HomeMy WebLinkAboutFORT COLLINS DISCOVERY MUSEUM - PDP - 6-10 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - BUILDING EXTERIORAll in all, our project will not be as tall as some of the neighboring structures, but the tower element wil I
maintain a similar height to the Aztlan center and the adjacent residential development to the west. The
character of the adjacent structures is not such that a specific form or proportion is dictated, and it is our
position that the building as designed does not detract from the overall character of the area. Because our site
is primarily surrounded by open space and parks, we do not see this facility affecting the privacy of any of the
neighboring properties.
In summary, our building has been designed to fulfill the goals of the museum. The information presented
above supports our assertion that this project will not have a negative impact on views, light and shadow
patterns, privacy or neighborhood scale.
Sincerely,
O itecture
D afer AT7LEED AP
Principal
March 1, 2010
Steve Olt
City Project Planner
City of Fort Collins
Boo LaPorte Ave
Fort Collins, CO 8o521
Reference: Special Height Review Request: Fort Collins Discovery Museum
Steve,
As described on our building elevations, the height of the tower element on the southeast corner of our
proposed building extends to approximately 49' above the average finished grade around the building. This
tower element will also host an elevator overrun and stair tower, which will bring the total height of our
structure at its tallest point to 58'-6" above average finished grade. While there are no development standards
to define a maximum building height listed in division 13 of article 14 of the Land Use Code, we recognize the
requirement indicated in section 3.5.1.(G) (i) requiring a special height review for buildings over 40' in height.
This letter is intended to describe our rationale behind this design element, and to summarize our findings
related to our study of the building's impact on views, light and shadow, privacy and neighborhood scale.
Design Rationale:
Our building is designed to interface between the natural areas to the north, and the urban areas to the south.
To support this goal, the massing tapers in height as the building extends north and west. Visibility to the
building from College and Cherry is also an important goal of the museum, as the facility needs to attract and
invite visitors, and should be a visible resource for the community. For this reason, the decision was made to
place the tallest mass to the southeast corner of the building. This tall massing is also necessary to serve the
museum guests and enhance the visitor experience. The roof of this tower element will be used for visitor
experiences, and will allow for views to both the natural and urban areas of the city, which will work in
conjunction with the museum exhibits.
View analysis:
Included with this submittal are before and after views of our building superimposed on the site. From these
images, it is clear that the limited extent of the vertical tower does not have a negative impact on views to or
through the site. The height of the building is similar in scale to the height of the existing trees to the west, and
therefore, does not reduce any views to the foothills. The height of the tower allows the desired visibility from
Cherry and College without overpowering the intersection.
Light and shadow:
Because of the footprint of our building, the majority of shadow cast by this tower falls on the roof of the
facility. As indicated in the attached documentation, there is a limited amount of additional shadow cast on the
eastern side of the building beyond what is cast by the remainder of the building in this area. This shadow falls
primarily on the service road and rail right of way, and does not bring a negative impact to the site. Because the
building is not located in close proximity to the property boundaries, the shadow cast by this tall element has no
impact on any of the neighboring properties.
Privacy and Neighborhood scale:
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height review.doc
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