lan

The new hospital complex is schedrehab centers,” says Kim. “As the crowded neighborhoods, the design uled to be operational before the master plan moves into constructeam had to devise a carefully orga2020 World Expo, whose theme tion, we’ll further customize the nized traffic pattern to reduce con“Connecting Minds, Creating the green roofs for optimal effect in gestion and carbon emissions, as Future” will highlight sustainability the extreme environment.” well as facilitate patient movement. and mobility, two ideas captured in Taking advantage of Dubai’s “The medical complex is in a cenGS&P’s design. ample sunshine, extensive rooftop tral downtown location with heavy Because the UAE is in a desert solar panels will generate part of traffic, so we wanted to take advanenvironment with limited resources, the energy needed for the complex. tage of an existing mass transit stathe DHA wanted all of the facilities In a city where summertime temtion on the west side of the north to incorporate environmentally susperatures can reach or exceed 104 campus,” notes Kim. “The most tainable features. degrees Fahrenheit, keeping buildcirculation will be outpatient and “Form and function work hand ing interiors cool was also key. The certain education-related functions, in hand. That’s the essence of green GS&P design incorporates a highly so we placed those buildings nearest design,” says Swaans. the metro station, directly “We looked at the susconnected by a bridge.”

WE CREATED THIS CURVED, tainability goals and Streamlining flow, then devised solutions to vehicular traffic will be GENTLY SLOPING GREEN ROOF elegantly combine form organized and separated THAT CONNECTS ALL THREE and function in an envito provide convenient ronmentally responsible access to each functional MAJOR INPATIENT TOWERS, medical center that will zone—inpatient, outpaalso operate at optimal tient, rehabilitation, hotel, THEN RUNS ACROSS THE SOUTH efficiency.” retail, commercial and CAMPUS AND CONNECTS THE Water conservasupport services. tion is crucial in Dubai, “The public and staff HOTEL AND REHAB CENTERS. which receives less than circulation is organized 6 inches of rainfall along courtyards between Kevin Kim, Senior Vice President annually, and depends buildings, which will proand Design Principal on desalination of seavide shade and protection water. Rashid Hospital from the desert climate,” complex’s design will allow that efficient exterior envelope and winexplains Kim. “And the retail and scant rainfall to be collected and dow glazing to minimize heat gain, cafeteria functions will also be along used for process water. Green roofs and geothermal systems can provide the courtyards.” will improve energy efficiency by indoor cooling.

Dubai’s energy consumption per absorbing the sun’s heat, filter pol“Our solar studies will help best capita is currently among the highest lution from the crowded city, reduce determine where to use windows, in the world, but the emirate is takwater runoff and provide a quieter and where to replace them with ing steps toward a greener city. The and more attractive environment. thermal mass walls that absorb the features incorporated into GS&P’s “We created this curved, gently heat of the day and radiate it at night,” master plan will help the DHA betsloping green roof that connects says Swaans. ter manage the medical complex’s all three major inpatient towers, Because the new medical comeffect on the environment. then runs across the south camplex will be more than a kilometer pus and connects the hotel and in length, and will be surrounded by

140

A SUSTAINABLE, ACCESSIBLE OASIS

CHANNELING THE

SPIRIT OF DUBAI Dubai is rapidly solidifying its status from above. We understood that “Dubai started as a seaside trading as a pioneer of new ideas and a hub this huge campus in a strategic and port. If you look at the three inpatient of global commerce at the heart of visible location not only had to make towers, they’re oriented toward the a new “Silk Road” that links Asia, sense as a healthcare facility with the Dubai Creek, like ships with unfurled Africa and Europe. In addition to right functionality, but it also had to sails,” says Kim. “Among Dubai’s creating a world-class healthcare complement the image of the city.” iconic architecture are structures destination, the design team had to The entire complex incorporates that are only fully understood from remain mindful of architecture trends traditional Islamic and Middle an aerial view, like the palm islands. in Dubai, and fit the master plan into Eastern design features, and subLooking at the new medical complex the context of Dubai as a whole. tly reflects the spirit of the city in from above, the arching of the tow“Dubai is known for iconic unexpected ways. ers and placement of hotels form the architecture, and has star and crescent, an cleverly created this international emblem If you’re writing a poem, an image as one of the of Islam. These subtle most progressive citinterpretations were how understanding of vocabulary ies in the region via we infused the design and syntax is only the start. its built environment,” with a feel that unites it says Kim. “So you with the entire city.”

What matters is how it comes have the world’s talltogether as a unifying image est building, an indoor ski resort, and manand message. In architecture, made islands that look like palm trees working out the functionality

of a building is just the basics. ­Kevin Kim, Senior Vice President and Design Principal

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

Dubai Health Authority

LOCATION

TEAM

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

PIC Frank Swaans, AIA, ACHA, FHFI, LEED AP, EDAC PD Kevin K. S. Kim, AIA

MARKET

Healthcare

PD Samuel Chunfu Lin PM David Stewart, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP PP Sejin Kim, Associate AIA, LEED AP

Alex Ge SERVICES

Conceptual Design Master Planning Programming Site Planning

Brian Hubbard Gregory J. Wieland, AIA Paul Legan

142

is what made GS&P’s master plan design stand out.

“If you’re writing a poem, an understanding of vocabulary and syntax is only the start. What matters is how it comes together as a unifying image and message. In architecture, working out the functionality of a building is just the basics,” says Kim. “What really makes a difference is how form, function and design come together to create a space that’s not just where people work and live, but is part of the urban fabric; something that inspires people and makes them proud of their city. Our scheme has done that quite well, especially within the context of Dubai.”▪

Rashid Medical Center - Campus M aster P lan

After winning the design competition, the GS&P team is now working with Dubai officials to launch the first phase of design on the north campus.

“We are only at the beginning of this monumental project, but Dubai anticipates a landmark design that symbolizes its modernity and growing global presence,” says Swaans.

Ultimately, a deep understanding of how to craft memorable structures that go beyond mere functionality

Schwan Cosmetics USA – Corporate Headquarters and Flagship Production/Research and Development Facility

SHOWCASE 7 145

eeking to consolidate its Piscataway, New Jersey, and Lewisburg, Tennessee, operations, Schwan Cosmetics USA selected GS&P to design a new 174,000-square-foot North American headquarters and an FDA-compliant manufacturing facility that would integrate the two outdated plants into one centralized location in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Headquartered in Heroldsberg, Germany, the world’s largest privatelabel producer of cosmetics desired an attractive and sophisticated U.S. head office that would appeal to highprofile buyers from New York to Paris, yet avoid appearing pretentious to its customers. The company’s goals also called for the facility to be highly efficient in the production of Schwan’s best-in-class product line, provide ease of maintenance while complying with all applicable FDA regulations, and be as environmentally responsible and sustainable as possible.

To be situated on a 25-acre greenfield site in the Elam Farms development on the north side of Joe B. Jackson Parkway, the new state-of-the-art facility would entail six primary segments: corporate administration; laboratory research and development; product manufacturing; a customer experience environment; warehousing; and employee amenities.

“Schwan has been manufacturing cosmetics for more than 100 years, and has a highly refined level of expertise in that industry,” says Ken Zyga, GS&P executive vice president and principal-in-charge on the

WAREHOUSING

project. “However, as their managing director expressed to us, they had never designed a building before and had no idea where to begin or end. So they turned to us—as part of a design-build team with Turner Construction—to design a facility that’s not only inviting for both their international visitors and employees, but is as aesthetically appealing as it is efficient without being overly opulent or extravagant.”

“From the outset, we knew that Schwan wanted the design to embody their corporate slogan ‘Inspiration Engineered,’ ” adds project manager Scott Schulz. “So we sought to develop an aesthetic value that would effectively convey their brand image and translate that into a comprehensive customer experience—from the point a client first sees the facility, to when they exit to return home.”

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

FIRST FLOOR

146

ENVIRONMENT

LABORATORY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

PRODUCT MANUFACTURING

CORPORATE ADMINISTRATION

We sought to develop an aesthetic value that would effectively convey their brand image and translate that into a comprehensive customer experience— from the point a client first sees the facility, to when they exit to return home.

Scott Schulz, Project Manager

S chwan Cosmetics USA - Corporate Headquarters & Flagship Production / R& D Facility

EMPLOYEE AMENITIES

SHOWCASE 7 147

The first step in developing a design concept that adhered to all of Schwan’s key goals was to establish a common language among their numerous representatives and the GS&P team, which comprised 11 professional disciplines. To start the process, the design team hosted an architectural visioning session to capture the client’s sense of brand as well as the statement they wanted to make about their products through the context of their new showcase facility.

“During the initial visioning session, we asked Schwan executives— including their managing director—to choose words that embodied their goals, and then select imagery of various building styles that either matched those goals or captured an aesthetic quality they embraced,” says Zyga. “They wrote down single words such as ‘sleek,’ ‘smart,’ or even ‘wow’ to convey their impression of those visuals, so it was almost like a word

game. And for the client, this oldschool technique of looking at visual examples of architectural design basically took all of the mystery out of the process, and gave them the opportunity to actively participate in the design.”

Next, rather than holding a series of meetings where the client suggests changes to the design—and the architects then present the new drawings at the following meeting— the design team used Revit software to streamline the process.

“A client could potentially take a couple of days to mark up each drawing, making suggestions such as moving a room or enlarging an office,” says Zyga. “The architects would then include that markup and present it at the next meeting. It’s a long-standing and traditional process, but it’s also very time consuming.

“With Revit, one of our architects sat at the computer and manipulated

Participants were asked to highlight visual examples of design that either inspired them or captured an aesthetic quality they emotionally embraced.

With Revit, one of our architects sat at the computer and manipulated the images while the client watched. It was a unique process of information sharing that saved weeks of going back and forth.

Ken Zyga, Principal-In-Charge

the images while the client watched.

It was a unique process of information sharing that saved weeks of going back and forth. And it worked so well that we are now following the same procedure with other clients.”

Representatives from Turner Construction were also invited to take a seat at the table throughout the design process, providing valuable suggestions from a builder’s point of view. For instance, their suggestion to move an interior wall by just a few

feet ultimately saved both time and money for the client.

“Turner is a partner we know very well, and we truly value and trust their input,” says Zyga. “We create the model, and they’re the ones who go out and make it real. Having construction experts in the room simply creates a better build. And it’s a distinctly collaborative process that allows us to blend our ideas together and come up with the optimum result for the client.”

SHOWCASE 7

149

Known for its environmental responsibility, Schwan sought to integrate sustainable features into the new facility wherever possible, placing a strong emphasis on both energy efficiency as well as conservation.

“Schwan had a clear idea of what they wanted in their headquarters, and our job was to translate that goal into an American environment,” says Schulz. “For example, they wanted their facility to be as energy efficient as possible to control costs and to make the building as sustainable as it could be. In Germany—which has a national target of producing more than a third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020—growing numbers of businesses achieve those goals by installing solar power.

But our designers explained that in Murfreesboro, where electricity is much cheaper than in Germany, solar power would have less impact.

“A kilowatt of electricity in Germany costs 14 cents. But in Murfreesboro, the Tennessee Valley Authority charges 4.5 cents, which is about one-third the price. So the use of solar energy would have a long return on investment and make

far less sense. And that’s the kind of cultural guidance we were able to provide Schwan, which allowed them to focus on design elements that would achieve their goals in the United States,” says Schulz.

Along with providing fiscal direction from a U.S. perspective, the design team also recommended incorporating a number of sustainable design elements including the use of large clerestories (or light scoops) to introduce natural light into the facility’s administrative spaces and laboratories. In addition, the team advised the use of occupancy sensors and LED bulbs to further reduce costs and energy consumption. Other sustainable components include low-flow fixtures to help conserve water, and the use of locally sourced, recycled materials.

“Although Schwan chose not to pursue LEED certification, their new facility was designed and built with many forward-thinking green and sustainable elements,” says Zyga.

“The end result is an environmentally responsible and energy-efficient building that’s estimated to reduce operational costs.”

The end result is an environmentally responsible and energy-efficient building that’s estimated to reduce operational costs.

KEN ZYGA, PrINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE

S chwan Cosmetics USA - Corporate Headquarters & Flagship Production / R& D Facility

150

Large clerestories bring natural light into the administrative spaces and laboratories.

SHOWCASE 7 151

As market buyers and product auditors would be visiting Schwan’s facility daily, the design needed to project the company’s corporate slogan “Inspiration Engineered” in the totality of the customer experience.

With this in mind, the GS&P team placed great emphasis on the travel path of facility visitors to introduce this concept, and echoed the company’s motto through every visual step—from entry to exit.

“The client experience begins in the reception lobby, which serves as a welcome into the facility,” explains Schulz. “From that first impression, glass doors lead to the factory floor and provide a direct view of the production process that highlights the company’s organization and cleanliness. Clients will then move into the factory along a central spine, or continue upstairs where the circulation passes by the large glass wall of the research and development lab that showcases Schwan Cosmetics’ innovations, and allows clients to view the technicians at work without disturbing them.”

“The large windows, open design and natural light create a true feeling of transparency, and send a clear message that the company is proud of its workers and products, and is eager to showcase them,” notes Zyga.

The large windows, open design and natural light create a true feeling of transparency, and send a clear message that the company is proud of its workers and products, and is eager to showcase them.

Ken Zyga, Principal-In-Charge

CLIENT EXPERIENCE

Clients are able to move along a central spine of the research and development lab that showcases Schwan Cosmetics’ innovations, and allows clients to view the technicians at work without disturbance.

The reception lobby is the first impression for the client experience.

Glass doors from reception to the factory floor provide purposeful transparency and a direct view into the manufacturing facility.

Besides creating a destination facility for its customers, Schwan was adamant the new building design enhance the overall employee experience. Where its manufacturing facility in Lewisburg is a conglomeration of building parts and pieces that originate from the original plant in the 1930s—and is essentially everything a highly efficient manufacturing operation should not be—GS&P’s design dispenses with the cumbersome nature of the past and replaces it with employee workspaces and amenities designed to satisfy, motivate and reward.

This enhanced employee experience starts at the side entrance to the building adjacent to employee support and amenity spaces. Support spaces include a fitness center and locker rooms with showers, and a café that provides computer stations—as well as dining and social space near administrative spaces and the factory floor—that encourages interaction between the departments, and among office and factory employees. The office design is open and light-filled, and balances privacy needs by providing plenty of small team rooms for heads-down work.

“Schwan truly values its employees,” stresses Zyga. “So, with both comfort and efficiency in mind, we put ourselves in the place of the workers.

What if they saved 10 steps every time they completed a function they had to perform a hundred times a day?

That adds up to huge savings of time and effort over the years. Achieving that kind of outcome required close collaboration with the client, and they will be able to measure the results and place a dollar amount on the savings.”

Also vital to Schwan was that the choice of materials enhance the

Concrete flooring and metal tile ceilings provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance and are easy surfaces to maintain.

ease of maintenance. To comply with FDA regulations, the firm conducts a quarterly deep cleaning of its facilities.

To lend new efficiency to that process, the team incorporated smooth surfaces into the design that won’t gather dust as a result of the cosmetics production process.

“We incorporated surfaces that are not only easy to clean, but are also

attractive and appealing,” says Zyga.

“All flooring is polished concrete, and the ceilings in the production area are vinyl tile, which doesn’t collect dust. This will enable our client to meet the FDA’s requirements for cleanliness, yet still remain focused on creating world-class cosmetic products without being distracted by the actual operation of the facility.”

154

What if [workers] saved 10 steps every time they completed a function they had to perform a hundred times a day?

That adds up to huge savings of time and effort over the years.

Masterfully blending broad visual appeal with unmistakable functional suitability, Schwan Cosmetics’ new U.S. corporate and production headquarters strategically highlights the company’s brand image through its open layout and neutral palette, and maximizes adjacencies to foster interaction between both manufacturing and office employees. Thanks to higher environmental building system efficiencies and improved process system effectiveness, the leading-edge facility is estimated to replicate Schwan’s current manufacturing processes at a net reduction of 27 percent in energy usage costs.

“We’ve created a crisp, modern and quality-focused environment for Schwan—one that will help support their strategic and operational goals,” says Schulz.

“The company is, in a sense, in the fashion industry, which places an enormous amount of emphasis on both beauty and style. And while this facility is certainly beautiful and sophisticated-looking, its beauty and sophistication aren’t just skin deep.

And the design isn’t simply a matter of what the building looks like—it’s about how well it serves the people who use it each and every day.”▪

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

Surveying

Joyce Ferguson

Louis Medcalf, FCSI, CCS

Cosmolab, Inc.

Traffic

Steve Frantz, P.E.

Deron McIntosh, P.E.

Jason B. Fukuda, P.E., S.E.

E. Michele McMinn, IIDA,

James D. Graham

LEED AP ID+C, EDAC

LOCATION

SIZE

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

174,000 Square Feet TEAM

MARKET

PIC Ken Zyga, P.E., PMP, LEED AP

Industrial

PM Scott Schulz, AIA, LEED AP PP Kelly M. Cathey, AIA

SERVICES

Tisha Bandish

Architecture

Christine Guy-Baker

Civil

Helga Bolyard

Electrical

Stephen Brown, P.E.

Environmental

Chris Childress, P.E., LEED AP

Interior Design

Kenneth Church, RLS

Mechanical

Chandra Clonan

Structural

Tracey Curray

Thomas Grass, EI Nathan G. Guessetto Gregg K. Gurney Clint Harris Joshua L. Henry Tim Huber Amanda Hunter Alexander T. Jackson, CFEI Douglas E. Karaszewski, LEED AP Tait K. Karlson, P.E. Lisa Kennedy Mike Kindred Jeffrey W. Kuhnhenn, AIA, LEED AP Jenna L. Lychako

Jong Park Jubal Parris Mary Raccuglia Sydney Reddoch Trey Rudolph, RLA Bill Spalding R.J. Tazelaar, P.E. Bryan A. Tharpe, P.E. Davide Tocci Rob Whitson, P.E. Barry Wiginton James R. Wilson, P.E., LEED AP Johnathan C. Woodside, P.E., LEED AP O+M, CEM, GBE

S chwan Cosmetics USA - Corporate Headquarters & Flagship Production / R& D Facility

Ken Zyga, Principal-In-Charge

GEM ne of the most customer-centric airports in the world, Tampa International Airport (TPA) is known for exceeding passenger expectations. TPA was named secondfavorite airport in the U.S. in the 2010 Zagat Survey, and ranked No. 3 among midsize airports in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 North American Airport Satisfaction Study.

The airport has been on the cutting edge of design and user experience since it opened in 1971, and it’s a tradition that has continued under Hillsborough County Aviation Authority’s (HCAA) leadership. GS&P has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with HCAA since 1999, and was selected as part of the DPR design-build team to provide architecture, interior design, signage and engineering services for the interior modernization of Tampa International’s main terminal.

TA M PA I N T E R N AT I O N A L A I R P O R T MAIN TERMINAL INTERIOR MODERNIZATION

SHOWCASE 7 157

The scope of work for this nearly $26 million effort was performed in three separate phases. Phase 1 included the renovation of public restrooms and the aviation authority’s administrative offices; a new United Service Organization (USO) suite and traveler’s aid counter; new tourism information centers; valet parking upgrades; and signage modifications. Phase 2 comprised ticketing-level wall and floor refurbishment; upgrading the elevator core wall finishes with new glasswall cladding; the replacement of guardrails at escalator cores; and new furniture at the transfer level. Phase 3 of the modernization included the installation of dynamic signage to enhance wayfinding and passenger access to terminal information.

“This was a unique undertaking because it wasn’t just one project—it involved three separate ‘fast-track’ efforts,” says principal-in-charge Grant Clifford. “And that meant being in lockstep with both the airport and the contractor at all times.”

This was a unique undertaking because it wasn’t just one project—it involved three separate ‘fast-track’ efforts...

GRANT CLIFFORD, PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE

The client’s overarching goals for the phased project included updating and de-cluttering the terminal environment, reflecting the latest technology, and using materials that capture the essence of the Tampa Bay region. The design team’s primary challenges were to effect significant change while on a budget and an extremely tight time frame, yet not impede optimal service during daily airport operations.

Before

The dark, cluttered and outdated terminal was improved through modern refurbishments to finishes, furniture and technology on all three levels.

SHOWCASE 7 159

Before

Before

The original restrooms were gutted and replaced with new finishes, lighting, fixtures, accessories and partitions.

Warm, inviting materials and large-scale photo installations from local photographers create a resort feel and a more relaxed atmosphere.

PHASE

1

To ensure minimum interruption to operations, critical areas of work were phased and scheduled when airport activity was at its slowest. A significant task during the first phase of construction was to completely gut and rebuild 20 sets of male/female restrooms and 11 family restrooms, distributed over three levels of the main terminal.

“The airport is open 24/7,” says Clifford. “To maintain ongoing operational capacity and provide good customer access during construction, we advised that no more than 25 percent

of the restrooms be closed for renovation at any one time. Since the restrooms are stacked vertically in each of the four quadrants of the main terminal, the phasing solution was simply to renovate one vertical stack at a time.”

Each restroom features hands-free hand wash stations, and was completely renovated to maximize space, improve access for disabled customers, and enhance overall functionality for customers with bags in tow. All finishes were replaced, and new lighting, fixtures, accessories and toilet partitions were installed. Warm, inviting materials transformed a previously clinicallooking facility into one with more of a resort feel and relaxed atmosphere.

A glass feature wall highlights the essence of the region.

“We sought out images from local photographers, which was a fairly complicated exercise,” notes Clifford. “Rather than commission new photographs, we were tasked with finding existing photos from local photographers that captured the look and feel of the region, and also had the right quality and resolution for such a large display. The results are great—every restroom has a unique image, and the environment is less stressful for the travelling public.”

SHOWCASE 7 161

First phase construction included an upgrade for valet parking that featured new finishes, a new customer service counter and branded glass walls.

“Since the renovation, valet parking business has increased,” says Clifford. “And that just reinforces that when the quality of service improves, the customer will be more willing to pay for the premium service.”

In the baggage claim area, GS&P installed seven large-scale LCD video walls and supporting video-engine technology to allow dynamic advertising and tourism information about the Tampa Bay region. The technical upgrade also included 15 LCD baggage claim device dynamic signs, and 30 LCD advertising screens. Complementing the digital communication platforms, GS&P designed four new information kiosks in the baggage claim areas to improve customer service and visitor outreach.

Since the renovation, valet parking business has increased. When the quality of service improves, the customer will be more willing to pay for the premium service.

GRANT CLIFFORD, PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE

Upgrades for valet parking include new finishes, lighting, a customer service counter and branded glass walls.

On the baggage claim level, LCD video walls, claim device identification displays, advertising screens, and supporting video-engine technology were installed.

Four new information kiosks improve customer service and visitor outreach.

SHOWCASE 7 163

PHASE

2

With three levels of main terminal operations and six levels of shortterm parking directly above, TPA’s elevator cores are heavily utilized.

Simplifying and streamlining these areas was essential to a more positive customer experience. During the second phase of construction, the elevator cores on all three levels of the main terminal received new custom red and blue glass cladding to cover the dated, glazed brick walls.

“The main terminal is divided into the red side on the north and the blue side on the south, which is a major wayfinding feature,” says Altan Cekin, senior architect and project manager. “On both sides, we updated the cladding on the elevators according to their corresponding colors, resulting in a much cleaner, brighter, more modern appearance.

“The elevators are named after aviation pioneers Yeager, Sikorsky, Earhart and Armstrong, and we designed the signage so the names are removable if the airport ever decides to rebrand them. We also installed new directories and ensured the glass is easily removable for any future updates.”

Before

Custom red and blue glass cladding on the elevator banks replaced the dated, glazed brick. The color coding is a wayfinding strategy to differentiate between the north and south sides of the terminal, and each elevator is named after an aviation pioneer.

Before

Opposite the elevators, toward the center of the terminal, lie four sets of escalators whose guardrails on the ticketing and transfer levels were also part of GS&P’s updated design.

“Overhauling the existing guardrails was one of our biggest challenges because they were stone-clad reinforced concrete,” says Clifford. “We had to overcome over 20 unique structural conditions of differing magnitude during the demolition process. Plus, we had to close one bank of escalators at a time for three to four months, and each closure presented a unique wayfinding challenge. Each time one shut down, we had to place temporary signage to divert travelers.”

New tempered low-iron, ultra-clear glass replaced the old guardrails, increasing visibility and openness across each level. Custom stainless steel posts combined with minimally visible attachments on the glass complemented the more modern aesthetic.

The fresh, contemporary look extended beyond the new elevator cores into design choices for more modern furniture and seating areas, which were installed next to each elevator and escalator core throughout the transfer level.

“The big change in furniture was moving from the fixed, high-stool seats and tables to more comfortable lounge chairs,” says Clifford. “The seating is now more relaxed and less cluttered, making it easier to navigate through the transfer level.”

So travelers would no longer be relegated to the far walls to charge their electronic devices, the design team ensured the furniture was equipped with power outlets.

The challenge to installing this benefit was how to best wire the new seating configurations.

GRANT CLIFFORD, PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE

The stone-clad guardrails were replaced with tempered glass, which improves sight lines and openness. Fixed stools were replaced with comfortable lounge chairs with power outlets to charge phones and laptops.

“We had to come up through the floor, which meant taking apart and putting back the ceilings, which otherwise were not to be touched,” says Clifford. “We also designed power into the base of the guardrails. From the first day the new furniture was open to the public, passengers started

166 Tampa International Airport - Main Terminal Interior Modernization

From the first day the new furniture was open to the public, passengers started migrating there from other areas. So we could instantly see that the comfort and convenience had improved customer service.

migrating there from other areas. So we could instantly see that the comfort and convenience had improved customer service.”

On the ticketing level, new floor tile, carpet and wall panels brightened the overall atmosphere. In high traffic areas floor tile replaced carpet, and around ticketing counters where passengers are more likely to stand and wait, new custom carpet was installed.

Laminate wall panels were used to cover existing brick and carpet wall finishes, brightening and simplifying the space along the central corridor and airline ticketing offices.

“We designed custom carpet in beach tones and chose laminate panels in a natural wood color, which resulted in a much warmer overall effect,” says Clifford.

In addition, GS&P renovated existing airline ticketing office space to provide a new USO facility—the country’s first chartered center in almost 20 years—that will welcome an estimated 300,000 military service members annually.

SHOWCASE 7 167

PHASE

3

The third phase of construction focused on extensive technical upgrades for dynamic signage and flight information displays (EVIDS) throughout the terminal. Twenty-two flight information display banks on all three levels were replaced with custom, suspended, stainless-steel housings and LCD monitors.

“The previous displays were small, bulky, and located so they blocked views to and from circulation paths around the elevator cores,” says Cekin.

“We needed a less obtrusive way to present information. The new screens are bigger, and are positioned in ways that make the surrounding space look more open. The larger text is also easier to read.”

In the automated people mover (APM) lobbies, five new large-scale LED video walls were installed on the transfer level, with information visible from 100 feet away, and legible to customers with 20/40 vision, which was the basis of the design. To replace the previously undersized signage, four additional large-scale video walls were installed above the escalators that descend from the transfer level to baggage claim.

This new technology, however, didn’t come without its challenges; especially when it came to implementation.

“The incorporation of the new technology required a significant investment in supporting equipment, such as servers and video engines at the network operations center,” says Clifford. “Just the technical piece to support the technology upgrades was a multimillion-dollar undertaking.”

Despite the hefty price tag for the latest in technology, GS&P was able to complete the project under budget and ahead of schedule. Monies saved were

With monies saved, HCAA requested GS&P design a dedicated gallery space to exhibit travelling art and a permanent display on the history and future of TPA.

directed toward a crowning touch to the overall upgrades; an airport gallery to showcase both permanent and visiting exhibitions as well as the airport’s history and master plan for the future. The gallery is located on the transfer level in an underutilized corridor between the terminal and an on-site Marriott.

“We developed a modular approach to the displays, with epoxy terrazzo flooring and a linear wood ceiling to give a showroom feeling. The client loved the design so much they made sure the gallery was funded,” says Clifford. “We hadn’t even designed the gallery when construction started on Phase 3, but it had to be completed by the end of that phase. Even though it was a tight schedule, we made it happen and still ensured a quality project.”

Signage throughout the terminals was upgraded to EVIDS suspended by stainless-steel housings. The new signage is easy to see and less obtrusive.

SHOWCASE 7 169

Tampa International Airport currently serves close to 17 million passengers a year, and anticipates 34 million annual passengers by 2041. The main terminal renovations are part of HCAA’s 20-year plan to better serve passengers, airlines and regional tourism. The upgrades also reflect a growing industry trend to transform the traditional airport experience from simply a transit hub to a pleasurable destination for repeat customers.

“I’m thrilled to see people enjoy the upgraded features we created—from the seating to the elevators to the airport gallery,” says Cekin. “The refreshed terminal offers a far more calming and less stressful atmosphere for travelers.”

“The modernization not only offers an enhanced customer experience, but it also gives something special back to the local community, which is very invested in the airport,” adds Clifford.

“They’re extremely proud of their airport. And they sincerely care about the look, feel and overall user experience. When I’m among members of the community, the litmus test is always how they react to the terminal enhancements—and they truly love them.”▪

The modernization not only offers an enhanced customer experience, but it also gives something special back to the local community, which is very invested in the airport.

GRANT CLIFFORD, PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

TEAM

Hillsborough County Aviation Authority

PIC Grant J. Clifford, RIBA, LEED AP PM Altan Cekin, AIA

LOCATION

PA John Johnson, AIA, LEED AP

Tampa, Florida

PC Erin Hackler PC Abhijit Joshi, AIA, NCARB

MARKET

Aviation

PC Jonathan Massaro PC Benjamin Raposa PC Justin Smith ID Jacqueline N. Downs, IIDA, LEED AP

SERVICES

ID Danielle Everette

Architecture

ID Lauren Rasys, IIDA

Environmental Graphics

CA Mike Vizcarrondo

Interior Design

CA Gina Voccola

Glenn T. Davis James R. Harding, SEGD G. Mike Summers

Tampa International Airport - Main Terminal Interior Modernization

170

FASTER DELIVERY= COST $AVINGS TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EXPEDITED PROJECT DELIVERY

As of 2012, TDOT had a backlog of more than 800 roadway projects in various phases of development, with total costs estimated at $8.5 billion. Several projects had been in the TDOT work program for many years with little to no progress, mainly due to high estimated implementation costs and lack of available funding.

An identified barrier to releasing projects for completion, TDOT’s existing cost-estimation methodology produced a wide range of accuracy, with high variance directly affecting TDOT’s ability to plan and deliver much-needed projects statewide.

In an effort to relieve the backlog and begin necessary projects for Tennessee taxpayers, GS&P was tasked with engaging in Expedited Project Delivery (EPD) reviews to evaluate proposed projects and

recommend either modifying the proposed scope of work, or proceeding with them as originally conceived.

The goal of the EPD review process was to develop an operationally appropriate scope for each project that addressed immediate safety needs and provided recommendations for long-term improvements.

“Over the past two years, our transportation engineers and planners have assisted TDOT by preparing 27 EPD reports,” explains Bill Moore, senior vice president of transportation. “We’ve identified long- and short-term improvements for state highways where funding for the original project is unavailable, and the results so far are that TDOT can now provide immediate improvements at a fraction of the originally proposed cost.”

SHOWCASE 7

RAMPING UP ROAD PROJECTS

173

Working collaboratively with TDOT’s Strategic Transportation Investments Division, GS&P reviewed a range of factors that included existing and future traffic projections, crash data, safety deficiencies, previous planning documents and potential multimodal opportunities.

In addition to safety improvements that can be implemented immediately—including new lane striping, curve warning signs, guardrails, raised pavement markers and more—the EPD process will result in longer-term roadway improvements, such as road widening and intersection re-alignments, based on operational analyses of future traffic demand and field review observations.

“The reviews succeeded in streamlining proposed projects,” says Mark Holloran, senior transportation engineer and principal-in-charge on the project. “A good example of this is where a two-lane roadway would handle traffic loads well enough that a four-lane road wasn’t required.

“In a couple of instances, it was clear that the full project was needed.

But in most cases, we were able to recommend a big reduction in the scope of work, which in turn would mean a big savings.”

“... in most cases, we were able to recommend a big reduction in the scope of work, which in turn would mean a big savings.”

MARK HOLLORAN, SENIOR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER

As illustrated in the layout sheet above, the field review team identifies road safety audit improvements that can be quickly implemented and don’t require any further construction plans. Examples above include installation of new curve and intersection warning signs as well as new stop signs.

Trenton originally proposed a bypass to reroute trucks away from the tight downtown area. The EPD recommended that signage could help trucks move through town without adding new roadways, resulting in huge savings.

improvement to the two-lane road that went through Nutbush, rather than adding a four-lane divided road. For the community, it was a big deal economically to still have the main road—and tourists—come right through town.”

In several reviews, nature and history also played key roles. Where expanding from two lanes to four might have disturbed a Native American settlement with archaeological significance, the EPD proposed sticking with two lanes for that section of the road and making the shoulders 2 feet instead of the standard 8 feet to protect the sites.

In another locale, an EPD called for protecting a wetlands area with twolane sections versus four.

“Taken together, the EPD review recommendations will likely save TDOT hundreds of millions of dollars across its entire work program,” notes Holloran. “And this will allow the department to complete more projects statewide.”

“... will likely save TDOT hundreds of millions of dollars ...”

MARK HOLLORAN, SENIOR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER

The EPD recommended an improvement to the two-lane road that went through Nutbush, rather than adding a four-lane divided road. It was important for the community to be able to have tourists come right through town.

TDOT - Expedited Project Delivery

Somerville’s initial plans called for four lanes through the downtown district. The EPD recommendation of a two-lane section struck a good balance between navigating traffic through the city center, and helping the existing downtown traffic flow.

Among the specific examples where EPDs have made a difference, Holloran cites three Tennessee communities: Somerville, Trenton and Nutbush—a small town northeast of Memphis, and the birthplace of music icon Tina Turner.

“Somerville’s initial plans called for a four-lane bypass, with four lanes running through the heart of the downtown district,” says Holloran.

“But when we looked at it, even though the bypass was going to carry a lot of traffic around the city, we found that a two-lane section would handle that traffic for 30-plus years. It shaped up as a good balance between getting traffic around the town, and also helping the downtown district’s traffic flow.”

In Trenton, a proposal for a bypass became a plan to reroute and install new signage on existing roadways to direct trucks away from the tight downtown square area.

“The bypass would have gone through a river area, posing environmental issues and requiring long bridges to get across the floodway,” says Holloran. “We discovered we could help trucks get through town without adding the bypass by using mostly signage on the existing roads, and that ultimately resulted in huge savings.”

Finally, in Nutbush, initial plans called for a four-lane divided road.

Because of the town’s narrow downtown streets, the road would have to bypass its business district and its nod to the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’.

“The city wasn’t happy about that,” says Holloran. “Based on traffic flow, we ended up recommending an

174

NATURE AND HISTORY IN MIND

SHOWCASE 7

2013 Conceptual Planning Cost Estimation Tool Reset Form...

Project Location Route

SR 123

L.M. Beginning

1.10

L.M. Ending

3.52

County

Davidson

TDOT Region

3

175

Existing Roadway Information Right of Way Width

Var. Width

ft. # Segments

3

Segment 1:

Beg. LM 1.1

End LM 2.25

ROW 60

Segment 2:

2.25

3.12

80

Segment 3:

3.12

3.52

60

Land Value Determination Method Predominant Adjacent Land Use

Var. Land Use

# Segments

2

End LM

Beg. LM

Adjacent Land Use

Segment 1:

1.1

2.25

Residential & Agricultural Tracts (>5 acres)

Segment 2:

2.25

3.52

Residential Subdivision Lots

Terrain

A ficticious example of the EPD tool in action. Project characteristics can be segmented as needed.

Var. Terrain

# Segments

Box

2

Concrete Girder Segment 2:

Box

Steel

Beg. LM 1.1

Number

Segment 1:

End LM

Length 2.25 (ft)

2

Existing Pavement Width

3.52

24 ft.

Concrete Girder

28

Flat

Var. Width

4

Proposed Project Information

Width (ft)

Rolling

60

2.25

150

28 15% Contingency Applied

Non-Complex Project Complexity The EPD provides planning-level cost Bridge Widenings Box Concrete Girder Steel estimates as well as a preliminary New Typical Section NumberArterial/Divided Length (ft) cost estimate by item.Concrete Girder 4 150

Total Proposed Lanes

48 Roadway Width (ft) 4 Inside Shoulder (ft)

130

Var. Lanes

4

(incl. existing if widening project)

Project Type

New Bridges

Preliminary Estimated Roadway Estimate Table 1st Row

Box

SR 123 Davidson 2.42 Arterial/Divided

7 Table Last Row 355

Concrete Girder

Project Length

Steel

2.42 miles

Vertical/Horizontal Improvements of total project length) 25% (percent Par-Clo Diamond Cloverleaf Number of New Interchanges Box Concrete Girder Steel

Section Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided

ITEM #

DESCRIPTION

UNIT

QUANTITY

105-01 203-01 203-03 303-01 307-02.01 307-02.02 307-02.03

LS C.Y. C.Y. TON TON TON TON

1 208736 20874 109739 8572 187 5563

UNIT PRICE $37,027.70 $3.75 $2.97 $15.82 $60.63 $259.51 $52.36

Arterial/Divided

307-02.08

TON

4813

$63.81

Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided Arterial/Divided

402-01 402-02 403-01 411-01.07 411-02.10 415-01.02 604-07.01 607-05.02 611-07.01 611-07.02 611-12.02 611-14.02 611-42.02 701-01.01 702-01 702-03 705-02.02 705-04.07 710-04 712-01 712-02.02 713-16.20 716-13.06 801-01 801-01.07 801-02 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

CONSTRUCTION STAKES, LINES AND GRADES ROAD & DRAINAGE EXCAVATION (UNCLASSIFIED) BORROW EXCAVATION (UNCLASSIFIED) MINERAL AGGREGATE, TYPE A BASE, GRADING D ASPHALT CONCRETE MIX (PG70-22) (BPMB-HM) GRADING A ASPHALT CEMENT (PG70-22)(BPMB-HM) GRADING A-S AGGREGATE (BPMB-HM) GRADING A-S MIX ASPHALT CONCRETE MIX (PG70-22) (BPMB-HM) GRADING BM2 BITUMINOUS MATERIAL FOR PRIME COAT (PC) AGGREGATE FOR COVER MATERIAL (PC) BITUMINOUS MATERIAL FOR TACK COAT (TC) ACS (PG64-22) GR "E" ACS MIX(PG70-22) GRADING D COLD PLANING BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT RETAINING WALL 24" CONCRETE PIPE CULVERT (CLASS III) CLASS A CONCRETE (PIPE ENDWALLS) STEEL BAR REINFORCEMENT (PIPE ENDWALLS) CATCH BASINS, TYPE 12, > 4' - 8' DEPTH CATCH BASINS, TYPE 14, > 4' - 8' DEPTH CATCH BASINS, TYPE 42, > 4' - 8' DEPTH CONCRETE SIDEWALK (4 ") CONCRETE CURB CONCRETE COMBINED CURB & GUTTER SINGLE GUARDRAIL (TYPE 2) TAN ENERGY ABSG TERM (NCHRP 350,TL3) FILTER CLOTH UNDERDRAIN (WITH PIPE) TRAFFIC CONTROL INTERCONNECTED PORTABLE BARRIER RAIL SIGNS SPRAY THERMO PVMT MRKNG (40 mil) (4IN LINE) SEEDING (WITH MULCH) TEMPORARY SEEDING (WITH MULCH) SEEDING (WITHOUT MULCH) TRAFFIC SIGNAL ITS SHARED-USE PATH ROUNDABOUT BRIDGE REMOVAL WIDEN EXISTING BRIDGE (BOX) WIDEN EXISTING BRIDGE (CONCRETE GIRDER) WIDEN EXISTING BRIDGE (STEEL) NEW BRIDGE (BOX) NEW BRIDGE (CONCRETE GIRDER) NEW BRIDGE (STEEL) Urban - Standard Diamond Urban - Tight Diamond Urban - Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) Rural - Diamond Rural - Partial Cloverleaf Rural - Full Cloverleaf

TON TON TON TON TON S.Y. S.F. L.F. C.Y. LB. EACH EACH EACH S.F. C.Y. C.Y. L.F. EACH L.F. LS L.F. EACH L.M. UNIT UNIT UNIT EACH L.M. L.M. EACH S.F. S.F. S.F. S.F. S.F. S.F. S.F. EACH EACH EACH EACH EACH EACH

65 256 24 3071 4515 25555 0 3727 78 7405 0 0 17 0 0 0 3675 21 25555 1 639 97 19 1840 1380 1380 1 0 2 0 20160 0 78000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

$365.52 $24.91 $535.08 $79.44 $87.02 $1.35 $72.18 $51.96 $679.85 $1.84 $3,862.49 $8,956.96 $5,625.55 $3.77 $298.81 $228.03 $15.78 $2,107.76 $4.58 $2,017,454 $24.64 $134.66 $1,207.04 $25.01 $17.09 $16.31 $120,000.00 $200,000.00 $285,000.00 $600,000.00 $20.00 $0.00 $48.00 $0.00 $105.00 $120.00 $150.00 ########### ########### ########### ########### ########### ###########

COST $37,028 $782,760 $61,995 $1,736,074 $519,699 $48,495 $291,281

Rural

(ft) Box Concrete 1NumberGirder Length Steel Box 2 60 TUDI Diamond

Bridge Removals

$307,111 $23,588 $6,366 $12,826 $243,951 $392,878 $34,500 $0 $193,645 $52,977 $13,626 $0 $0 $95,634 $0 $0 $0 $57,990 $43,926 $117,043 $2,017,454 $15,742 $13,035 $23,368 $46,018 $23,584 $22,507 $120,000 $0 $689,700 $0 $403,200 $0 $3,744,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $10,000,000 $0 $0

Urban

Concrete Girder

Bridge Widenings

Box

4

Concrete Girder

4 2.42 miles

Box

Number of New Interchanges

Number of Traffic Signals

Rural

Length of ITS Installation

Urban

SPUI

28

Steel

Width (ft)

150

130

Concrete Girder

Steel

Diamond

Par-Clo

Cloverleaf

1 Diamond

TUDI

SPUI

1

miles

Length of Shared-Use Path

2.42 miles

Additional User Input Cost

Number of Roundabouts Number of Traffic Signals

1

Advanced Project Information (optional) Length of ITS Installation

miles

Additional User Input Cost Modify Pavement Thickness

Subtotal Mobilization Subtotal Other Construction Items (25%) Total

$22,191,999

$845,760 $23,037,759 $5,759,440 $28,797,198

Advanced Project Information (optional)

Retaining Walls

Modify Pavement Thickness

Average Height Retaining Walls Total Length Utility Relocation

Average Height Total Length

ft. ft.

ft. ft.

Utility Relocation

Construction + Contingency

After all project information has been entered, the cost estimate is displayed.

28

Length (ft)

Concrete Girder

New Bridges Number of Roundabouts

Width (ft)

150

Number

Length of Shared-Use Path

Right-of-Way Construction + Contingency Utility Relocation

Right-of-Way

Preliminary Engineering (10%)

Utility Relocation

Construction Engineering & Inspection Total Estimated Project Cost

Required ROW Width (ft.)

10 Outside (ft) Width (ft)ShoulderAdd'l W (ft)

$33,116,780

$3,009,530 $33,116,780 $0

$3,009,530 $3,311,680 $0

$3,311,680 $42,749,670

Preliminary Engineering (10%)

$3,311,680

Construction Engineering & Inspection

$3,311,680

Total Estimated Project Cost

$42,749,670

Add'l W (ft)

192

cost-estimation tool that has resulted in tremendous benefits to both the state and to Tennessee taxpayers.

“For all of those projects still on the books, they could go back and use the tool and come up with more reliable costs,” explains Holloran. “In most cases, looking at their program long term, you can get a much better feel for how many projects you can do because you have more confidence in the cost.”

Another benefit of the revamped tool, is that it uses best practices (identified through research) to help TDOT project managers pinpoint costs for a given project.

“Typically, a handful of items correspond to the majority of a roadway project’s cost,” says Holloran. “It was determined that these items should be calculated on a per-item cost basis and included in the planning-level estimate.”

The new, user-friendly tool can also calculate quantities based on typical sections from the TDOT Roadway Design Standards, and comes complete with relevant formulae, drop-down menus, checkboxes and other features that make it easy to enter as much detail as possible at the planning stage.

Making the tool even more functional, default values for many parameters (which can be overridden with a keystroke) are auto-populated as the user inputs data. Parameters may vary as a project develops, so the tool allows existing right-of-way width, adjacent land use, terrain, existing traveled-way width and proposed width to be updated at any time. As a crucial component, the tool is simple to keep current because it’s set up to import average-unit bid prices that TDOT already produces each year and posts to its website.

EPD Old Estimating Process

PERCENT DISCREPANCY FROM LOW-BID CONSTRUCTION COST FOR NINE PROJECTS

200%

150%

100%

(WITHOUT UTILITIES) 16% 31%

PROJECT 7

PROJECT 8

PROJECT 9

-7%

9% 121%

PROJECT 3

43% 162%

PROJECT 2

117%

PROJECT 1

25% 100%

25% 201%

42%

-50%

-28%

0%

18% 116%

50% 26% 181%

The graph demonstrates the improvement in cost estimation for nine sample projects. Deviation from the low-bid construction cost varied between -7% and +43% (versus previous deviations that ranged from -28% to more than 200%), achieving the goal of better accuracy.

PROJECT 4

PROJECT 5

PROJECT 6

TDOT - Expedited Project Delivery

During the EPD process, it became clear to the project team that TDOT’s existing tool for estimating the cost of transportation projects was due for an overhaul.

“The cost-estimation tool came out of the EPD process,” says Holloran.

“We were using the existing tool based on a cost-per-mile basis, and it had factors that you would apply to that depending on how complex it was, for example, rolling versus flat, or urban versus rural. For being an early planning tool, it was OK. But when we got into these EPDs, we found that in getting a feel for the true costs being proposed, we were unfortunately seeing huge variances using the existing tool.”

The discovery of those variances launched conversations between GS&P and TDOT, which led to GS&P being tasked with the development of an updated, more robust

176

A NEW COST-ESTIMATION TOOL

SHOWCASE 7

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

177

Ensuring the continuing positive influence of GS&P’s work, the costestimation tool is in use by TDOT staff and other consultants to develop more estimates for the department— estimates that will stretch tax dollars to deliver even more safe and efficient roadways throughout Tennessee.

TDOT has been extremely pleased with GS&P’s work on the EPD projects and in developing the new cost-estimation tool.

The department’s initial confidence positioned GS&P as one of three oncall consultants for EPD in 2012, but it was a solid performance that kept the engagement going the following year.

“In 2013, we were chosen as one of only two on-call consultants to repeat the EPD process on 14 additional projects,” says Holloran. “We’ve received a lot of positive comments from TDOT

staff on the reviews and the costestimation tool. The final product greatly exceeded their expectations in terms of functionality and results.”

While positive feedback was encouraging, Holloran stresses that it’s even more meaningful knowing that the team helped to focus limited state dollars toward much-needed projects, while at the same time modifying other proposals in ways that still greatly benefited local communities.

“Being part of an effort that improves the lives of people across Tennessee is an incredible privilege,” concludes Holloran. “When you can bring the cost of projects down to half or more of what was originally proposed and meet the needs for the project, TDOT can take the money saved and apply it to other projects that will improve even more lives.”▪

“Being part of an effort that improves the lives of people across Tennessee is an incredible privilege.”

MARK HOLLORAN, SENIOR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER

178 TDOT - Expedited Project Delivery

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

TEAM

Tennessee Department of Transportation - Strategic Transportation Investments Division

PIC Mark A. Holloran, P.E. PM Lori Lange, P.E. PM Dowell Hoskins Squier, P.E. PM Diane Regensburg, P.E. PP Gregory P. Wisecaver, P.E.

LOCATION

Tennessee, Statewide

PP Cody G. Crews, EI PP Patrick A. Leap, P.E., CPESC PE J. Shap Stiles, P.E.

MARKET

Transportation

PE C.J. Tong, P.E. PD William L. Moore, Jr., P.E.

Ben J. Coles, EI Thomas Grass, P.E.

SERVICES

Marissa Martin, P.E.

Transportation Engineering

Kevin Riggs, P.E.

Transportation Planning

Matthew Williams, P.E., CPESC

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA - INTERFAITH CHAPEL

T

he University of North Florida (UNF) is a nationally recognized institution of higher education in Jacksonville, nestled in nearly 1,400 acres of nature and wildlife. More than 16,000 students attend the state university, which has been recognized by both the Princeton Review and Forbes magazine as one of America’s best.

To honor the religious and spiritual diversity of the student body, UNF administration solicited design proposals— as part of an open, architectural design competition—for a 6,500-square-foot, 250-seat chapel that would be used for interdenominational services as well as small events such as chamber music concerts, weddings and conferences. Central to the client’s goals was that the chapel should embrace its natural surroundings and create a distinct sense of place.

GS&P’s design proposal created a contemplative refuge that honored UNF’s deep-rooted culture of environmental stewardship and sustainability.

“We are most well-known in Jacksonville for our healthcare and corporate architecture practice, but we wanted to demonstrate to UNF what an excellent and diversified design firm we are,” says GS&P principal Leith Oatman. “This chapel was truly a gem of a project that allowed us to present a very elegant solution.”

UNF is committed to protecting the campus’ natural, wooded environment.

The design of the chapel embraces the client’s wish by complementing its surroundings.

SPACE & TIME UNF’s natural, wooded campus stands in contrast to Jacksonville’s growing urban sprawl. Even after several decades of expansion, the university remains committed to protecting hundreds of acres of nature and wildlife. GS&P took a multifaceted approach to translating the project’s goals into a strong design response, drawing upon the natural attributes of the landscape, the caliber of UNF’s architecture, and a campus culture of environmental sustainability.

“The challenge was balancing a series of provided parameters to address those attributes simultaneously,” says GS&P senior designer Jim Kolb. “We were tasked with creating a structure that looked like a chapel but wasn’t overtly religious, and that embraced the natural environment yet was on par with UNF’s contemporary architecture, all the while not disturbing protected wetlands.

“The preservation of UNF’s wetlands is not only protected by law but is supported by the entire university.

So it was central to the client’s vision that the new facility complement and embrace its surrounding natural space.”

The chosen site for the future chapel is a wooded peninsula by a small lake beyond the southern perimeter of campus. GS&P designated a new entry point from the main road with a

tree-covered drive that curves around the wetlands and ends with an entry circle in front of the chapel. The existing parking field was also redesigned to double the number of planted trees, reducing the heat island effect. The re-envisioned entry transforms the current site and sets the tone for the proposed experience.

The landscape design surrounding the chapel features bioswales of indigenous ferns to filter, slow and redirect stormwater while also creating a natural separation between the parking area and the facility.

“When developers introduce foliage that isn’t indigenous, then the area has to be watered, fertilized, weeded, mulched and otherwise maintained,” adds Oatman. “Jim’s solution was to keep it as natural as possible, so it melds into the preserved areas.”

A walking bridge reaches from the cirLeith Oatman, cular entry drive to the PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE front of the chapel, and a secondary extension of the facility runs southwest from the main hall to house administrative offices, restrooms, a catering area and storage. The flow of the bioswale passes below the entrance bridge and under parts of the support-services

“

...it melds into the preserved areas.

”

Universit y of N orth Florida - Interfaith Chapel

182

HARMONY IN

SHOWCASE 7 183

building, reinforcing the feel of a place that’s both in harmony with and set apart from its locale.

“UNF’s campus has a series of nature trails so students can enjoy the preserve. Our design includes a meditative walking path around the lake, with a bridge directly across the lake from the chapel to allow an unimpeded view back to the building,” says Oatman.

The celebration of the peninsula’s natural beauty continues within the sanctuary through panoramic vistas

across the lake and the woods, while forms in the fenestration and the soaring arch of the sanctuary mimic the form of the lush tree canopy.

Though the chapel’s finished floor is elevated above the flood plain, an outside terrace on the north side of the building steps down to the water’s edge, connecting the structure to the lake. The dropped terrace also preserves vistas of the lake from inside the main hall.

The sanctuary space has a simple layout with no fixed furnishings to

The building is oriented on an east-west axis to capture sunrise and sunset, and the chapel’s vaulted ceiling creates a voluminous sense of space.

Meditative walking paths surround the lake.

Universit y of N orth Florida - Interfaith Chapel

184

A walking bridge connects the entry circle and building.

Bioswales of indigenous ferns filter and slow stormwater while providing natural separation between parking and the facility.

The chosen site for the future chapel is a wooded peninsula by a small lake beyond the southern perimeter of campus.

The celebration of the peninsula’s natural beauty

continues within the sanctuary through PANORAMIC VISTAS across the lake and the woods, while forms in the fenestration and the SOARING ARCH of the sanctuary mimic the form of the

LUSH TREE CANOPY. allow different configurations for the various functions. The interior features cast-in-place concrete with exposed form ties, and stranded bamboo floors and ceilings with laminated trusses.

While embracing contemporary materials, GS&P’s design echoes traditional forms. The building is oriented on an east-west axis to capture sunrise and sunset, and the chapel’s vaulted ceiling creates a voluminous sense of space.

“Classic cathedrals and similar institutions were positioned on that axis in reference to the sun. The eastwest orientation floods the space with light,” explains Kolb. “The vertical volume with its peaked roof is also a traditional form. To respect those visitors without any religious affiliations, we consciously stripped the building of any iconography to keep it neutral.”

SHOWCASE 7

A CULTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY

185

The university’s ecological stewardvistas of the natural surroundings, “Maximizing the building’s ability ship extends beyond the nature prebut could result in significant heat to cool naturally is about rememserve and into the structures poised gain. To address the solar load, GS&P bering systems used a long time on campus highlands. Eight years incorporated electrochromic glass, ago; strategies that evolved before ago, UNF’s social sciences building which reduces energy transmission mechanical ventilation was ever became the first facility in northeast when energized. available,” explains Kolb. “In using Florida to be LEED certified and was “The solar tinting turns the smart passive ventilation systems, we can the first of five green buildings now glass to dark blue, and when the gain take advantage of the cooler times of on campus. and glare aren’t an issue, the glazing the year when natural ventilation is “The UNF campus has been evolvreturns to clear,” says Kolb. “You a viable option.” ing, with a large number of new and can create stained glass patterns by GS&P also worked with a significant buildings constructed programming the electric charge to mechanical engineer to mitigate over the past 15 years,” says Oatman. various sections and panes.” the visual exposure of the heating “The architectural choices have been Passive ventilation concepts and cooling systems. transformative and forward-thinkwould also add to the building’s ability “When you have such a beautiful, ing. The student union, natural-looking building for example, was ranked with light, lacy trusses, the Maximizing the building’s fourth out of the top 100 last thing you want is to see ability to cool naturally is buildings in the state by the big ducts running through Florida AIA and is LEED it,” says Oatman. about remembering systems Gold certified.”

In the proposed design, used a long time ago; In keeping with this ductwork for mechanical spirit of sustainability, ventilation runs below strategies that evolved before GS&P was committed to the floor and then rises using natural materials, mechanical ventilation was up to the diffusers in the including concrete and column faces. Placing the ever available. steel with high recycled ducts in cooler areas below content and wood certified the floor shields them from Jim Kolb, PROJECT DESIGNER by the Forest Stewardship additional outside heat to Council, while also preserving and to regulate the indoor climate during increase energy efficiency. restoring the worksite during and more temperate times of the year.

One of the primary challenges after construction.

The design called for a ventilated roof the GS&P team faced was crafting “The chapel wasn’t required to skin that would diffuse high surface a design that would also adhere to be LEED certified, but attention to temperatures by venting energy out the budget specified in the design sustainable design concepts is a sigof the system, reducing the demand competition package. nificant criteria of the university,” on insulation and rendering it more “We conducted a great deal of says Oatman. “We were intentional efficient for the building’s interior. research to estimate the sustainable about demonstrating excellent enviWhile heat that rises inside the buildconcepts and reconcile our ideas with ronmental stewardship and incorpoing can be exhausted through the budget limitations,” says Oatman. “I rating the most current technologies thermostatic-controlled damper at was very proud of how responsible available, such as the smart glass in the peak of the roof, cooler air is our team was in respecting the budthe fenestration.” drawn in at the bottom though large, get criteria.”

Extensive glazing on the east and operable casement windows in the west sides of the chapel maximized chapel’s side walls.

“

”

To address solar load, GS&P incorporated electrochromic glass, which reduces energy transmission when energized. Depending on the time of day, solar gain and glare turns the smart glass from clear to dark blue.

Large casement windows in the side walls and a ventilated roof skin cool the space naturally when ambient conditions allow.

SHOWCASE 7 187

“

It’s more than a structure—

IT’S AN EXPERIENCE. Leith Oatman, PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE

CREATING

GS&P’s inspiring chapel concept provides a center for celebration and community as well as a contemplative refuge for visitors. Each person who visits can enter and experience the facility from his or her own point of spiritual reference.

“It’s more than a structure—it’s an experience,” says Oatman. “Our team truly went above and beyond the competition requirements to present unique design concepts that balance elegance and environmental responsibility.”

“When people think of architecture, they tend to think of walls, ceilings and floors— but we’re creating a positive sense of place,” says Kolb. “Regardless of denomination, religion or lack thereof, this sanctuary design is calm, restful, nurturing and supportive.

This building would be a nice addition to the landscape, rather than one that degrades the environment—an uplifting experience for those who enter.”▪

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

SIZE

University of North Florida

6,500 Square Feet

LOCATION

TEAM

Jacksonville, Florida

PIC, PM Leith A. Oatman, LEED AP PD James R. Kolb, AIA, LEED AP

MARKET

Corporate + Urban Design SERVICES

Architecture Landscape Design Sustainable Design

PC Jenna Lychako ID Stephanie D. Irwin, LEED ID+C

Universit y of N orth Florida - Interfaith Chapel

OF PLACE

188

A SENSE

MORTON PLANT HOSPITAL PATIENT TOWER

Transforming for the

FUTURE Established in 1916, Morton Plant Hospital (MPH) was the first hospital built in northern Pinellas County, Florida. As typical for many hospitals, growth over time resulted in disjointed spaces leading to inefficient care and confusing wayfinding. Losing market share because of these challenges, MPH—a part of the BayCare Health System—sought ways to improve several major areas of care.

GS&P was originally enlisted by Morton Plant to design a four-story renovation to expand its women’s services program as called for in an earlier master plan. Concurrent with this effort, hospital leadership was also focused on growth in areas such as surgery and orthopedics, and soon began to question whether having women’s services on multiple levels would actually provide the optimum solution for their needs. In response, GS&P, together with MPH, recommended consolidating all of women’s services on one level. The same recommendation was also made for surgery and orthopedics, creating a superior environment that would greatly enhance the overall patient experience.

SHOWCASE 7 191

5

BEHAVIORAL UNIT

4

ORTHOPEDICS UNIT

3

23 Patient Beds

52 Patient Rooms PT/OT

WOMEN’S CENTER 16 LDRP 5 Assessment 5 Antepartum 2 C-section (1 Future) 26 Postpartum 15 NICU 7 PACU for Existing Cardiac ORs Blood Bank

2

SURGERY

1

PUBLIC SPACES

18 Operating Rooms 2 Future ORs with Intraoperative MRI 39 Prep/Phase 2 Recovery 34 PACU

New Main Entrance Retail Pharmacy 300-Seat Auditorium 2 Conference Rooms Resource Center Pre-admit Testing Admitting/Registration

Guest Services Reception Lobby Gift Shop

g

ENVIRONMENTAL/ MECHANICAL

B

STERILE PROCESSING AND CENTRAL STERILE

Environmental Services and New HVAC for Existing Lab

420,000- SQUARE-FOOT multi-phased patient tower project... ” — BOB BERRY, Senior Architect

192 MORTON PLAN T HOSPITAL - PAT I ENT TOWER

“... what started out as a 55,000-square-foot, four-story renovation turned into a

“The hospital’s needs were clearly changing,” says Bob Berry, senior architect and principal-in-charge.

“We knew that combining all women’s services on one level would not only increase staff efficiencies, but also give the hospital the opportunity to do the same thing with the surgery component. This ultimately led Morton Plant to expand their project scope to combine their women’s services program with surgery and orthopedics as horizontal platforms of care.

We provided planning and design services for the new effort, and what started out as a 55,000-square-foot, four-story renovation turned into a 420,000-square-foot multi-phased patient tower project that will consolidate major services currently disjointed on campus.”

8 4

5 9

6 7 2 10

13

15

1

12 14 3

11 SECOND FLOOR: SURGERY 1

Public Elevators

2

Surgery Waiting

3

Prep/Phase 2 Recovery (2)

4

Neuro-Spine ORs

5

Urol/Plastics/Opthal/ENT ORs

6

General/GYN/Robotics ORs

7

Orthopedic ORs

8

Future Intraoperative ORs

9

Lobby Below

10

Clean/Dirty Elevators from SPD

11

PACU (39)

12

Anesthesia Offices

13

Garden Below

14

Discharge Elevators

15

Connecting Bridge

Patient arrival and flow through surgery will be greatly improved in the new program, permitting easy wayfinding from vehicle drop-off/valet to public elevators, where patients and visitors will be greeted immediately upon arrival. From the conveniently located surgery waiting area, the patient and family member will be called into a private prep room. Once prepped, the patient will be transported to surgery across a connecting bridge that overlooks a calming garden space.

GARDEN VIEWS

2

PLATFORM OF CARE: SURGERY

Surgery Waiting

194

environment for staff, which will allow them to be more responsive to their patients’ needs.”

Where Morton Plant’s existing ORs—some as small as 400 square feet—currently limit the hospital’s ability to perform, the new ORs will be larger with similar layouts that support the majority of cases.

Following surgery, the patient will be brought to the PACU and then transferred into the Phase 2 recovery area if appropriate. GS&P’s design incorporates natural light into the prep, PACU and Phase 2 recovery spaces using high windows that also provide privacy from the adjacent building. Discharge will occur back on the tower’s first floor by way of separate elevators that connect to the main lobby via a new corridor that features views to the garden.

MORTON PLAN T HOSPITAL - PAT I ENT TOWER

To be located at the center of the existing campus, the footprint of the new patient tower was driven by the need to maximize square footage for one of the project’s biggest components— the hospital’s surgery department.

“In the existing program, general surgery is located in the basement of an older part of the hospital, while day surgery is located on the second floor in a different wing of the facility,” explains Berry. “The current configuration consists of very old and small operating rooms that simply weren’t outfitted for the types of demands surgery has today.

“The new platform of care will combine both general surgery and day surgery on the patient tower’s second floor, as well as all of the support spaces for prep and recovery.

So everything will be on the same level, creating a far more efficient

Surgery Reception

SHOWCASE 7

3

PLATFORM OF CARE: WOMEN’S SERVICES

195

Over the years, MPH’s competitors have been taking away market share thanks to their new and improved facilities. By offering a new center of excellence for birthing mothers and their families, Morton Plant expects to earn this business back from the competition.

“The existing women’s services program is extremely disjointed,” says senior healthcare architect Tamara Rice, “and that has obviously had a significant impact on patient satisfaction. For instance, mothers who have just delivered are taken on a long gurney ride through winding public corridors, and have to descend steep ramps to reach the elevator that takes them to their postpartum room. Family members are also challenged to navigate to a different wing and floor after their loved one gives birth.

“The patient tower resolves this wayfinding challenge by locating public elevators near the new main entrance that open directly into a common waiting room which is centrally located between LDRP and postpartum. So the consolidation of

women’s birthing functions and the NICU is essential to providing the very best care for patients, and the more intuitive layout will ultimately mean reduced stress for end users.”

Also reducing anxiety levels, the hospital’s new neonatal intensive care unit will offer a distinctly different environment to that of the old NICU. “The new NICU will feature private patient rooms, which will provide ample space for family and staff, and also allow the newborn to get his or her much-needed REM sleep because it’s much quieter,” says Rice. “The old NICU was a noisy and crowded open-ward design that offered no room for family. When the patient tower opens, postpartum, LDRP and the NICU will all move to the third floor, and everyone will finally be able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.”

Consolidating women’s birthing functions and the neonatal intensive care unit, the new Women’s Center will include a 15-bed NICU; 16 LDRP rooms; 26 postpartum rooms; five antepartum rooms; a C-section suite; and a well-baby nursery.

NURSE STATION

Family wall outside NICU entry Further enhancing the patient experience, the design brings natural light into the new NICU through the use of clerestory windows above the nurse and physician work areas.

-

5 12

7

6

3

4

11

14 13

1

8

10 9

THIRD FLOOR: WOMEN’S SERVICES

Women’s Reception

2

1

Public Elevators

2

Women’s/ NICU Waiting

3

Labor Delivery Recovery (16)

4

Assessment (5)

5

Antepartum (5)

6

C-section (2 + 1 Future)

7

NICU (15)

8

Postpartum (26)

9

Well-Baby Nursery

10

Rooftop Terrace

11

New PACU for Cardiac Surgery

12

Blood Bank

13

Existing Cardiac Open-Heart ORs

14

Garden Below

SHOWCASE 7

4

PLATFORM OF CARE: ORTHOPEDICS

197

Signaling a new era in orthopedic care for the Tampa Bay area, the patient tower’s fourth floor will expand the hospital’s orthopedics department and allow all existing orthopedic beds to be transitioned to private patient rooms. The physical and occupational therapy gym will also relocate and be expanded within the orthopedics units in the new tower.

“The existing orthopedic bed units are in older spaces in different parts of the hospital,” explains Rice. “The patient rooms are semiprivate with no in-room showers and provide limited space for family. The new orthopedics wing will be divided into a 31-bed unit and a 21-bed unit, and will provide private rooms with plenty of space for both staff and family.”

GS&P also designed the private rooms to accommodate patients’

equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers. Five of the patient rooms will be equipped with ceiling-mounted patient lifts, and portable lifts will be utilized in the remaining rooms.

Each orthopedics unit will feature a large, open nurse station as well as an enclosed staff work area. A combination of nursing alcoves between each patient room, and the use of workstations on wheels, will allow for charting to be completed either in the patient room while providing bedside care, or outside of the patient room, granting the patient privacy.

Staff will be able to get patients up and walking as quickly as possible in the corridor that overlooks the garden below. This passageway will provide architectural features that offer visual clues for interim goals that aid in a patient’s rehabilitation.

Landscape plan of garden

PLATFORM OF CARE: ADULT BEHAVIORAL

5

Rounding out the horizontal platforms of care, the fifth floor will house the hospital’s adult behavioral program. The renovation and refurbishment of this existing unit will include a larger group activity space that promotes better patient interaction, a dayroom that can be easily supervised from the nurse station and a sally port design for secure intake into the unit.

“One significant improvement from the existing program were the anti-ligature measures we included in the design, which will help prevent patients from injuring themselves or others,” says Berry. “The hospital wanted to create a safer environment for both staff and patients, and bringing their program up to date with these design components, as well as codes and proper security, will help achieve that objective.”

Schematic garden sketch MORTON PLAN T HOSPITAL - PAT I ENT TOWER

198

EXISTING WEST ENTRANCE

EAST ENTRANCE

MAIN LOBBY

200

Creating a renewed image for the hospital, the patient tower will feature a new main entrance on the first floor that will face east toward the community’s approach to the campus. A new, open lobby will greet patients and visitors with easy access to public spaces that include reception, a gift shop, a retail pharmacy, pre-admit testing, admitting/registration and a 300-seat auditorium. The first floor lobby will also provide views into a new courtyard garden space and serve as the public connection to the hospital’s emergency and imaging departments as well as various patient-bed floors.

“The hospital is located close to the water, and the current main entrance faces the Gulf,” says Berry.

“Unfortunately, people don’t arrive by boat, so they’re presently entering via the back of the hospital. The new main entry portal will actually face the community that the hospital is serving versus having its back to them, and there’s a genuine serendipity to that. So you’ll be able to see the entrance as you’re pulling onto campus, and after you arrive, you’ll simply come in the front door, be greeted, and then easily find your way.”

ED ENTRANCE

Above and Left: Curved entry portals clad with limestone reference existing architectural context and become focal points for the approaching visitor. This architectural element is repeated inside the lobby, signaling destinations and portals into other areas of the hospital.

Far Left: The new lobby becomes the physical link to both clinical and gathering spaces. Distinctive with its high ceiling space and strong sense of transparency, it offers views into the new courtyard garden.

MORTON PLAN T HOSPITAL - PAT I ENT TOWER

A NEW MAIN ENTRANCE

SHOWCASE 7

SOLVING COMPLEX ISSUES

201

Morton Plant’s goal to have new consolidated platforms of care conveniently located next to its existing services required the new addition be placed in the center of an ever-growing campus. Because of this, the overall project involved early construction packages and phasing that relocated mothers and babies to a temporary location away from construction noise; created new space for various groups that occupied buildings slated for demolition; rerouted major existing utilities away from the new tower; and generated new emergency backup power for the entire hospital. The design team carefully planned these early packages concurrently with the design of the patient tower.

“One of the biggest challenges with this project was the phasing,” recalls Berry. “Some people liken it to working on a car while it’s moving down the road. But a hospital is a living entity, so I like to compare it to the human body—it has a nervous system, a digestive system and a respiratory system, and all of those systems have to stay working. Our challenge was how do we build something smack-dab in the middle of an existing hospital, connect it to five existing buildings, and then keep all of its systems working at the same time? The answer, of course, was phasing. And it all comes down to how well we understand the impacts to the existing services while creating what we’re doing, and doing it in a way that allows them to stay functional.

“Ultimately, it involves taking ourselves out of the architect role and becoming the master of logistics. We have to remove ourselves from just drawing the project and figure out what is really happening.

And that involves working closely with engineers, contractors, hospital leadership, doctors, nurses and end users, and being the one who orchestrates the whole process.

So in a way, it’s akin to a massive jigsaw puzzle. And our job is to make those puzzle pieces fit.”

The new patient tower will be located in the middle of the existing hospital campus, requiring demolition of existing structures and relocation of offices within those buildings.

Mechanical utilities are being re-routed through buildings and a new utility tunnel under the future tower.

The new tower will connect to five existing buildings.

Final renovations of vacated space will occur after the new tower is completed.

THE MASTER OF LOGISTICS."

— BOB BERRY, Senior Architect

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

TEAM

Morton Plant Hospital BayCare Health System

PIC Robert A. Berry, AIA, NCARB, EDAC

Larry D. Leman

PM Tamara Rice, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

Ellen Lina

PP Angela C. Holcomb, AIA, NCARB

Jonathan Massaro

PC Christopher L. Davis, LEED AP BD+C, CDT,

Blaine Matthews, P.E., LEED AP

Associate AIA

Deron McIntosh, P.E.

LOCATION

Clearwater, Florida

PC Katrina Pasteur, AIA ID Emily R. Farrell, IIDA

MARKET

Healthcare

ID Carrie May Kovacs, IIDA, LEED AP

Edward C. Alonso, AIA Tracey Curray Glenn T. Davis

SERVICES

Danielle Everette

Architecture

Rob Fuller, AIA

Environmental Graphics

Stephan K. Gartman, RA, LEED AP

Interior Design

James R. Harding, SEGD

Planning

Matthew G. Harrell, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP Woudly Homicil

SIZE

Tower Project: 392,000 Square Feet Multi-phased Total: 420,000 Square Feet

Amanda Hunter Deanna L Kamal Shawn M. Kelley, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

David V. McMullin, P.E., LEED AP Louis Medcalf, FCSI, CCS Ramon A. Cruz Moreno Orlando Lopez-Isa, AIA, LEED AP Ana U. Praskach Amanda Slack, LEED AP Frank Swaans, AIA, ACHA, FHFI, LEED AP, EDAC Bogue M. Waller, P.E. Christopher W. Wahl Nicole L. Williams Ray A. Wong, AIA, EDAC, LEED GA, NCARB

202 MORTON PLAN T HOSPITAL - PAT I ENT TOWER

“... it involves taking ourselves out of the architect role and becoming

Maximizing patient flow while providing the ultimate patient experience, the 392,000-square-foot, six-story addition and renovation of Morton Plant Hospital’s 687-bed facility will not only better serve the future healthcare needs of the Tampa Bay community, but also allow the hospital to grow centers of excellence based on best practices.

“It all boils down to patient satisfaction, and that ties directly into MPH recapturing its lost market share,” says Berry. “A hospital is more than just a building, and people love Morton Plant because of its outstanding level of patient care. The inherent value of this new addition and renovation is it will finally provide the community with a facility that matches that level of care.”▪

Bringing the Streets to Life

REVIVE BIRMINGHAM THIRD AVENUE NORTH REVITALIZATION

A

private-public partnership formed by the merger of Operation New Birmingham and Main Street Birmingham, REV Birmingham (REV) is an economic development organization that stimulates growth and improves the quality of life in Birmingham’s city center and its neighborhood commercial centers.

An initiative supported by REV, and inspired by the new urbanism concept that short-term actions can effect long-term change, REVIVE Birmingham: The Street Life Project aimed to bring the Birmingham streets to life by activating empty storefronts and sidewalks with popup food and retail shops—as well as art and performance installations— showcasing potential business and community opportunities. As part of the effort, five target commercial districts were identified to hold weeklong

celebrations each for five consecutive weeks. GS&P volunteered both time and skills to develop concepts to support this unique urban renaissance, and were assigned the Third Avenue North 1800 block—a once bustling city street, now underscored by its vacated storefronts.

“A ‘pop-up’ is essentially the short-term occupation of vacant space in an area that’s been identified for revitalization,” explains GS&P architect Jennifer Carr. “REVIVE Birmingham took this idea a little further and expanded the concept into a larger scale to what they referred to as

a ‘pop-up on steroids,’ and partnered with community leaders, building owners, entrepreneurs and artists to activate the vacant spaces and sidewalks in these designated districts.

“GS&P’s allocated city block was only steps away from the heart of the theatre district, but was in dire need of a cleanup and face-lift. So our team really had to come together, determine how we could use our design expertise, and then demonstrate our thought leadership to organize and strategize what would help achieve a stronger sense of place and create a vibrant destination. We ultimately came up with a comprehensive and

thoughtful plan that was realistic and could be implemented. And we came at it with a whole different approach than perhaps some of the boutique design firms.”

Challenged with an aggressive four-month schedule and relying on volunteers and donations from the community, GS&P had to respond swiftly to keep the project moving forward. Realizing that organized, prompt delivery of information in tandem with creative, budget-conscious solutions was the only way to truly be successful, GS&P outlined a schedule of information sharing and

meetings. As part of this process, the firm’s entire office came together as a united and collaborative in-house team comprised of architects, interior designers, water resources engineers, transportation engineers and civil engineers, all of whom would be volunteering their personal time to the effort.

. .aimed to bring the Birmingham streets to life by activating empty storefronts and sidewalks..

SHOWCASE 7

REV Birmingham staff took the GS&P team on a walking tour of their designated downtown block providing descriptions of each building.

205

Afterwards, the GS&P team held a design charrette to identify client goals and deliverables.

three overarching goals: 1. implementable short-term physical improvements; 2. implementable short-term social improvements; and 3. a future long-term vision.

Since there was no clear direction on deliverables, the team had to devise and lead an organized process to determine what they could produce to help REV achieve its overarching goals for the revitalization.

This process entailed organizing a design charrette to identify client goals and deliverables; supporting short-term activities with graphics;

a vision for long-term opportunities with graphic exhibits; and participating in event activities.

Prior to the design charrette, REV Birmingham staff took the GS&P team on a walking tour of their designated downtown block to provide a description of each building, its history and its current property owners. GS&P then led the effort to

identify key implementable goals during the following work session. “The charrette was the jumpstart for bringing in the REV team as well as everyone in the Birmingham office who wanted to participate,� explains project coordinator Claire Neely. “Because of the short turnaround time, we felt it was the most efficient and

expeditious way to unify our ideas with the client’s goals.

“We held the charrette in an empty downtown loft and retail space on the project street, which was not only an effective and inspiring location, but it also allowed us to engage the end team in a unique and collaborative way. We kicked off the work session by asking the

client to identify three or four primary goals for the effort, and then broke out into three separate groups to focus on those specific goals.”

“Some of the goals identified included determining pop-up spaces along the block and evaluating preferred business types that would make up this sector,” adds Carr.

“And it was a high priority for REV

to discuss social interaction as well as the opportunities that these businesses created for the area.”

By the design charrette’s completion, the unified team had clearlyidentified three overarching goals: implementable short-term physical improvements; implementable short-term social improvements; and a future long-term vision.

SHOWCASE 7

Short-Term Physical and Social Improvements

207

Thinking in the short term, GS&P’s recommendations for physical improvements included cleaning up sidewalks and building facades; removing and replacing existing seating; replacing trash receptacles; adding color and decoration to storefronts; removing dilapidated signage; installing bike racks; repairing existing street lighting; trimming trees; and adding accent plants.

“All the short-term improvements we recommended were relatively simple surface fixes,” explains Carr.

“But we knew they would instantly provide people with a better sense that the street was safe and wellcared for.”

To achieve these short-term objectives, the GS&P team created a site plan and a photomontage of the north and south street elevations.

These drawings not only detailed the extent of the improvements, but also served as a tangible way to demonstrate to the City, property owners and potential donors that their time, effort and money were leading to a distinct vision. Representatives from GS&P also attended meetings with City leadership, where practical discussions regarding street cleanup, occupancy considerations and safety requirements took place.

When it came to long-term social improvements, the summary of goals identified in the work session comprised maximizing street-life vitality to promote social interaction; encouraging performing and visual art installations to enhance culture; and fostering a “can-do” mindset to disprove potential cynics of the initiative.

“In support of the short-term social activities, we provided research through pictures and documentation of successful elements that created social interaction on previously vacant streets in other urban revival movements around the world,” explains GS&P architect Tim Anson.

“We also offered a list of potential activities, artists and prospective

pop-up occupants to support the weeklong activities.

“All concepts were encouraged, and there was no such thing as a ‘bad’ idea. In fact, the idea sharing was very free-flowing, and the overall project actually allowed us to do things that we did in school, like color and draft and draw freehand sketches, which was a lot of fun.”

NORTH ELEVATION

To achieve the short-term objectives, the GS&P team created a site plan and a photomontage of the north and south street elevations.

REVIVE Birmingham – Third Avenue N orth Revitalization

208

SOUTH ELEVATION

SHOWCASE 7 209

Creating a Long-Term Vision Public safety, vehicular traffic pattern improvements, ongoing city maintenance, sustainability, signage and building identity improvements were all a part of a long-term vision for the streets of downtown Birmingham. To accomplish these goals, the GS&P team had discussions with REV Birmingham and generated graphics that outlined a distinctive conceptual vision of what could be achieved in the city center.

“Through the long-term vision, we really wanted to create a feeling of safety and comfort,” says Carr. “We

supported that through increased police control, integration of security cameras, improved lighting, and increased pedestrian activity through social and business opportunities.”

“Adopt a Street” incentives to aid in maintenance and perception, along with the creation of a neighborhood watch, would also provide an increased sense of security. Vehicular concerns were addressed by graphics that outlined design features—such as mid-road speed bumps and reduced traffic lanes—which slow down both car and bus traffic. For added safety,

GS&P’s design concept provides separation of cars and pedestrians, and creates a protected bike lane.

Sustainable design recommendations for the long-term included creative stormwater management— partly through the use of large planters and pervious pavers—as well as green and living wall facades, the use of recycled building criteria, and the integration of the protected bike lane.

As the long-term viability of activity in the corridor would be heavily reliant on the types of

210 REVIVE Birmingham – Third Avenue N orth Revitalization

tenants that were drawn to the buildings, the GS&P team recommended there be a variety of occupants for the weeklong celebration.

These included clothing retailers, restaurants, an ice-cream parlor, a performance studio and even a bar, which all supported the long-term vision for the downtown revival.

Other long-term opportunities identified (through GS&P’s graphic exhibits) included the branding of the area as a gateway to the theater district, wayfinding elements and street furnishings.

“Birmingham has a lot of momentum right now,” says Neely.

“And being able to jump on that train and help our city is truly gratifying. “When you drive around the town, you can see the incredible potential it has. And by making a small impact on this street through our volunteer efforts, our team is helping Birmingham take baby steps to becoming an even greater destination.”

The design team generated graphics that outlined a distinctive conceptual vision of what could be achieved in the city center through the long-term vision.

SHOWCASE 7 211 BURGER- PHILLPS CO

K R E S S & C O.

EUNEV EHT

ERTAEHT VORPMI EHT GROCERY

CAFE

YROLG SNAEJ

THE VENUE

JEANS GLORY

RIALTO 1921

1910 3RD AVE. NO.

OTLAIR

BIG

1291

KESSLER LOFTS

THE IMPROV THEATRE EFAC

YRECORG

T H E V A U L T

Added Value Excited by GS&P’s short-term efforts, REV Birmingham solicited the team’s design input on replacement benches that were being donated by a local neighborhood association and a resident ironsmith. Only two stipulations were outlined by REV for the design— that it be special, and at the same time represent the city of Birmingham.

“As a tribute to the city’s industrial and steel heritage, they wanted the new benches to be constructed of iron,” says Neely. “It was actually a side project for us, but something they needed immediately. So we got everyone in the office to contribute ideas, and we then put a package together and let REV pick what they felt best served their vision.”

Created by Neely, the final design features a silhouetted image of the Birmingham skyline. The distinctive benches have now become a permanent downtown fixture.

Only two stipulations were outlined FOR THE DESIGN - that it be special, and at the same time represent the city of Birmingham

JEANS GLORY GROCERY

CAFE

THE VENUE

THE IMPROV THEATRE

RIALTO 1921

The design team generated proposed long-term visions of all buildings on both sides of the street.

The final bench design, generated by GS&P’s Claire Neely, is a silhouetted image of downtown Birmingham.

Pictured is the designer on her bench.

SHOWCASE 7 213

“Our collaboration with GS&P was extremely prolific, as it offered REV Birmingham the opportunity to tap into GS&P’s incredible intellectual and human capital in order to propel REVIVE BIRMINGHAM: The Street Life Project to a new level.”

LAURA KATE WHITNEY, FORMER MANAGER OF BUSINESS GROWTH, REV BIRMINGHAM

Setting the Standard Transforming downtown Birmingham’s empty storefronts into a vibrant center for business, art and the community, GS&P’s collaboration with REV Birmingham resulted in a successful weeklong set of activities that culminated in a block party celebration that drew thousands of participants.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect with the block party,” says Anson. “I was worried that we were going to promote the event only to have 20 people show up. But there were thousands of people in attendance. And there was literally music in the streets—almost a house party atmosphere—featuring dance troupes and performance installations that included a piano so people could make their own music.

I even took a turn!”

Thanks to injecting a new energy into the area, there’s been renewed

interest in the Third Avenue North block, with two of the initial occupants remaining in their spaces long after the weeklong event, and ongoing discussions for occupancy of the vacant space where the design charrette was held.

“People seemed genuinely excited about downtown Birmingham again,” says Anson. “And what was equally exciting for GS&P was seeing all our in-house disciplines come together for this project. We relied on our own expertise to show REV what the long-term for downtown Birmingham might look like, and our collaboration combined with this multi-disciplined approach prompted the client to tell us that we set the standard for future studies of this kind in Birmingham.”

“One of the key things the project achieved was it brought to life

the possibilities for our city, and showcased that with continued effort and teamwork, streets full of life, energy and business opportunity can become a reality,” adds Carr. “It also demonstrated that GS&P truly cares about the community and wanted to be involved.

“My favorite part—not as a design professional but personally—is that my children saw me donating my time and energy to the effort as well as attending these events. And we didn’t just go to the one we participated in—I took them to all the other weeklong events and showed them the importance of being a part of the community, donating your time, and simply making your part of the world a better place.”▪

GS&P architect Tim Anson tickles the ivories during the block party.

PROJECT DETAILS CLIENT

SERVICES

TEAM

REV Birmingham

Architecture

Timothy J. Anson, AIA, LEED AP

Civil Engineering

Jonas Booker, LEED AP

Planning

Jennifer T. Carr, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

Signage, Wayfinding, Environmental Graphics

Mary Claire Fuqua

Transportation Engineering

Caylee Griner

LOCATION

Birmingham, Alabama

MARKET

Water Resources

James C. Griffo, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP Bryan M. Gurney, P.E. Charlie A. Hall, Associate IIDA, LEED AP

Corporate + Urban Design Transportation

AWARDS

Water Resources

2014 American Institute of Architects Birmingham Chapter Merit Award

Erin McCullar Randall A. Naccari, RA, NCARB Claire Neely Blair C. Perry, P.E. Julie D. Roquemore, IIDA, LEED AP Bridget Shealy, P.E. Poppy Tidwell

AUTHORS Sue Halford - Senior Copywriter, Gresham, Smith and Partners Heather Ebert Bill Lewis Phil Newman

DESIGNERS Annie Huitt Ellie Throop Megan Towle

PHOTOGRAPHY Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Jim W. Henderson Administration and Welcome Center Randy Van Duinen

Jackson National Life Insurance Company - The Zone Clayton Studio; Jackson National Life Insurance Company

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts Andy Caulfield

Dunn Building Company - Corporate Headquarters AerialSouth, LLC, Greg McNair

Charter Communications - Retail Store Prototype Firewater Photography

GDOT - I-20 at Washington Road Lighting Steve Bracci Photography

Tampa International Airport - Main Terminal Interior Modernization Rixon Photography, LLC

www.greshamsmith.com/showcase