Precast Wall Separates, Spotlights Plant And Offices
Distinctive precast concrete arch adds visual interest and separates production and office functions for this facility clad in architectural precast panels

"Precast concrete panels were chosen for their industrial durability, flexibility, speed of erection and their high-tech look and application." - Michael Sapp, principal, Sapp Design Associates Architects P.C.
The dramatic axial accent wall that separates manufacturing and office facilities along the glass atrium at Digital Monitoring Products' new headquarters features two 8-inch-thick precast panels welded to create a monolithic design.
The precast concrete columns used across the front façade were tapered to provide a distinctive visual element that plays off the glass curtainwall and architectural precast panels that clad the building.

Executives at Digital Monitoring Products in Springfield, Mo., wanted their new corporate facility to project a strong image for both the company and the industrial park where it served as the gateway. Their goal was to create a manufacturing/office facility that provided expandable space featuring high-quality architecture with an open, inviting feeling for visitors and employees alike.

To achieve that, designers used architectural precast concrete panels on the façade and included a strategically placed arch that separates the building's functions while drawing attention to the facility's atrium entry.

"The owner had built a high-tech image for the company, so he needed an industrial building that projected that high-tech look as well," explains Michael Sapp, principal at Sapp Design Associates Architects P.C. in Springfield. To achieve this while also allowing the structure to serve as an entry point to the complex, Sapp created a conceptual design that combined precast concrete panels and a two-story glass atrium at the center, separating the two key functions of the company. The building was aligned along a strong linear axis between the building and park entrance, and it was rotated and skewed on the site to give it the appearance of a larger structure.

Arch Sandwiches Panels
The precast accent wall, which separates these two sections of the building and projects along the side of the atrium, features a "sandwich" system featuring a series of cantilevered, eight-inch-thick panels welded together to form a 16-inch monolithic wall. This approach allowed the components to be erected using a locally available crane and resulted in a look in which "only the designers and the builder know that it consists of two panels," Sapp notes.

The arch serves as the focal backdrop for the two-story atrium space that flows through the building. It also creates the opening for the second-level mezzanine office space that is planned to eventually overlook the atrium. The atrium is situated so that visitors to the industrial park can look through the glass expanse and see the rest of the complex on the other side.

"Precast concrete panels were chosen for their industrial durability, flexibility, speed of erection and their high-tech look and application," says Sapp. "Precast also gave the axis wall the desired monolithic appearance."

Tapered Columns Add Interest
Tapered precast concrete columns at the front entry were designed to add another key focal point. "These were unique to the precaster's experience, and they add a significant accent piece," Sapp says. The tapered columns support cantilevered precast beams along the top front parapet, allowing for maximum, full-height glass transparency at the front of the offices, as well as mullion-free glass corners, which align with horizontal concrete reveal joints.

The project was completed on a design-build format, with the general contractor and precaster brought in during the early planning stage to aid effectiveness. "We talked through hundreds of scenarios for withstanding wind and dead loads and code-compliance issues," he says. "Having that early input definitely benefited this project, especially the dividing arch, as it was a complicated concept."

Interior office and production spaces play off this exterior design, using an open-floor plan for maximum flexibility. Natural materials and curvilinear profiles were used for wall and floor motifs to help soften the harsh angles and materials of the high-tech structure while creating unique forms and environments throughout the interior.

The result of this planning and design is an industrial building that projects a strong, high-tech look that serves well as the gateway to the center. In fact, buildings added to the industrial park since Digital's facility have picked up some of the design elements, bringing a feeling of unity and consistency to the complex. - Craig A. Shutt

The Judges Said...
"This structure is simple and straightforward. It uses precast concrete in aesthetically pleasing ways that serve both the facility and the industrial park as a whole. Its design shows how precast can join with other materials to accomplish a number of goals without overwhelming the function of the building."

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