Quebec project one of seven public, institutional projects honoured in 2010 PCI Design Awards

By bdeditor On Sep 16, 2010

In all, 28 projects, comprising 22 buildings and six bridges throughout North America, were named winners in the 2010 Design Awards competition sponsored by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI).

“These outstanding projects were singled out for extraordinary design, speed of construction, sustainable attributes, innovation, and industry advancement,” says Walter Hainsfurther, FAIA, Buildings jury member and president of Kurtz Associates Architects. “These projects highlight the versatility of precast concrete systems and the innovative ways in which architects and engineers are using precast concrete to meet today’s design challenges.”

Public/Institutional Designs

Of the 28 winning projects, seven public and institutional projects were selected—including state, cultural, and community centers; a prison; K–12 schools; and a university structure—in the annual competition. The winning public and institutional projects are:

Caltrans District 3 Office Building, Marysville, Calif., co-winner in the 10,000-square-foot and larger building category, was designed by AC Martin Partners, Los Angeles, Calif. Designed for a LEED silver rating, this total-precast state office building uses a hybrid moment frame, an architectural finish on exposed structural members, and a thermally efficient skin to cut energy use, provide seismic resiliency, and deliver open interior spaces. A central “canyon” harvests natural light. Precast concrete components were provided by Clark Pacific, West Sacramento, Calif.

LAPD Police Administration Building, Los Angeles, Calif., also a co-winner in the 10,000-square-foot and larger building category, was designed by AECOM/Roth+Shepard, a joint venture, Los Angeles. The goal of this police HQ was to provide a feeling of transparency while maintaining security. The precast wall mass denotes strength and reduces solar exposure, while diagonal recessing of the building allows for a linear park with benches and planters that double as security bollards. Also featured is a rooftop garden and memorial to fallen officers. Precast components were from Coreslab Structures (L.A.) Inc., Perris, Calif.

Cultural and Community Center Pointe-Valaine, Otterburn Park, QC, Canada, co-winner in the under 10,000-square-foot building category, was designed by Smith Vigeant architectes, Montreal, QC. The precaster was Armtec/Groupe Tremca, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC. This sustainable community center combines insulated precast wall panels recycled from a deconstructed retail store, concrete radiant-heat floors, efficient curtain wall, rainwater collection, native landscaping, natural lighting, automated louver ventilation, lighting controls, air quality system, geothermal HVAC, overhangs, and an SIP roof with white membrance.

Teen Living Programs, Chicago, Ill., co-winner in the under 10,000-square-foot building category, was designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, Chicago. A sandblast finish and integral color of exposed interior/exterior insulated precast walls offer both low maintenance and a sense of warmth for this teen homeless shelter. Precast components were provided by Mid-States Concrete Industries, South Beloit, Ill., and Lombard Architectural Precast Products Co., Alsip, Ill.

Grand Prairie ISD Dubinski Career High School, Grand Prairie, Tex., was designed by Corgan Associates Inc., Dallas, Tex. This career and technology high school features an innovative precast concrete exterior that simulates blocks of veined, chiseled natural shell stone. Its look was achieved by randomly placing organic pigments and fossilized scallop “shells,” made from rubber molds of real shells, on the form surface, then pouring a low-slump concrete mixture into the form. Precast components were supplied by Gate Precast Co, Hillsboro, Tex.

Co
llege of Education, CSU San Bernardino, San Bernardino, Calif., winner in the University category, was designed by LPA Inc., Irvine, Calif. The precaster was Clark Pacific, Fontana, Calif. Located in the high desert, this school building matches its environmental context. Desert landscaping allows a natural site aquifer to cover all irrigation needs, and glass-fiber-reinforced concrete panels ensure low maintenance. Smooth-textured, integrally colored panels shape the concave entrance, and vertically fluted panels form the classrooms. Solar strategies include fin-protected openings, fritted glass, overhangs, and use of daylighting.

Payne County Jail & Courthouse Renovation, Stillwater, Okla., was the winner in the Prisons/Correctional Facilities category and was also honored with an All-Precast Solution special award. The architect was BKL Inc., Tulsa, Okla., and the precaster was Coreslab Structures (OKLA) Inc., Oklahoma City, Okla. The design is based on an array of complex transfer girder platforms to carry the loads from the prison cells on the upper floors across the open-span first floor. Stacked cells are framed with precast flat and hollow-core panels. Load-bearing precast wall panels combine structural, mechanical, electrical, and insulating capability. The upper level features thin-brick to match the existing courthouse. Some panels were cast with projecting half-round columns and capitals supporting a frieze panel.

The judging panels also selected three public and institutional projects to receive Honorable Mention awards, including:

Mexico City Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a temple in Mexico City, Mexico, designed by Valentiner Crane Brunjes Onyon Architects, Salt Lake City, Utah, with precast components provided by Pretecsa S.A. de C.V., Atizapan de Zaragoza, Mexico.

John Clancy Elementary School for the Arts, Kenner, La., designed by Burgdahl & Graves A.I.A., Gretna, La., with precast concrete components supplied by Fibrebond Corp., Minden, La.

Blue Valley Academy, Overland Park, Kans., designed by Gould Evans Associates, Kansas City, Mo., and HTK Architects in Overland Park, with precast components provided by IPC Inc., Des Moines, Iowa.

Overall, the winning projects represented a broad range of building and bridge types, including offices, mixed-use projects, public and institutional buildings, schools, parking structures, stadiums, prisons, manufacturing facilities, single-family and multifamily housing, and custom solutions. Bridge winners included structures in three span-length categories, plus non-highway bridges and custom solutions.