Science and Health Careers Center at Oakton Community College, Des Plaines, Ill.
Designed by Legat Architects, the LEED-NC Gold registered Science and Health Careers Center is expected to be fi nished in Spring 2014. The 93,000-square-foot center will act as a new gateway to the college; offering sophisticat- ed learning settings and celebrating the campus’ natural highlights. The three-level facility is set on piers that
raise the building 7 1/2 feet above ground in response to a fl ood hazard zone. Additionally, the building widens as it rises, with the second fl oor jutting out 95 feet, and the third, an additional 25 feet. The building’s tiered strategy reduces its footprint, while preserving pathways into the cam- pus and provides a shelter for an outdoor plaza. Between the building and an oak tree grove sits an outdoor classroom. The building’s shape and orientation maxi-
mizes solar heat gain while mitigating winter winds. “Simple passive solar design strategies aligned the long side of the building to solar south,” says Wilcox. “The building opens up to the west with an outdoor plaza that celebrates the campus lake.” The structural system is key to the center’s
design, and by exposing the system, it resulted in reduced material use. Columns and trusses emerge through walls, frame artwork and serve as benches in student gathering areas. “The long opens spans and overhanging fl oors require deep structural systems,” Wilcox notes. “By span- ning the structural truss between fl oors and in walls, the steel allowed a sleek minimal design. Additionally, the steel was economical and expe- dited the construction schedule.” When designing the building’s trusses,
Wilcox drew inspiration from the structure of an oak leaf, which is also the college’s logo. He adds that the oak leaf is also a lesson in biomim- icry. “Nature provides the most effi cient design, systems, shapes, etc.,” he says. “This resource effi ciency was actually proven in the analysis of the structural truss design, which mimics the structure of an oak leaf.” The facility’s mechanical system reduces
heating and cooling loads, and occupancy sensors will regulate lighting. Seventy-fi ve percent of the classrooms will have natural light and views, while the building features an insulated metal wall panel system with integral mechanical louvers, three types of metal sunshades, and light shelves.
Arizona Science Center Expansion, Phoenix
ARCHITEKTON designed the new 9,000-square- foot addition to the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix. Completed in January 2011, the project provides a new identifi able entry and lobby into the center. The addition enhances the entry sequence, while providing a voluminous multi-use lobby, indoor queuing and state-of-the-art ticketing area. Brycon Construction, Chandler, Ariz., was the general contractor. The designers utilized a pre-engineered
metal building from Red Dot Building Systems, Athens, Texas, to enclose 14,000 square feet and create an exterior entry plaza at the center. Salvatore notes that the extraordinary roof shape was created using Red Dot pre-engineered system bents of varying lengths and angles, while BIM assisted in the determining the most effi cient use of the components. The pre-engineered metal building was se-
lected for its ability to solve the center’s complex issues with creating a new lobby. Since the center remained open during all construction, using a metal building allowed the shortest construction obstruction to operations due to the speed of erec- tion. Additionally, Salvatore adds that it allowed for fewer trades to occupy an already tight site, proving to be the most cost-effective method to enclose the addition. Salvatore notes that the BIM model was
invaluable to communicating the complex co- ordinates of each steel beam and purlin for the pre-engineered metal building, so that pieces manufactured in Texas fi t perfectly when erected in Arizona. “The versatility of this system allowed the designers to create large volumes of space in very creative ways,” Salvatore says. “The use of the BIM and Sketch-up modeling tools allows these systems to be executed fl awlessly.” The Science Center educates more than 1,200
school children every day. “The story of steel, its re- cyclability and recycled content in construction is part of the science story at the Center,” adds Salvatore.
www.metalconstructionnews.com
November 2013
METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS 35
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