HomeMy WebLinkAboutFORT COLLINS DISCOVERY MUSEUM - PDP - 6-10 - REPORTS - BUILDING EXTERIOR (5)rMr
From this image, you can see that we have articulated the second entrance point with a change in materials, but
that we have reduced the height of that material change to match the height of the cafe, so this element reads
as secondary in prominence to the main entry tower. In addition, as you know, our PDP resubmittal reflects
some adjustments to the site that you and Mark Kosmos agreed upon to better direct pedestrian flow to
support the intended circulation patterns on site.
It is our goal to address Clark's comments in a way that satisfies his concerns, while respecting the needs and
intentions of the museum. We welcome further dialogue with Clark on this matter so that we can be sure he is
satisfied with our solution. To that end, we request that you forward this letter to Clark for his review. If he is in
agreement, we would propose to use this elevation instead of the one that was included with our PDP
resubmittal, and that we bring this imagery to the Planning Board meeting for further review and discussion.
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April 2, 20i0
Steve Olt
City Project Planner
City of Fort Collins
30o LaPorte Ave
Fort Collins, CO 80523.
Reference: school entry design: Fort Collins Discovery Museum
Steve,
Through the PDP review process, Clark Mapes has raised some concerns about the prominence of the
secondary entrance on the southwest side of our museum. We responded in our PDP resubmittal documents
by raising the parapet height and adding some metal panel above the door, creating a link in the architectural
vocabulary between this entry and the main entrance tower. After further review of this approach with the
museum leadership, we now understand that while the extent of articulation we provided here may address
Clark's comments, the museum has some serious concerns.
The secondary entrance is intended primarily for school groups, to avoid the congestion related to entering
those large groups through the main entrance, And to provide better containment and security for those
groups. With visitors such as young children, there are some security considerations that need to be respected.
The museum does not want to be in a position where adults can come and go relatively unsupervised from this
area of the building when there are students present. Enhancing the profile of this entrance too much can give
visitors the impression that this is a primary building access point, which could exacerbate this situation, or at
least cause some confusion regarding the site usage. We do recognize, however, that this entry could be used
after hours for community meetings and other functions that only require access to the classrooms. For this
reason, we suggest a more modest enhancement of the entry expression at this location. Our current proposal
for the design of this entry is shown in the diagram below.
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April 2, 2020
Steve Olt
City Project Planner
City of Fort Collins
30o LaPorte Ave
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Reference: facade treatment Fort Collins Discovery Museum
Steve,
Per your request, we have revisited the Fort Collins Land Use code section 3.5.3 (D) (2) (a) which addresses
facade treatment, in the context of our building design. This section requires that the building be composed of
bays no larger than 30' in length, and that these bays can be established by architectural features. In addition,
this section requires that walls that face a street or connecting walkway shall include (2) of the following:
Change in plane, change in texture or masonry pattern, windows, trelliage with vines, or an equivalent element
that subdivides the wall into human scale proportions. This section also indicates that all sides of the building
shall include materials and design characteristics consistent with those on the front. It is our position that the
museum as we have designed it addresses the specific code requirements as outlined below:
Our building is constructed of a series of precast panels with a typical width of 10'. There will be reveals
between the panels to establish a rhythm. The top edge of these panels is tapered, allowing the building to
transition between the taller tower element atthe entry, and the lower level scale desired at the natural areas.
In addition the panels will be covered in a metal trellis system that further reinforces this rhythm, and
establishes a level of texture to the walls. The trellis system is anticipated to support substantial plant growth
to further enhance the texture, provide some color variation, and soften the facade, giving it a scale and texture
that visitors can relate to. These are the primary strategies that are being employed throughout our building,
and are the only strategies we are using on the east elevation. It is our position that the sloping parapet, the io
foot reveal pattern, and the trelliage with vines all support the goals of this section of the Land Use Code, and
comply with the requirements outlined in section 3.5.3 (D) (2) (a) i. Although we contend that we have
complied, we also suggest that since this particular elevation does not face a street or connecting walkway, and
therefore, these elements are not specifically required by the code.
We also recognize the requirements indicated in paragraph (6) of this section, requiring that all walls have a
recognizable base, and top. In the context of our design, we would consider the landscape plantings to be the
base, and the exposed concrete area above the trelliage to be the top of our wall, the field of which is expressed
by the plantings and vinery. It is our intention that this building be detailed with clean lines, and that the
ornamentation come from the vegetation that will cover the walls. For this reason, we are not indicating
detailed cornice or base treatments.
It is our hope that the comments above address your concerns, but if you have any questions, please don't
hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
OZ Architecture
David Schafer AIA, LEED AP
Principal
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BOULDER PHONE: 303,449.8900
1805 29TH STREET, SUITE 2054 FAX: 303.449.3886
BOULDER COLORADO SPRINGS LAS VEGAS LAKE TAHOE BOULDER, COLORADO 90301 W W W.OZARCH.COM