The City of Springfield challenged SRG to design a garage that would highlight the beauty, durability, and potential of the innovations of advanced timber manufacturing, specifically cross laminated timber (CLT). The garage sets design standards for future use of CLT while catalyzing new urban development as part of a larger district that is proposed to contain residential, retail, office, a conference center, a hotel and a large park.
The proposed parking garage is 206,400 sf and is four stories tall. It contains parking spaces for 360 cars, 68 bicycles and 14 motorcycles. This count includes six electric vehicle charging stations located on the ground floor in a prominent location near the entry and 14 handicap stalls located throughout the garage. In addition to the parking garage, 24,000 sf of retail is proposed for the site located in three areas as follows: a 7,600 sf area on the south side of the garage that is located within the garage structure, an 8,500 square foot retail area in a freestanding building to the north that is separated from the parking garage by a plaza that also contains stormwater plantings and a 8,400 sf area located on the east edge of the site immediately adjacent to the parking garage. A proposed residential development to the west complements the parking garage. Both make use of a 20’ wide alley separation that will double as a fire lane as well as provide access to the residential units.
SRG partnered with long-time collaborators UO’s Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory to perform extensive material studies. Protecting the wood structure from rain is paramount. To ensure the CLT is well-protected, the team developed a unique façade of overlapping transparent glass panels. This solution protects the wood from all angles without obstructing views of the CLT, which will be an illuminating warm glow at night.
