A wonderful story of adaptive reuse, the former steel plant turned 2023 AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Award Winner features three connected buildings, now home to robotics, manufacturing and high-tech companies.
Converting a brownfield site with demolished buildings and abandoned parking lots into a sleek curtainwall and metal paneled mid-rise, Brown & Brown’s new 11-story headquarters is a classic architectural tale of a phoenix rising from the ashes in downtown Daytona Beach.
The reborn Smith Elementary is a near-twin of a second K-5 school, also recently opened, to replace a 70-year-old facility elsewhere in the region. Both schools feature identical floorplans, but designers with Pfluger Architects’ Austin office wanted to give each exterior unique identities, and metal wall panels offered a great option given the profile and color options now available.
Unlike anything offered on campus before, the project thoughtfully employs design features and amenities reflecting the character of the district, while the building form and interior elements pull inspiration from the energy and dynamic nature of ice hockey.
Along with its space saving properties, the masonry system’s design improved efficiency on the job site. The pre-assembled blocks eliminated the multiple passes that would have been necessary to construct standard cavity walls.
Brick, glass and insulated metal panels were used to achieve a modern design while connecting the building with its surrounding urban environment and the natural world outside.
The U.S. General Services Administration recently awarded over $10 million to select windows made of low embodied carbon glass to be featured in an existing renovation project at the Lewis F. Powell Jr. U.S. Courthouse and Annex buildings in Richmond, Virginia.
Prioritizing natural daylight with daylighting devices significantly enhanced this new shelter and adoption center. The abundance of natural light positively impacted the environment, reducing stress, improving moods and fostering a healthier atmosphere for all.