(FIVE) Projects: My Journey
One. FSU Women's Softball Training Facility
Completed in 2011 for $1.25 million. This is a project in which I was amazed (at several critical points during the design process) that we were actually able to pull off this design. Also because of the fact that most of the design was still intact when we got done. What started out in 2009 as a meager, non-offensive structure proposed in the form of a small marketing graphic to try and raise a few hundred thousand dollars for Florida State University Athletics; quickly ballooned into a multi-story steel and brick structure with arcing trusses, a foot bridge, covered bullpen, and a celebrated brick entry. A two-story batting cage for a women's collegiate sport?! Who does that (no offense)?
After being contracted for Schematic Design work on the "batting cage", we decided to not only show the various 3-D images and sketches of a one story structure, but to also pitch graphics depicting what the structure would look like with another floor added for additional practice, event, and viewing space. The gamble paid off...to the sum of an additional $500k in project budget According to legend, the graphics made their journey all the way to the FSU Athletic Director's desk, where he recognized a good idea and strong design when he saw it. At least opportunity, or God, was on our side. Thankfully.
The ground floor contains 4 batting cages, an equipment room, a hitting area, and an enlarged, covered bullpen. The second floor, accessed by an egress stair at the south end, contains a large fielding practice area, a foot bridge extending to the stadium grand stands, and an incredible view of the softball field from the right field foul line. Both floors are covered in artificial turf, and contain removable/slideable netting to keep the softballs where they are supposed to be. The steel columns are wrapped in brick; university-standard brick, that is, which is accented with cast stone. We wrapped the storage room walls in stucco, which is not authorized by the university guidebook, and gave the mass a pale yellow accent color because it seemed appropriate. I mentioned the arcing trusses earlier...quite a victory for the aesthetics of the building. We arced them high in the middle to allow for the necessary height for throws to be made across the practice floor. We also convinced the client to paint the structure's steel a dark, warm grey so that the relatively tall building wouldn't be quite so striking (if you saw the white primer on the steel you would know what I mean). This color wasn't university standard either, but we found precedent at the newly constructed track building, so that made the argument easier.
While I lost a massive amount of blood (i.e. architectural detail) along the way because of budget-pinching (i.e. brick walls, taller guard rails, vegetative green screen, metal awnings and banners), I still consider this project to be my greatest achievement to date. The client, like a good client should, challenged us in many ways, requiring that we argue for every component, for every decision, for every dollar. This was also my first real project in my new role at AL+W. Our firm reorganized recently to allow me to spend most of my time on design and planning, which meant I would only be involved in construction documents and construction administration in an oversight capacity to make sure the design intent was carried out. Be careful what you ask for. While it's nice focusing on design opportunities exclusively, it can be difficult trusting others with your baby.
Credit:
Rodney Lewis: for your design support, being a bear during the construction process, and for fending off FSU Asst. AD Bernie Waxman.
FSU Asst. AD Bernie Waxman: for lecturing me on what good design is, challenging me to be better, and pitching these ideas to the PTB.
Adam Cohen: you take the best architectural photographs on the planet.
More pictures can be found here: Architects: Lewis + Whitlock. PA
After being contracted for Schematic Design work on the "batting cage", we decided to not only show the various 3-D images and sketches of a one story structure, but to also pitch graphics depicting what the structure would look like with another floor added for additional practice, event, and viewing space. The gamble paid off...to the sum of an additional $500k in project budget According to legend, the graphics made their journey all the way to the FSU Athletic Director's desk, where he recognized a good idea and strong design when he saw it. At least opportunity, or God, was on our side. Thankfully.
The ground floor contains 4 batting cages, an equipment room, a hitting area, and an enlarged, covered bullpen. The second floor, accessed by an egress stair at the south end, contains a large fielding practice area, a foot bridge extending to the stadium grand stands, and an incredible view of the softball field from the right field foul line. Both floors are covered in artificial turf, and contain removable/slideable netting to keep the softballs where they are supposed to be. The steel columns are wrapped in brick; university-standard brick, that is, which is accented with cast stone. We wrapped the storage room walls in stucco, which is not authorized by the university guidebook, and gave the mass a pale yellow accent color because it seemed appropriate. I mentioned the arcing trusses earlier...quite a victory for the aesthetics of the building. We arced them high in the middle to allow for the necessary height for throws to be made across the practice floor. We also convinced the client to paint the structure's steel a dark, warm grey so that the relatively tall building wouldn't be quite so striking (if you saw the white primer on the steel you would know what I mean). This color wasn't university standard either, but we found precedent at the newly constructed track building, so that made the argument easier.
While I lost a massive amount of blood (i.e. architectural detail) along the way because of budget-pinching (i.e. brick walls, taller guard rails, vegetative green screen, metal awnings and banners), I still consider this project to be my greatest achievement to date. The client, like a good client should, challenged us in many ways, requiring that we argue for every component, for every decision, for every dollar. This was also my first real project in my new role at AL+W. Our firm reorganized recently to allow me to spend most of my time on design and planning, which meant I would only be involved in construction documents and construction administration in an oversight capacity to make sure the design intent was carried out. Be careful what you ask for. While it's nice focusing on design opportunities exclusively, it can be difficult trusting others with your baby.
Credit:
Rodney Lewis: for your design support, being a bear during the construction process, and for fending off FSU Asst. AD Bernie Waxman.
FSU Asst. AD Bernie Waxman: for lecturing me on what good design is, challenging me to be better, and pitching these ideas to the PTB.
Adam Cohen: you take the best architectural photographs on the planet.
More pictures can be found here: Architects: Lewis + Whitlock. PA