The new Dallas Center for Architecture was the result of a design competition that provided a one-month period to fully explore and develop concept. The winner, a team of young architects, worked remotely from three locations across the country, then met for one weekend to hash out the details. Photo: Craig Blackmon, FAIA Related Links: Best of 2009 Award of Excellence Slideshow Best Of Slideshow The new 8,996-sq-ft facility is centrally located on the cusp of Dallas’ downtown, uptown and Arts District. Both the design and construction teams provided all services pro-bono—or significantly discounted—to maximize the capital investment. Volunteers dedicated
The vertical expansion of Texas Childrens Hospital’s Feigin Research Center was designed to make research more efficient. The expansion adds eight floors to the existing building, creating a 20-story research tower focused on the advancement of pediatric medicine. Photo: marblestreetstudio.com Photo: marblestreetstudio.com Related Links: Best of 2009 Award of Excellence Slideshow Best Of Slideshow The project added more than 200,000 sq ft for research laboratories, clinical research offices and a simulation training center. It also included renovations on the lower existing floors. Many of the project team members had worked together on past renovations of the building, creating a synergy
The Dallas County Community College District’s new headquarters building was built in the 1920s and was most recently the Sears Roebuck Building. When the district purchased the building in 2006, it had been abandoned for 15 years. Renovations included a new HVAC system, new exterior windows and roof, electrical and plumbing upgrades, accessibility upgrades and site improvements. Photo: Justin Tennison Related Links: Best of 2009 Award of Excellence Slideshow Best Of Slideshow The building had numerous interior concrete spalls, metal lintels that were deteriorating, a roof that was comparable to Swiss cheese and 88-year-old, wax-based sealants at all key waterproofing
The renovation and expansion of the Texas State University Baseball and Softball stadiums involved the furnishing and erection of two completely operational stadiums and support facilities. The baseball stadium now seats 2,000 patrons and the softball stadium seats 1,000. Related Links: Best of 2009 Award of Excellence Slideshow Best Of Slideshow The original seating for the baseball stadium was recycled, diverting more than 20 truckloads of aluminum and steel from going to the landfill. The original seating for the softball stadium was removed and given to Stephen F. Austin University. Crews saved time by pre-fabricating plumbing lines used in the
Concordia Lutheran Church’s new sanctuary features a 120-ft-tall, cast-in-place, white concrete cross tower – the building’s hallmark. The tower includes a cross reveal with LED lights emitting a vast array of color options. In addition, there are 12 round white concrete columns with heights up to 45 ft. These support the six steel trusses that span from column to column, forming the sanctuary’s roof. Related Links: Best of 2009 Award of Excellence Slideshow Best Of Slideshow The trusses were shipped to the site in three sections, then welded together before being lifted into place by two cranes. The project was
The team had 164 days after the initial project meeting to repair extensive damage from Hurricane Ike and more than double the covered seating capacity of pavilion. The tensile fabric structure, originally constructed in 1989, is a landmark outdoor amphitheater. The schedule was driven by the owner’s need to begin the 2009 concert season on time. The project involved designing the expanded structure for higher wind loads; replacing the existing tensile fabric and supporting cables; and strengthening existing steel elements and concrete foundations. Photo: Jeff Young Related Links: Best of 2009 Award of Excellence Slideshow Best Of Slideshow The structural
Despite the the challenges associated with working around a conservation easement and constructing a road on top of a water transmission main, Jordan brought a 348-unit student apartment complex to completion five months ahead of schedule and on budget. Related Links: Best of 2009 Best Of Slideshow Award of Excellence Slideshow The site sits on 26 acres, 2.5 of which were a conservation easement. Denton’s urban forester inspected the project weekly to ensure the easement was not being disturbed. Also onsite was a swampy area. Jordan drained the area and used backfill to level off the site. A critical, 20-in.,
The downtown high-rise tower – the last phase of the one-square-block Mercantile Block development – was delivered on-time and on-budget despite the incorporation of almost $3 million in owner-initiated changes. Photo: John Davis Related Links: Best of 2009 Award of Excellence Slideshow Best Of Slideshow The project team exceeded the expectations of the owner by maintaining coordination throughout the lifespan of The Element, located above an occupied underground parking garage and connected to the occupied 35-story residential tower, Mercantile Place on Main. Crews shared the same lobby for both The Element project and The Mercantile on Main project. That presented
The arrival of Hurricane Ike during construction of the five-building corporate administrative campus resulted in a six-week disruption in permanent power to the jobsite. The loss of power delayed material delivery and postponed the start of interior construction, which requires conditioned air to prevent mold in drywall and damage to millwork from moisture in the air. Photo: Aker/Zvonkovic Related Links: Best of 2009 Best Of Slideshow Award of Excellence Slideshow The lack of permanent power also delayed commissioning, a process that tests and certifies that mechanical systems such as fan coil boxes, chillers, air handlers and the UPS system are
In the movie “Any Given Sunday,” Al Pacino plays a football coach who is wise but worn down by life. In a pregame speech he talks about football being a game of inches. Take a few minutes and look at your job site. Can you see where you’re losing money? The “inches” are all around you. “The inches we need are everywhere around us,” goes Pacino’s speech. “They are in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team, we fight for that inch.” Your “inches” are dollars. The Pacino monologue is dramatic, but the point is
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