Oklahoma City Federal Building, Oklahoma City The federal building houses a daycare among its offi ces and uses one of its internal courtyards as an outdoor play area for employees' children. The pres- ence of a steel beam canopy that partially covers the space was a concern that the stagnant and hot air of an Oklahoma summer would make the area under the canopy unusable during the summer. Architect Brian Garvey sought a way to circu-
late the air in the space to provide the necessary comfort for the occupants. Considering the nature of the space, silence was imperative to counter the soundtrack offered when little kids are at play. A 10-foot Isis fan from Big Ass Fans Co. offered the ideal solution as Isis forgoes the gearbox used in large industrial fan models and employs a proprie- tary direct drive motor, resulting in silent operation. “The kids thought it was awesome because it
resembles an airplane,” says Garvey. “It fi ts in well with what we designed for the canopy and those fans are just tough as nails,” in case any balls or toys greet the fan’s airfoils while in motion.