Fairwinds Federal Credit Union

Frank Ernest DeBolt IV AIA, CDT, LEED AP BD+C

2018 AIA Orlando Award of Merit - Built 2016 AIA Orlando Award of Merit - Unbuilt

Fairwinds Federal Credit Union Orlando, Florida Role: Project Architect / Designer Firm: Little Diversified Architectural Consulting

FAIRWINDS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ORLANDO, FL

NORTHWEST CORNER

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

ALAFAYA TRAIL

FAIRWINDS

CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH PARK

FAIRWINDS Federal Credit Union consistently ranks as one of Central Florida’s best employers and continues to flourish as a locally focused bank. The property assets held by FAIRWINDS had not kept pace with the success of the brand. In February of 2014, our design team was approached by FAIRWINDS to reposition and modernize their East Orlando Campus.

The strategically positioned site represents a gateway to the campus of University of Central Florida and offers a high degree of visibility to the heavily-traveled Alafaya Trail. Despite its premier location, the two existing buildings were approaching obsalescence and were becoming maintenance and fiscal liabilities.

EXISTING BUILDING A

EXISTING CONDITIONS

SCIENCE DRIVE

(TO RESEARCH PARK)

SITE LOCATION

ALAFAYA TRAIL (45 mph)

BUILDING B

FAIRWINDS CREDIT UNION

The charge to the architects was clear: unify the two buildings into a holistic campus worthy of the FAIRWINDS brand.

The design team began by connecting the two buildings with a continuous, light-filled glass atrium, providing a single point of entry for all employees and visitors. A simple, folded plane simultaneously shades the building from the intense Florida sun, unites the two existing masses, and creates a unique entry procession through a series of lush garden spaces.

EXISTING BUILDING UNIFYING MASSES FOLDED PLANE

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

BRISE SOLEIL

CURTAINWALL SYSTEM

SHADING FINS

STEEL STRUCTURE

ENTRY

GARDEN OFFICE

COMMUNITY ENTRY

INDOOR PUBLIC ZONE EXISTING BUILDINGS

INDOOR PUBLIC ZONE OFFICE

OUTDOOR PUBLIC ZONE

GARDEN

ENTRY

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

The delicate brise-soleil filters Western light and enables the expanse of a taut glazed skin. Perforated metal vertical shading fins suspended off of the long East and West-facing facades help to reduce glare and solar heat gain. The modern exo-skeleton slips over the retained slabs and structure of the original building to completely transform the project.

TECHTONIC LAYERING

BENEATH THE BRISE-SOLEIL

METAL RAINSCREEN

EAST ELEVATION

WEST ELEVATION

METAL SCREEN WALL

GLASS FRIT

GLASS FRIT DETAIL

PERFORATED METAL

CONNECTIONS

SOUTHWEST CORNER

NORTHWEST CORNER