A publication of The American Institute of Architects Colorado Component
PUSHING THE ENVELOPE WITH BUILDING SKINS
www.aiacolorado.org // Winter 2011-2012
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Contents Features Justice for All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Pushing the Envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Environmental Adaptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 A New School of Thought. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 We Are Analog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Departments Member News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 On the Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Looking Ahead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
You have a plan. Protect it.
Correction: In “Responsible Design,” the second quote from Gary Prager, AIA, on page 23 of the previous issue should read: “VTBS likes working with our nonprofit clients because we believe in their missions. It’s in our nature to give back to the community, and one way we can do that is to assist them with finding land and providing feasibility and destiny studies at no cost.” On the Cover: The Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse — a LEED Gold-certified structure containing courtroom facilities, judges’ chambers and office space for judicial personnel in Denver. The five-story, 317,000-square-foot courthouse juxtaposes a folding glass curtainwall system on the eastern façade with Alabama limestone cladding on the northern, southern and western strata.
Protect your plans for tomorrow with AIA Contract Documents today. AIA Contract Documents just released new and updated agreements that address the unique requirements of urban planning, multi-family and mixed-use residential projects. With an eye towards sustainability, we offer documents that can help guide your revitalization project with a framework for transforming aging urban structures into vibrant communities. Easy to use, widely accepted and fair and balanced for all parties involved – get off to a smart start with AIA Contract Documents. NEW DOCUMENTS TO INCLUDE URBAN PLANNING, MIXED-USE HOUSING AND RESIDENTIAL PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS - AVAILABLE THROUGH AIA CONTRACT DOCUMENTS SOFTWARE AND AIA DOCUMENTS-ON-DEMAND™.
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NEW DOCUMENTS RELEASED Architect Colorado 4
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2011/1
Published November 2011
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AIA Colorado 1515 Arapahoe St., Ste 1-110 Denver, CO 80202 T 303.446.2266 F 303.446.0066 www.aiacolorado.org Editorial Staff Managing Editor Alaina Gonzales Publisher Innovative Publishing Ink Editor Deanna Strange Graphic Designer Matt Wood Sales Representative Kelly Arvin Production Manager Shannon Patterson Copy Editor Michael Adkins Staff Executive Director Sonia Riggs, Hon. AIA, CAE, ext. 117 sonia@aiacolorado.org Director of Local Chapters Pomelia “Pomie� Bowers, ext. 115 pomelia@aiacolorado.org Director of Programs & Sponsorship Nicolle Thompson, ext. 111 nicolle@aiacolorado.org Membership & Communication Manager Alaina Gonzales, ext. 116 alaina@aiacolorado.org Programs Coordinator Jenna Cather, ext. 112 jenna@aiacolorado.org Office Manager Emily Ewing, ext. 114 emily@aiacolorado.org Membership & Communication Coordinator Brittany Karstrand, ext. 113 brittany@aiacolorado.org 2012 Board of Directors President Ernest Joyner, AIA President-Elect Mike Wisneski, AIA Past-President Steven Schonberger, AIA Treasurer Gail Pelsue, AIA Treasurer-Elect Angela Tirri Van Do, AIA Secretary Kevin Eronimous, AIA Director, AIA Denver Ralph Hellman, AIA Director, AIA Colorado North Justin C. Larson, AIA Director, AIA Colorado South Adam Thesing, AIA Director, AIA Colorado West Jim Jose, AIA Associate Director Chuck Shifflett, Assoc. AIA Associate Director-Elect Cynthia Fishman, Assoc. AIA Professional Affiliate Director John Pittman, PA Office of the State Architect Director Larry Friedberg, AIA
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University Director Taisto Makela, Assoc. AIA Student Director Stephen Cole, AIAS Government Affairs Director D.A. Bertram, Esq., FAIA SDA Liaison Carol Wolford, SDA Ex-Officio Sonia Riggs, Hon. AIA, CAE AIA Colorado, the voice of the profession of architecture, inspires and supports its members as leaders to improve and sustain the quality of the built environment. We promote the value of the profession and provide resources and education for members. Advertising Contact Kelly Arvin, Innovative Publishing Ink, 502.423.7272 or karvin@ipipub.com. Subscriptions $30 for one year. Contact AIA Colorado at 800.628.5598. The opinions expressed in this publication or the representations made by advertisers, including copyrights and warranties, are not those of the editorial staff or the board of directors of AIA Colorado or Innovative Publishing Ink. Copyright 2011 by AIA Colorado. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. Architect Colorado is produced on paper that has recycled content and printed with green inks that do not contain solvents and are VOC-free. Alcohol substitutes are used. Our printer has eliminated the use of film and film processing and uses waste recovery programs and EPA-licensed handlers. Corporate Sponsors Platinum initial.AEC JVA, Inc. Gold BCER Engineering Inc. CAD-1, Inc. GE Johnson Construction Company Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers Silver Ambient Energy KL&A, Inc. Rocky Mountain Prestress Bronze ccrd partners Centerre Construction, Inc. Fransen Pittman General Contractors Group14 Engineering, Inc. Kiewit Building Group MKK Consulting Engineers, Inc. The Gallegos Corporation The RMH Group, Inc. Thompson Engineering Inc. Van Gilder Insurance Corporation
| Member News
acts to advance the understanding and practice of sustainable building design, construction and operation through applied research and innovation. The COMNET Steering Committee oversees the development and maintenance of standards, including the Modeling Guidelines and Procedures, for evaluating the energy performance of commercial buildings.
Michael Holtz, FAIA, founder and principal of LightLouver LLC, has been reappointed to the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Research Advisory Committee and appointed to the COMNET Steering Committee. The USGBC Research Advisory Committee
Denver-based Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture was recently honored with an Aquatics International Dream Designs award for its innovative design of the Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Salem, Oregon. According to the Aquatics International website, “The Dream Designs showcase is an annual program that highlights extraordinary aquatics facility design projects.” The LEED® Silver, 91,500-square-foot community center represents part of the program initiated by a $1.8 billion gift from the late Joan Kroc, wife of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc.
The design of Kroc Salem represents the successful combination of multiple community functions — aquatic center, recreation center, church, library, education center and cultural/ performing arts facility — in one allencompassing complex, resulting in considerable operational savings and increased usage over a traditional recreation center.
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Justice for All O Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse Exemplifies Law and Order for Denver Residents by Michael Adkins
ftentimes, experts in the field of architecture believe that the only way to get a truly unique design is to use expensive, custombuilt, one-of-a-kind systems in a building’s construction. But the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse proves that there is more than one way to skin a building.
A tenuous juxtaposition of skin types creates and provides visual tension, interest and dynamism.
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In 2001, Denver voters rejected a bond proposal for a new justice facility near 6th Avenue and Interstate 25, according to Lesley Thomas, deputy manager of Denver Public Works and city engineer. “It also became clear that the district, juvenile and county courts at the City and County Building were overcrowded and that a new proposal should accommodate those courts as well,” she explained.
Transparency and reflectivity evoke the notion of justice.
“Thanks to klipp’s design, Denver received a world-class building that will forever live in our civic landscape.” — Lesley Thomas
In 2004, the Urban Land Institute recommended that a new complex be constructed that would separate the city’s detention center and courthouse facilities, rather than continuing to house them in the same structure. Voters approved this proposal for the downtown Denver Justice Center campus in May 2005, which would include a detention center and a post office/parking garage structure. The Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse, named after notable judges Benjamin Barr Lindsey and James C. Flanigan, would be the third and final part of this campus.
The glowing “lantern” façade exuberates the notion of importance and eternity.
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Denver Public Works originally chose Denver-based firm klipp Architecture Planning Interiors to serve as the architect of record for the courthouse, with an out-of-state firm assuming the role of design architect — but when that firm left the project after about seven months of work, klipp was asked to assume the project as the sole architect, according to Keat Tan, AIA, klipp’s director of design and principal designer for the project. “We started over from scratch,” he said. Going back to the drawing board allowed the team to reimagine the idea being communicated by the structure. “I’m a true believer of ‘big-idea’ architecture,” Tan said. “It has to have intent and purpose. Throughout history, buildings have evolved from simple structures for shelter and functionality to show self-expression.” In this case, the design of the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse conveyed two “big ideas” — the Lantern of Justice and the Stratification of Justice. “For the Lantern of Justice, we wanted to reflect the idea that justice should be transparent to the public,” Tan said. This was accomplished through the use of a folding glass curtainwall system along the structure’s eastern façade that soars to a height of 92 feet. The curtainwall is a standard 1600 Kawneer system, modified only as needed to fit the design, which “provides a unique look while maintaining the budget requirements,” Thomas stated. Meanwhile, the Stratification of Justice idea responds to the idea of the public and private sides of justice, the functional layout of the internal spaces and the need for both public access and privacy for the users of the courthouse. On a macro and urbanplanning level, the stratification “layers” from the
Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse
Photography © Frank Ooms
Architect: klipp Architecture Planning Interiors General Contractor/Construction Manager: Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Location: Denver Cost: $136.3 million Scope: 317,000 square feet; five stories; 112 feet tall; 35 courtrooms (29 finished, with six available for future buildout) Sustainability: LEED Gold-certified Function: Multiple courtroom facilities, judges’ chambers and office space for various judicial personnel Owner: City and County of Denver
Colorado State Capitol Building along the east-towest axis through to the courthouse building within the Denver civic complex. The courthouse makes use of Alabama limestone cladding on the northern, southern and western façades. While the eastern side, or strata, houses courtrooms and other public-accessible areas — requiring the open views provided by the glass curtainwall — the western strata houses chambers for the courts’ presiding judges, which are areas that require the strictest confidentiality and privacy. “The undulating stone pattern, with shade and shadow created by the sun, provides an interesting and dynamic texture that evokes a fabric-wrap skin on the building, making it friendly and non-imposing to the adjacent neighborhood,” Tan explained. “It creates a very rich texture when the sun shines on it, as well as a scaling device for the building as a whole; and it provides an expression of highly articulated, thoughtful design on the surface.” Construction of the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse began in August 2007 and was completed in May 2010, with the courts moving into their new courtrooms in June 2010. In addition to its innovative use of standard systems, the courthouse addresses a city requirement for sustainability in new construction by achieving a certification of LEED Gold from the U.S. Green Building Council through the inclusion of energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems, natural daylighting and ventilation, and two green roofs, among other “green” features. Tan said he was glad the city was open to the idea of a contemporary design for the courthouse, rather than the traditional or neo-classical techniques used in many
judicial complexes across the nation. “That really let us push the envelope for this,” he noted. “It let us provide a finished product that really stands out for the city and county of Denver and [one] that I think is world-class.” As Thomas pointed out, the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse fulfilled a promise to Denver’s residents to provide the best facility possible to meet the community’s needs. “Thanks to klipp’s design, Denver received a world-class building that will forever live in our civic landscape,” she said. “I’m extremely pleased with the way the project turned out and enjoyed working with klipp throughout the process.” ●
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Photo Credit: Dri-Design with Ombrae™
Pushing the
Colorado Architects and Engineers Expand the Realm of Possibilities in Building Skin Design
University of Arizona
by Sarah Goldblatt, AIA
T
he convergence of science and technology is fueling an explosion of new building materials and designs that offer striking visual effects while providing innovative strategies related to energy conservation and material optimization. It is hard not to notice that much of the application of these materials is occurring outside of the United States or is limited to the palettes of high-profile architects and their clients. There are, however, architects and engineers in Colorado who are engaged in the research, development and application of both new materials and the transformation of conventional ones. Architect Colorado had a conversation with a few of these architects and engineers, including: Chris O’Hara, AIA Colorado professional affiliate, P.E., principal, Studio NYL; Gerardo Salinas, AIA, LEED AP, partner, Rojkind Arquitectos; Fred Andreas, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, principal, Unit Design Studio; and Ben de Rubertis, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, principal, NAC|Architecture. Architect Colorado 12
Chris O’Hara, P.E., Studio NYL In 2004, Chris O’Hara and Julian Lineham founded Studio NYL Structural Engineers in Boulder, Colo., with an emphasis on the holistic design of building structures, which is supplemented with a specialization in façade design. Notable façade projects include the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse with klipp Architecture Planning Interiors; the Ralph Carr Justice Center with Fentress Architects; and projects around the world with Rojkind Arquitectos, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Neil Denari and Renzo Piano Building Workshop. What is happening worldwide with building skin innovation? Lots. Let’s start with concrete. Photocatalytic concrete is basically the smog-buster that Richard Meier used on the Jubilee Church in Rome. It creates a chemical reaction with sunlight, dirt and pollutants and breaks them down into water and gas. As a result, it takes the smog and dirt out of the air while keeping the building façade perfectly clean throughout its life. It’s available in the States now, mostly on the coasts. The other concrete product that is also just reaching the United States is a product called Ductal®, made by Lafarge. For a while in the U.S., it couldn’t be classified as concrete, because it can be cast so thin. It’s like a fiber-mesh concrete, except the fibers are steel, so it’s highly corrosive-resistant and roughly three times as strong as conventional concrete and doesn’t require reinforcement. It’s generally used as a precast element.
A good example of this application is the RATP Bus Centre designed by ECDM Architects in France. Ductal® is phenomenally, outrageously rigid and thin. It’s like putting up any other precast system, except you’re saving weight, which makes your beams smaller, columns smaller, foundations smaller, and you aren’t losing all that floor area with a thick skin element. It’s here, just not in Colorado yet. Eventually, standard precast skins will go away, and this will take over. There is also a radiant skin system that was recently featured in Architectural Record called Liquid Wall™, which uses Ductal® in conjunction with a radiant heating/cooling system. How about innovation in glass? The real jump in glazing technology is in performance rather than structure. The technology has changed with light transmittance, reflectivity and energy performance — whether it’s through insulated units or different coatings. Structurally, the big change can be seen in the Apple Stores. Many of those details and concepts are patented, but all that testing and technology is now available. We can take this data and extrapolate from it and do more inventive things that we couldn’t do previously, primarily because no one could afford to do the testing that Apple does. Describe the metal skin you are working on with Rojkind Architectos in Mexico City. In the project we are currently doing with Rojkind Architectos in Mexico City, we developed what I call a translation structure with idealized bearing locations for the exterior skin system. The exterior skin uses ele-
Photo Credit: Ben de Rubertis
University of Arizona
Liverpool Insurgentes Department Store
Rendering: Rojkind Arquitectos
ments of Zahner’s (metal skin fabricator) patented system, which support aluminum sheathing and stainless steel skin. By approaching the project this way, we were able to use more cost-effective local labor for the fabrication of the translation structure and erection of the skin’s system. Is this groundbreaking for Mexico? Yes. This is taking the form and the technology to a level that they previously didn’t have the ability to do. What about ETFE? NASA invented ETFE. It’s a thermoplastic version of Teflon®, so it’s self-cleaning and can be transparent. It’s one-onehundredth the weight of glass. Cost and familiarity are holding back the product. It got its start with Grimshaw’s Eden Project in Cornwall, England. The air inside the dome weighs more than the dome … that is how light the structure is. The same product was used on the Water Cube in Beijing. A lot of these materials have high price tags. What’s happening in terms of low-cost building skins? We did a concept for a house that Libeskind designed. Basically, it is a form like the Denver Art Museum. It was a simple steel frame with SIPS clad on it. The parts and pieces that go together are very simple, normal part and pieces, arranged in a very complicated way. We have also been going to the complete other end of the spectrum with rammed-earth technology and compressed-earth block. We have developed an insulated rammed-earth system that is appropriate to Colorado’s climate. Where do you think the future is going with building skins? Fiber-reinforced polymers. Carbon fiber is light, five to six times as strong as steel — it’s fantastic stuff, very elastic. Good for reinforcing and seismic upgrading. They make this like a SIP panel now. The Air Force developed the Architect Colorado 13
carbon-fiber panel technology to use for temporary runways. They can also make similar system with polymers that are more similar to fiberglass and, therefore, less expensive than carbon. What makes it even more accessible is that it is made right here in Boulder. What excites you about the future of architectural building skins? I think ETFE is exciting. But the story hasn’t been written on the carbon-fiber products. I am also interested in more lowtech systems. As much as we do the wild and crazy, we are starting a program with the Rob Pyatt and the University of Colorado called NASHI [Native American Sustainable Housing Initiative], and it is with the Lakota Indians, where we are designing sustainable houses — not just sustainable environmentally; I mean sustainable economically as well.
Gerardo Salinas, AIA, LEED AP, Partner, Rojkind Arquitectos Gerardo Salinas spent 15 years working in the United States, including six for Anderson Mason Dale Architects in Colorado. In 2008, he was named Young Architect of the Year by The American Institute of Architects Denver Chapter. In 2010, he returned to his native Mexico to join Rojkind Arquitectos as partner. How is Rojkind Arquitectos’ commitment to building skin innovation impacting the fabric of Mexico City and design worldwide? We tend to see the potential of our buildings in terms of improving the quality of the public space that can be generated by them. The building skin helps define the quality of these spaces or the way people react to them. In a country like ours, our buildings tend to have a bigger impact on the fabric of the city due to the lack of good urban planning. How does the manipulation of the building skin on your projects respond to the demands of the site, including energy consumption, cultural context, identity, etc.? Each project is heavily influenced by its unique relationship to its context. The skin becomes an integral part of the public realm and needs to address this condition and not only be an envelope for the building.
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Why, in your opinion, is there more innovation in architectural building skins in Mexico, Asia and Europe than in the United States? Perhaps because we don’t have such a litigious system as in the USA. We also are fortunate enough to have one of the best climates and very good local labor that allows us to experiment more without the added cost.
Fred Andreas, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, Unit Design Studio Fred Andreas is the principal architect of Unit Design Studio, assistant adjunct professor of architecture at the College of Architecture at the University of Colorado Denver and assistant research professor at the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. Through practice, teaching and research, he has been committed to the development of innovative sustainable and green design approaches. He is currently part of a National Science Foundation-funded project team researching the application of biomimetic design principles to develop an intelligent and integrated Living Building Wall system. Describe the objectives and potential of your National Science Foundation (NSF) research on the Living Building Wall System. The objective of the NSF Living Wall System research is to develop new cutting-edge technology for actual Zero Net Energy Buildings (ZNEB). Current LEED-based systems rely on typical, though highly efficient, HVAC Liverpool Interlomas Department Store
Photo Credit: Rojkind Arquitectos
How do you approach the research and analysis of a new building skin that you are using? There is a lot of exploration that is done at the forefront of each project with materials, including performance, costs and durability. Our focus then turns into how to take all of the digital explorations and turn them into a buildable solution using local materials and our available local fabricators.
Would you say that you are working more with new materials and technologies or standard materials used in new ways? More than using new materials, it is the way these materials are assembled and finished using the local means available to us. We are not tied to a material palette and we are willing to explore what is best for each project.
How does the application of biomimetic design principles guide the advancement toward net-zero buildings? The research follows the biomimic example of biologic skin that auto-regulates heating, cooling, moisture and vapor in any organism. Developing an effective autoregulating hydrogel skin for buildings will revolutionize future building designs, allowing building’s façades to react to environmental heating, cooling and lighting conditions on the exterior. Following biomimic examples, the Living Wall System integrated within a building’s exterior skin and the centralized building automated systems (BAS) will allow building skins into collect, concentrate, store and transport energy from areas of high energy to areas of low energy. How will buildings look and perform that employ the Living Building Wall System? Buildings will largely look like modern commercial buildings do today, with curtainwall systems on the outboard side. The technology and systems will allow for modern designs with an expansive pallet of exterior skins showcasing integrated high-tech technologies. The exterior design concepts remain the same, placing a skin on the exterior of a building, except now the skin will react to the environmental energy and climate to capture and utilize that energy.
Benjamin de Rubertis, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, NAC|Architecture Benjamin de Rubertis is a principal with NAC|Architecture in its Denver office. His award-winning work with the firm includes projects with a strong urban component and high-level sustainable design. For his recent resident hall projects at the University of Arizona, he explored old-world methods for climate control and translated them into a dynamic building skin that anchors the campus. Describe your strategies for the building skin design for the University of Arizona residence halls. In Tucson, thermal comfort is very difficult to achieve for spaces with any significant exposure to sunlight. We looked at technologies employed at similar latitudes: Marrakesh, Isfahan and Jaipur. These were old technologies — jalis windows, masonry brise-soleil and traditional sun awnings.
Photo Credit: Guido Torres
and lighting technologies. Our objective is to develop a comprehensive, completely passive commercial prototype with an energy reduction of between 80 [percent] and 90 percent over ASHRAE standards. This should revolutionize the conditioning of buildings with an entire paradigm shift in building design and technology.
Tori Tori Restaurant
How does your design relate to the demands of the site and context? At Likins Hall, we applied a brick pattern already in use throughout the neighborhood. At Arbol de la Vida, we have an old slab-style dormitory to one side and one of the four main campus corners on the other. At that corner, we worked with a company called Dri-Design that has developed a novel technology that allowed us to create a brise-soleil to protect a large window from solar gain and also reflect light off its surface to project the image of a slot canyon. Describe your application of the Dri-Design with Ombrae™ imaging technology. Each metal panel is fabricated with a unique image — accomplished by way of a proprietary technology. The metal panels perform as a rain screen — joints in the cladding are not sealed; rather, they allow the passage of air, vapor and moisture. The outside surface of the product is perforated in pixel fashion, such that the light reflects differently off of each individual pixel. The result is an almost holographic image. We suspended these panels in front of a large glass area so that the panels serve multiple functions — as a building cladding to control the elements, for shading to mitigate heat and as a work of art to establish a signature campus corner. How did you translate old-world approaches to climate control into a modern building skin for the residence halls? Masonry brise-soleil is a very common feature of older buildings in the Middle East and India. We did not do much to translate this technology; rather, we found a way to create a masonry brise-soleil using modern building codes. The Ombrae™ product is a true translation of older technology. At the Palace of the Winds in Jaipur, a perforated façade was created by craft traditions, whereas our metal slot canyon is part craft but also dependent on computer technology for creating the image. ●
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Environmental Adaptation Eco-Friendly Garage Skin Works with the Weather to Minimize Energy Consumption by Alexandria Lopez
East view of parking garage
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A
mericans today are increasingly aware of transportation’s effects on the environment. From the development of hybrid vehicles to the ongoing search for “green” fuel sources, consumer consciousness is higher than ever. Green parking structures, however, have gotten relatively little buzz — that is, until the U.S. Department of Energy commissioned RNL to design a 578,000-square-foot parking garage for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s campus. “We’ve done a number of projects for the lab,” explained Richard T. Anderson, AIA, LEED AP, senior principal at RNL. “The primary thing that distinguishes any project for this client is their commitment to green, sustainable design.” The highly efficient structure, intended to prove that it is easy being green, features custom-designed skin assemblies that allow the garage to adapt to a variety of environmental conditions without busting its energy budget.
Photovoltaic panels
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Parking Garage Architect: RNL Location: Golden, Colo. Scope: 578,000 square feet Number of Parking Spaces Available: 1,800 Function: Sustainable parking garage Owner: U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory
In September 2010, RNL began designing the parking garage with a modest budget and a large surface area to be covered with skin. In order to keep energy requirements low, the garage needed to
team considered various types of fabric and metal mesh before settling on a thin, perforated aluminum. “The aluminum was a real positive from a green standpoint because it’s almost
“We had to find something to fit our budget, so we had the contractor, fabricator, suppliers and architects sit down and work through what is a one-of-a-kind, very economical and fairly simple system.” — Ryan Meeks, AIA, LEED AP be designed on an open plan — with no inherent weather protection. “Even though it’s open, you can’t let wind, snow and water come in to any great extent, because that becomes hazardous,” Anderson noted. In order to mitigate environmental factors, the garage’s skin would have to be uniquely designed to respond to various types of weather. “We had to look at weather studies to know what parts of the building were going to get what type of weather,” architect Ryan Meeks, LEED AP, primary skin designer, said. “We couldn’t do the same solution around the entire elevation; we had to test each section and see how the light levels and wind mitigation were working out.” Selecting the perfect material for the skin was also a challenge. The design
totally recycled,” Anderson explained. “It’s a very green-friendly material and also extremely durable.” It also met
and exceeded the federal installation criterion of being a U.S.-manufactured product. “The aluminum could be fabricated locally,” Meeks noted, explaining that a team of workers paints and punches the material before forming it into panels. “We’re not using a premanufactured system; that wasn’t really an option for us. We had to find something to fit our budget, so we had the contractor, fabricator, suppliers and architects sit down and work through what is a one-of-a-kind, very economical and fairly simple system.” Once fashioned, the aluminum panels were placed on the garage’s exterior in a woven pattern. “Because it’s a lowenergy building with an open exterior,
Parking structure rendering
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Stair tower rendering
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North perspective of garage
you want to take advantage of the daylighting potential,” Anderson explained. RNL collaborated with a wind consultant to determine how much skin was necessary to maximize the amount of natural light in the structure while limiting the amount of wind and precipitation that
received the greatest amount of coverage, followed by the north side of the building. The panels decrease significantly in number on the eastern elevation of the parking garage, where they are also spread out across the surface of the building’s side. The south side of the building receives
“It’s exciting to explore all of the ways we can save energy and provide an efficient parking garage that is also aesthetically pleasing.” — Richard Anderson, AIA, LEED AP enters the garage. The end result is a skin composed of 40 percent aluminum panels, which are roughly 60 percent open to the elements. “The skin really changes as you go around the building,” Anderson noted. Since the western elevation of the garage has both the greatest potential for wind and snow, as well as low sun, that elevation
virtually no exposure to wind and snow while receiving a great deal of sunlight. In response to these prime weather conditions, RNL designed a mounting system for photovoltaic panels for the southern elevation to generate energy from the large amount of daylight present. RNL also took several other factors into account when designing the NREL
parking garage in order to minimize the structure’s impact on the environment surrounding it. They placed upturned concrete beams around the perimeter of the garage to prevent light pollution caused by car headlights shining onto neighboring property. Noting that the building site was home to a lot of wildlife, they glazed the garage’s central light well and stair towers with glass covered with a ceramic semi-transparent frit pattern in order to prevent bird strikes, a major problem in glass buildings. Though small, these design elements are consistent with the garage’s overarching green theme. Although the garage is still under construction, Anderson and his team are excited about the impact their building may have on similar projects. “I think it has the ability to really set a standard for an extremely efficient building type,” he enthused. “It’s exciting to explore all of the ways we can save energy and provide an efficient parking garage that is also aesthetically pleasing.” ● Architect Colorado 19
A New
School of Thought
Denver Public Schools Rethinks Educational Architecture with the Evie Garrett Dennis E-12 Campus by Michael Adkins
Evie Garrett Dennis E-12 Campus aerial rendering
M
any school districts in large metropolitan areas are finding that their students are not flourishing in traditional educational facilities — huge buildings with 800, 900, even 1,500 or more students all under one roof. This was the case for Denver Public Schools (DPS), which had not had the kind of success it wanted with those types of facilities in the past.
Evie Garrett Dennis E-12 Campus Architect: DLR Group General Contractor: Saunders Construction Turnkey Developer: HC Development Location: Denver Cost: $42.7 million Scope: 190,000 square feet; four buildings (original plan — later expanded to five buildings); 35 acres Sustainability: LEED Gold-certified (first school facility in Denver to earn this rating) Function: Multiple school facilities Owner: Denver Public Schools
Detail of Front Range imagery in Student Union panel
The district decided a new type of facility was needed — but there had not been a new high school built in Denver since the early 1980s. DPS leaders started to ask themselves a series of questions. What were the design ideas that would form the basis of American education in the 21st century? What type of campus would give Denver students the best chance at success — and, ultimately, support the type of educational changes DPS was hoping for as it implemented the Denver Plan, the district’s strategic roadmap for improvement? After determining that the next facility would be built in the far northeast Denver neighborhood of Green Valley Ranch, DPS and the Foundation for
Education Excellence held a design competition in 2005 among nine area architectural firms to design this forward-thinking educational campus. Denverbased DLR Group won the competition, and city residents passed a bond measure funding the project in November 2008. The end result was the Evie Garrett Dennis E-12 Campus — a four-building, 190,000-square-foot complex named after retired DPS Superintendent Dr. Evie Garrett Dennis. Construction began on the project in June 2009 and was completed one year later. After saving $5.8 million of the total funding allotted to the project, DPS used the remaining money toward the design and construction of a
Entry plaza
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Student Union main entry – front range imagery in skin detail
fifth building on the campus, which was completed in late spring 2011. The campus is shared by three different schools: SOAR@Green Valley Ranch, a charter school that will eventually include kindergarten through fifth grades; Denver School of Science and Technology, a charter school that focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics and will cater to sixth- through 12-graders; and Vista Academy, the district’s second multiple-pathways center, which
noted that tilt-up construction had several attractive features, including equal or lower costs compared to traditional methods and speed of construction. “Also, we identified the wall panels as a way to achieve a high R-value [a measure of thermal resistance], which allowed for a smaller mechanical plant,” Binder said. “That directly translated to saved money for the district.” For the campus’ Student Union building, DLR Group included thermal-mass panels with two layers of concrete sandwiched
“For the district, it shows we’re not afraid to do new things. We’re in the teaching and learning business, and this campus supports the changes DPS is making in the way it does things for the benefit of our students. This campus is going to inform and influence our practices as a district well into the future.” — Kelly Leid
provides career and technology education to sixththrough 12th-graders. At full enrollment, the campus will include approximately 2,000 students and more than 100 faculty members, according to Kelly Leid, DPS’ former director of operations. Each building is constructed of tilt-up concrete panels that were cast on-site and raised into position by the project’s general contractor, Saunders Construction. Bob Binder, AIA, REFP, LEED AP, principal of DLR Group, Architect Colorado 22
around a layer of insulation, further contributing to the building’s energy efficiency. “The environmental impact is much lower than any other school we’ve ever done,” Binder added. But DLR Group’s design wasn’t solely pragmatic. The skins of the buildings maintain the district’s theme of sustainability with designs that complement the campus’ panoramic views. These designs are cast into concrete surfacing and take advantage of the campus’
siting and orientation. Building 1, the Student Union, calls to mind the red rock present in the Front Range Foothills. Buildings 2 and 3, on the west side of the campus, showcase the craggy peaks of the Rocky Mountains. And Building 4, on the campus’ eastern edge, details the rolling hills of Colorado’s Eastern Plains. Also for aesthetic purposes, tilt-up concrete panels on portions of the campus include a layer of thin-set brick, giving the appearance of brick construction without the associated costs. Binder said he has been extremely pleased with the way the Evie Garrett Dennis Campus turned out. “I’ve been with DLR Group for 16 years working in the K-through-12 market, and this is the most unique project I’ve worked on in Colorado or Wyoming — probably in the top one or two for the company nationwide,” he stated. “It’s a very gratifying project.” Leid, who has been appointed by Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock as the city and county’s new director of Development Services, said the completed Evie Garrett Dennis campus has exceeded his expectations. “Early indicators are that the students who get to go to school on the campus are going to prosper,” he said. “For the district, it shows we’re not afraid to do new things. We’re in the teaching and learning business, and this campus supports the changes DPS is making in the way it does things for the benefit of our students. This campus is going to inform and influence our practices as a district well into the future.” ●
Academy entrance – feature panel with formliner and reveals
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To advertise in future issues of Architect Colorado, please contact Kelly Arvin at 502.423.7272 or karvin@ipipub.com. www.ipipub.com
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We Are Analog by Adam Hillhouse, AIA, of Hillhouse Architects, Inc.
It may seem strange for me to be a proponent of non-computer-aided design processes. After all, my very first studio in undergrad was a “paperless studio,” which meant just that: no paper, no pencils, all computers, all CAD. It felt like we could create and render entire worlds before we could adequately sketch the image staring back from the mirror. We had learned to excel at producing images that could quickly and clearly communicate design concepts, but I quickly learned that they were not always the concepts we intended to communicate. The level of detail in computer images brought unintended attention to certain areas of our designs and often did not adequately present the solutions we wanted the focus on. For years, this complex level of digital modeling had been relegated to Hollywood production studios and those folks with pockets much deeper than the average architecture student. Suddenly, software like FormZ, 3DStudio and SketchUp found a home in our grubby little design-student hands, and the world suddenly became much easier to represent. It seemed that, as our skills on the computer gained focus, our skills with pencil and paper were proportionately pushed to the back burner. You may ask yourself, “So what?! Who needs a pencil when you have a shiny new MacBook Pro with a full software suite installed?!” Well, despite our generation’s dedication to the computer, perhaps these skills alone are not enough. What if every one of us saw the need to couple our wireless optical mice with an inherent ability to draw? Maybe the ability to sketch your thoughts during a conversation with a client can be more powerful than even a fully refined digital image. A few years ago, we were working on a small multifamily project. We had prepared a few hand sketches from a draft FormZ model and were going over the designs with our client. We were discussing things in a very fluid way; he seemed to understand that the Architect Colorado 24
hand sketches represented a work in progress. He was open to alternates being discussed on the fly. I could tell he was open to further evolution of our solution. Soon, the need to look at a view not previously sketched came up. I turned on my laptop and opened the digital model so that we could fly around a bit. I was genuinely shocked to see a drastic change in our client’s perspective. Suddenly, he expected this realistic-looking digital model to represent a final solution.
“We spend more time simply drawing what is around us: nature, the city and projects we dream up. There is still plenty of work ahead, but the exercise is, at the very least, a great distraction from the 17-inch LCD screen.” — Adam Hillhouse, AIA It was the exact same solution we had been discussing all along, but the simple switch from analog to digital seemed to trigger a premature solution in his mind. Where the hand sketch was apparent as just one stop along the project’s evolution, the computer model meant, to him, that the design process was finished. Had we suddenly designed ourselves into a corner?! I quickly turned the laptop off, and we returned to discussing the hand sketches. Since that experience, our firm has striven to make the ability to sketch much more central to our skill set. We spend more time simply drawing what is around us: nature, the city and projects we dream up. There is still plenty of work ahead, but the exercise is, at the very least, a great distraction from the 17-inch LCD screen. ● AIA Colorado members interested in submitting similar articles to Architect Colorado should contact AIA Colorado Membership & Communication Manager Alaina Gonzales at alaina@aiacolorado.org.
On the Boards|||
Holly School DPK-12 Architect: RTA Architects, Colorado Springs, Colo. Principal in Charge: Michael J. Malloy, AIA, Assoc. Principal Project Manager: Doug Abernethy, AIA, Assoc. Principal Construction Management/General Contractor: Adolfson & Peterson Construction Location: Holly, Colo. Owner: Holly School District RE-3 Scope: Master plan and architectural design services for a new DPK-12 campus and facility Cost: $25.1 million Project Start: Spring 2012 Expected Project Completion: Fall 2013 Located in rural southeastern Colorado, the design for the new 73,000-square-foot Holly DPK-12 campus provides a state-of-the-art, high-performing sustainable facility while drawing inspiration from the region’s materials and forms. The project’s funding was assisted by the Colorado Department of Education’s BEST Grant Program and consolidates three separate school facilities into one, maximizing operational costs and energy efficiency. The project scope also includes the historic restoration of the local limestone WPA Holly gymnasium, which
frames a new school entry, a park and athletic space available for community use, and a new connection to Main Street. The organizing geometry of the site mimics the irrigation circles and acreage squares of the region’s agricultural grid as viewed from above. The tall, open structure of the commons space is strategically located adjacent to the main entry, the library and the outdoor athletic plaza, and utilizes a bi-fold door as a divider between the gymnasium, which can be opened to accommodate larger community events. Designed to LEED® Gold benchmarks, the project incorporates controlled daylighting and reclaimed wood from the site, and it allows for various sustainable systems to be a visible learning tool for students and low-water-use native plants for landscaping. The new school will bring new life to an aging educational campus and a new gathering place for a close-knit rural community.
On the Boards|||
Colorado State Patrol Historical Museum and Learning Center Architect: Roth Shepperd Architects, Denver Location: Golden, Colo. Owner: Colorado Department of Public Safety The Colorado Department of Public Safety retained Roth Sheppard Architects to design a new 9,040-square-foot Colorado State Patrol (CSP) Historical Museum and Learning Center that expresses both the purpose and experience of a museum, yet provides an inviting, functional office environment and boardroom for the occupants. The three elements of the program — the museum, the offices and the boardroom — symbolically refer to the CSP’s split into three regions as well as the organization’s three core values — Honor, Respect and Dedication to Duty. These elements are also clearly evident in the building’s floor plan, its exterior perspectives and its use of three distinctively different cladding materials: glass, metal and masonry. The six entrance openings on the north side, which lead into the covered entry, also signify the CSP’s six districts.
Overall, the building is designed to express the look and feel of a museum through large expanses of glass on the north side to showcase museum displays and a dramatic southfacing sloped roof to enhance potential photovoltaic solar use and control natural daylight. The building is also designed to be constructed economically through the inventive use of a pre-engineered building system.
Looking Ahead|||
AIA Colorado Is Moving in 2012 AIA Colorado is relocating its office to 303 East 17th Avenue in Denver and intends to occupy the new space in January 2012. AIA Colorado West member firm Studio B Architects (Aspen, Colo.) was selected as the design architect and architect of record. AIA Denver member firm Hutton Architecture Studio (Denver) will contribute to the development and implementation of sustainable strategies for the project. Other contributors include AIA Colorado professional affiliate members BCER Engineering Inc., 186 Lighting Design Group and Stone Bridge Partners, LLC, among others. Visit aiacolorado.org for updated information throughout the project.
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The Evie Garrett Dennis E-12 Campus in Denver on page 20
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