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By Mark Henricks
From security to sustainability, trends affecting building design are
guiding the work of the architects and engineers creating the next
generation of facilities. While each facility is unique in the particulars,
some generalities influence the shape of the bulk of recent and upcoming
projects.
Chief among them is the mushrooming interest in
sustainability or green building. Security, another broad issue, naturally
has increased in importance since September 11, 2001. In addition to these
trends, an emerging new aesthetic for public assembly facilities is
dictating rethinking of how arenas, convention centers and similar buildings
look. Underlying all these trends is a strong desire for architects and
engineers to hear ideas from and work closely with facility managers.
At HNTB Architecture in Boston, Donald Grinberg,
director of convention center architecture, says the firm sees ever-more
sophisticated and complex designs for mixed-used downtown sites, with a
greater emphasis on being pedestrian-friendly, fitting into the urban
environment and intelligent planning for expansion. “Owners are increasingly
interested in how design relates to maintenance and operational costs — the
long-term view,” Grinberg says.
Adds Lee Slade, senior principal with Walter P Moore &
Associates in Houston: “Construction costs are escalating, so pressures for
affordable delivery have never been greater. Owners are more savvy about how
buildings can generate revenues through premium seating, non-game day
events, advertising and branding.”
Another trend Slade sees is the integration of
architectural and engineering design with the construction process through
“building information modeling.” “This will soon offer opportunities for
facility managers to tap into this resource to aid long-term facility
maintenance and operations,” he says.
Going Green
Environmental and sustainable elements are part of almost every design HNTB
undertakes today, according to Grinberg. GBC LEED Silver — second lowest in
the four-level grading system used by the Green Building Council’s
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design initiative — is becoming the
standard, Grinberg says. “We’re seeing an increased interest in the
payback,” he says. “If we’re looking at photovoltaic, the question is ‘What
do I get for it?’ ”
Sustainability is the overarching issue in facility
design at this point and probably for the foreseeable future, says Leigh
Breslau, design partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago. “This
focus on energy depletion, energy costs, the cost of operation and the
impact on the environment that buildings bring is going to shape building
design for quite a while,” Breslau says.
Breslau points to a recent SOM design of a convention
center in Virginia Beach as an example. The building uses shading and
natural ventilation in the pre-function areas to limit energy issues, is
light-colored to reflect heat and recycles water off exterior walls to use
in fountains surrounding the building. An in-progress project in China
shades the entire complex with a massive, naturally ventilated system that
could include photovoltaics generating enough power to light all three
buildings.
At HOK Sport in Kansas City, senior principal Richard
Martin says sustainability in design goes beyond adding elements that
conserve energy, water and other resources and affects the core of the
facility. “The buzz around LEED certification has created renewed importance
on designing for sustainability, but the most important aspect of
sustainable design is that we continue to create sustainable projects — not
just projects that are environmentally friendly, but projects that sustain
the test of time, as well,” Martin says.
The consensus among designers is that sustainability is
in its infancy with much development ahead. “This trend will spread quickly,
and soon most major U.S. cities will have specific requirements for green
design,” Slade predicts. “This, coupled with the growing awareness of the
value of sustainable design within the design and development communities,
will probably be the driving forces that make our new sports and other
public gathering facilities more environmentally sustainable.”
Getting Secure
Security consultants are involved with architects on most projects today,
according to Grinberg. Designs feature increased use of digital surveillance
cameras and security issues also come into play with regard to access, line
of sight, parking garage access and operations and setback considerations.
Designers also are collaborating with first responders
during the design process. Designers are finding ways to incorporate
security features in ways that not only don’t detract from the building’s
utility and appearance, but actually enhance it. For instance, in Virginia
Beach, SOM designed an expansive fountain running the length of the building
and fronted by large concrete bollards. While it boosts the building’s
aesthetic appeal, the fountain also acts as a moat. “Those bollards and that
moat do a lot to protect that building from impact,” Breslau says.
Martin of HOK Sport says perimeter security for vehicle
distancing and anti-ram protection is probably the most visible change in
design. Specific features include diverted traffic patterns, bollard and
anti-ram protection, video surveillance and the physical presence of
security personnel. “Protection of the perimeter is the first line of
defense and often times the most effective,” he says.
Looking Good
When it comes to aesthetics, Grinberg sees a movement toward individuality
and away from uniformity. “Convention center design has been more
homogeneous around the country than some would like, and the trend has been
towards a greater degree of differentiation from one project to the next,”
he says. “Architects are increasingly focusing on issues of human scale and
having buildings fit sympathetically into their surroundings.”
Breslau says one way facilities are being designed to fit in
is by adding restaurants and retailers to encourage use by citydwellers even
when there is no event in the building. For the Virginia Beach facility SOM
designed in a Starbucks Café that invites people in, and restaurants in the
concourse. “In Virginia Beach the executive boardroom has a VIP room that is
so lovely it’s been used for small weddings in a way we haven’t seen
before,” he says.
A Seoul, South Korea, design integrated the building
into its urban setting with the help of 1.5 million square feet of retail
space, Breslau adds. “It generates so much revenue that this building
doesn’t need to be subsidized as convention centers often are,” he says.
In another innovative effort to integrate a facility
with its city, a huge multi-screen video display at the Virginia Beach
center will allow exhibitors to show visitors what is going in other areas
of the facility and also will be used to display video art, including two
works especially commissioned by the center.
Martin says that it’s
difficult to pin down a single look that is popular. “Ultimately, it depends
on what our clients, their communities and the budget dictates,” he says. “I
would say we are seeing more modern architecture in sports design — more use
of glass and metal, sweeping shapes — to create true civic icons.”
Making It Work
Architects and engineers also weigh in on what facilities should look for
when first making a call to an architect or engineer. “Focus on the people
that will work on the project,” Grinberg advises. “Clients should be asking,
‘What are the staff members like to work with? Are we getting the A team?
How does their previous experience relate to my project? How do previous
clients regard their work? Are they good listeners?’ ”
Martin stresses checking for lengthy experience in the
specific project type. “These buildings can have a lifespan of 30 years or
more, so it is important that the right people get involved from the start
to create a sustainable, functional and aesthetically pleasing building,” he
says. “It’s also important to find an architect who has proven ability to
deliver a project on time and on budget, and one who is creative and
visionary.”
Facility managers can be confident that their opinions
will be heard. “The best projects are those that have facility managers
involved from the start of the project — that is, site selection,
programming, scheduling and other pre-design activities,” according to
Grinberg.
At SOM, facility manager input is greatly valued,
Breslau says. “We strongly urge a rather lengthy and in-depth involvement
with the client group through all phases,” he says. “The client group for a
convention center can be large. Certainly the facility manager is crucial
and will drive many decisions.”
Facility managers are seen as integral players in the
success of a building design at HOK Sport as well. “We would hope to have a
facility manager involved from day one of the design process so we can
mutually determine programming, security and safety, best practices, and all
the things that make a facility run as smoothly as possible,” Martin says.
Involvement of facility managers goes beyond broad
concerns to include the details of the design. “Facility managers should
work with the design team early in the process to develop clear project
goals with respect to the types of events, configurations, and special
expectations regarding operational capabilities,” Slade recommends. “Rigging
grids, access catwalks, show lighting racks, lifts, curtain supports and the
like should all be discussed early in the design process.”
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Mark Henricks has
reported on business, technology, investing, science, travel and other
topics for more than 20 years. His byline has appeared atop more than 2,000
freelance articles in more than 100 publications including Entrepreneur, The
New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
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