Masonry Magazine June 1978 Page. 9
Is the building a success? The Western Mountain Region of the American Institute of Architects thinks so, and Lendrum just received an architectural merit award for its design. The building was cited for its "scale and proportion through use of simple forms and judicious use of detail." The jury described the complex as "bold, simple and handsome," and noted that the built-in brick murals are "well handled," despite the fact such intricate design is difficult to manage.
Lendrum said the Digital project posed massive problems which required innovative solutions. The 321,000-square-foot facility had to be constructed within 11 months from design start to move-in. Through various time and cost-effective measures, Lendrum completed the plant within 10 months of design start at an overall cost of $16 per foot for Phase 1 and $23 per foot for 180,000 square feet of more elaborate space in Phase II.
The firm created a horizontal rather than vertical pattern through the use of 16-foot diameter, 20-foot tall cylinders spaced 60 feet across the 900-foot length of the building's southwest facade. "Visually, the design moves the eye across the exterior wall by incorporating an Indian basketry design in the jumbo brick construction," Lendrum explained. "We also rounded the corners of the building."
Another problem was to provide a "fail-safe" fire protection system in an area with a "whimsical" water supply. The solution was to design a sculptured fountain and pool as a focal point for the building's main entry.
"We tied the 200,000 gallons of water to an elaborate sprinkler system throughout the facility," Lendrum said, "and added an emergency power system for use in the event of electrical failure which controls the pumping system."
One of the biggest and most unwieldy problems was the design and construction of a roof strong enough to cover 7.5 acres of building and tough enough to protect sensitive and costly electronic components from any possible damage by moisture or heat.
The Lendrum firm used a lightweight concrete skin with polystyrene insulation which is easily shaped to guarantee good drainage. It was made thicker than industrial roofs generally used in Arizona, with a compressive strength of 180 pounds per inch to withstand heavy rainfall and extremely high winds.
"We also had to take steps to cut on-going utility bills in the least expensive manner," Lendrum said. "So we used brick outside construction, instead of concrete tilt panels as originally planned, which increased insulation value and eliminated major maintenance both inside and out."
Lendrum also installed a recirculation system to use heat and energy created by interior lights, machinery and human warmth, and kept outside openings to a minimum in order to conserve heating and cooling energy. Time and cost-saving measures included:
* Saving 30 cents per foot due to increased cost of traditional asphalt roofing by using the lightweight concrete skin;
* Saving one month of labor for a five-man crew by using Insulperm board, a relatively new type of insulation, and lightweight concrete;
* Saving 30 per cent of the manhours required by using an automatic nailer to fasten the 40-pound felt layer to the concrete deck.
The complex is located on a 90-acre site just east of Black Canyon Highway at Union Hills Drive.
The pseudo-Indian design in the masonry units was achieved with the use of 8 x 4 x 16 inch jumbo clay-fired brick. The units on the corners were specially made with the radius.
A dramatic view of the building's main entrance. The roof combines lightweight concrete with a polystyrene insulation thicker than usual insulation for a compressive strength of 180 pounds per square inch.
Use of a Digital computer helped architects and engineers visualize the building on the site from every possible angle, and to choose the best landscaping for the finished building.
MASONRY/JUNE, 1978 9