Building Smart for the Future


(University of Houston, East Parking Garage) BY JACOB GONZALEZ AND JEREMY ROCHA


U


NIVERSITIESARE NOT SOLVING their parking problems with garages designed for pure efficiency or single usage. Instead, they are taking the “smart” approach – designing for not


only the present, but also the unknown future. However, this flexible design concept has becomemore challenging for the design teamto execute due to the move toward the design/build process.


At first glance, the University


ofHouston’s EastGaragemay appear to be dropped into an enor- mous parking lot (Lot 20A), but extensive planningwas involved to determine its exact location and orientation.Working in con- junction with the university’s 2006 Campus Framework Plan, the garage site is on the perimeter of campus, with direct access to the Texas 5 Spur off IH 45. This location enables the garage to operate as an identifier for the campus and is a noticeable attrac- tion to those traveling on the freeway. Its position maximizes the space available between the


garage and Calhoun Road (toward the center of campus). This provides future designers flexibility as they wrap the garage with student housing, retail or whatever the university has to come. The East Garage is a 1,500-space, 475,000-square-foot


stand-alone structure. There are no initial plans for future hori- zontal or vertical expansion, nor is there a plan for future retail within the garage. So, you may ask, “how is it designed for the future, and whatmade it so challenging?” The areas directly adjacent to the north and west elevations


are designated as future building sites, so this limited vehicle access to the east and south.Tomaximize the separation between vehicles and patrons, it was only logical to locate the ramps on


the east to provide direct access to Spur 5. To provide balance to the site design, the primary elevator


Overall, the garage may seem simply dropped into a sea of parking.


and stair core are located in the southwest corner, providing the shortest walking distance to the school of business and the cen- tral campus. The secondary elevator and stair core are located on the northwest corner for direct access to the future buildings and a pedes- trian route that offers the shortest possible walking distance to the college of engineering and law school buildings and Calhoun Lofts, an upscale student housing facility. That provides an ideal spot for the bus drop-off/ pickup zone on the southeast corner of the


garage, directly adjacent to the primary elevator and stair core. The bus zone is in alignment with the university’s Frame-


work Plan for bus routes and stops. It affords not only a great short-termsolution butmaximumflexibility for future growth. Providingmaximumflexibility was the university’s parking-


Continued on Page 34 Info Box:


Parking Consultant, Civil and Traffic Engineering –Walter PMoore


Architect – Powers Brown and Associates Design Builder – E.E. Reed Construction Co. PARCS – T2 andMagnetic


Photo CourtesyMark Johnson, Photography 32 JUNE 2010 • PARKING TODAY • www.parkingtoday.com


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