Next, we were able to draw out from the staff the idea that the first of many steps to upgrade the park should demonstrate qualities like permanence, dignity, and beauty. This led to the decision that masonry was preferable to the park-standard metal building. However, it took a lot of discussion about the total elapsed time for a design-bid-build process for site-built masonry versus the perceived speed for a metal building. The County accepted our contention that when one considers the post-bid time involved in shop-drawing preparation and review process, and then shop fabrication, the two methods are about equal. (In fact, of four park projects for the County starting at about the same time, this project started last and finished first.) 

The program for the buildings was not complex, but they got more than they expected. We met the budget. We met a very tight schedule.

The starting point was to bring eyes to the entrance from the office and the kiosk. Next we wanted to relate the two very differently scaled buildings, so the curved roof form gave us a chance to “droop” the roof from the high-bay maintenance down to the office in a rather elegant way. The curve on the kiosk responds to the maintenance building form, but at the kiosk we lifted the roof at the entry to give it a little oomph and importance. During presentations we talked about “wave-like” roof form, but we really liked the gentleness of the form for these small buildings. There seemed to be more elegance and gravitas than a sloped roof – gable or shed.

We used the different colors and textures of block to let skilled masons show what “hand-made” can do.