Designers of an Indianapolis warehouse building took advantage of the inherent benefits offered by Spancrete precast concrete components to turn a mundane facility into an inviting structure whose appearance was the key to attracting prospective tenants.
"It was really pretty much off-the-shelf material," says David Rausch, a principal in the firm of Ratio Architects Inc. of Indianapolis, the architect of record. "The developer had built this type of structure on a number of occasions. If there was a challenge at all it was in using a product that was pre-determined."
The structure, known as Park Fletcher Building #40, is located in an industrial complex near the Indianapolis airport. It was planned as a speculative single-story, bulk distribution center, with the intention of attracting up to four tenants. Its design features a simple rectangular form measuring 560 by 160 feet for a total of 89,600 square feet.
The building is simply organized with front offices on one side and receiving and shipping docks on the other. The structural system of Spancrete® load-bearing precast wall panels supporting a steel bar joist roof structure was pre-determined by the developer, Duke-Weeks Realty Corp. of Indianapolis. The building was constructed in a large freight and distribution center that also includes office buildings, hotels and large warehouses.
Offices Face Beltway The site fronts the outer belt on the west side of Indianapolis near the airport. It is arranged so the building abuts a truck court where loading docks are located that can be accessed from the opposite side of the highway frontage. The offices face the highway, providing an attractive appearance for prospective tenants.
"Rather than try to decorate a box, our attitude was that the building is what it is: a warehouse," says Rausch. "Our considerations were structural efficiency, economy and flexibility with an emphasis on making it attractive. We didn't attempt to disguise the box."
But the designer did more than simply clad the building, Rausch notes. "We took the idea of using the material to the Nth degree, using the same Spancrete® wall panels for canopies over the front doors." The canopies are supported on steel struts that are hinged from the wall panels. At office locations, those same wall panels were turned 90 degrees, creating open areas that then were fully glazed from roof to floor, around the front entrance.
In all, 202 pieces of Spancrete precast, totaling 41,328 square feet, were produced by Spancrete Industries Inc. in Waukesha, Wis. Wall panels were either 8 by 28 feet or 8 by 32 feet in size. Interior walls were finished as tenants signed on and usually consisted of drywall, while the floor consists of cast-in-place concrete.
"Speed of construction was key reason for using Spancrete precast," Rausch says. "In a structure such as this, built on speculation, cost is an important consideration. Precast helped bring down the cost."
The designer uses precast in a number of the structures it designs, primarily offices and parking garages. "Precast gives us the opportunity to mold the product to every building type," he explains. "It gives us flexibility and the opportunity to be unique." - Donald P. Merwin
The Judges Said...
"This project represents a basic industrial facility. But the designers used the Spancrete precast panels creatively by turning some at a 90-degree angle and designing canopies that add visual interest and design dimension to a fairly straightforward building. Warehouse owners are screaming, 'I just want a box,' and this shows a way to shape that box positively. It's evident that the designers and builders thought about every detail, including lighting, and how they would be integrated with the panels."
