Completion Date: 5/24/2016
Square Footage: 59500
Building Use: Automated Parking Garage
Location: West Hollywood, California
Project Description:
500 Word Narrative:
The City of West Hollywood recently unveiled the first municipal fully-automated parking garage built within the South Western United States. This state-of-the-art, sustainable solution provides parking for 200 vehicles and is intended for use by city staff and visitors, residents and local businesses.
The A.V.S.R.S. (Automated Vehicle Storage and Retrieval System) was designed to become a catalyst for place making within a densely populated urban environment. While the immediate need for visitor and staff parking was resolved, local city owned parking structures and much coveted street parking spaces were made available for local residents and businesses. In addition, the AVSRS structure was designed to accommodate additional parking for community uses. This gesture almost immediately stimulated local businesses. A new community plaza provides opportunities for community and civic events as well as public art. This space provides a civic heart to the community which previously did not exist. The site planning concept also resolves on going service access and egress issues and accessibility concerns.
The addition of the automated parking structure not only resolved the space constraints, circulation and open space issues on site but also meets the city’s high performance standards for sustainability.
This solution offers a clean, environmental alternative to conventional parking systems. Automobiles are non-operational during the parking and retrieval process causing a reduction in CO2 emissions which equates to removing 92 cars from the road each year or the planting of 67,000 trees. Light pollution from the site to the adjacent residential neighbors is greatly reduced due to the solid nature of the parking warehouse and the automated nature of the system. Further energy savings are created through the inclusion of a 52 kilowatt roof mounted photo-voltaic array designed to create an efficient grid neutral solution as well as supplement the power needs of the exiting City Hall facility.
Additionally, the shell surrounding the warehouse features state of the art sustainable materials such as composite wood panels made primarily from recycled plastic grocery bags and landscape that is drought tolerant and California native.
To embrace the diverse culture of the community, local and international artists were commissioned to create murals, banners and integrated art pieces to be included as an integral part of the structure and site.
The overriding nature of the design was basically a celebration of the community as well as technology. A large glass wall allows a visual glimpse into one of the vehicle lift systems creating an exciting element of animation to the façade. An international artist created the “Net of Indra” comprised of over 3,000 glass spheres within the glass enclosure which both distort and enhance the movement of the vehicles.
The design also addresses the sensitive nature of the site as a bridge between a dense commercial boulevard and a residential neighborhood. The building is sited deep into the site mitigating the massing along the residential street while a combination of a utilitarian and organic materials relate to a revitalized City Hall façade as well as the adjacent residences.
150 Word Narrative
The A.V.S.R.S. (Automated Vehicle Storage and Retrieval System) was designed to become a catalyst for place making within a densely populated urban environment. A new community plaza provides opportunities for community and civic events as well as public art. This space provides a civic heart to the community which previously did not exist.
The addition of the automated parking structure not only resolved the space constraints, circulation and open space issues on site but also meets the city’s high performance standards for sustainability. This solution includes an environmentally aggressive material pallet, drought tolerant planting and a 52 kilowatt photovoltaic array designed to provide a grid neutral solution for the structure as well as supplement the energy needs of the existing City Hall.
C.O.T.E. | Committee on the Environment
Submitted By: |
LPA, Inc. |
Design Architect: |
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Associate Architect or Firm: |
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Landscape Architect: |
LPA, Inc. |
Owner / Developer: |
City of West Hollywood |
Engineer: |
Civil Engineer - LPA, Inc. Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer - LPA, Inc. |
General Contractor: |
T.B. Pennick and Sons |
Consultant: |
Unitronics |
Photographer: |
RMA Photography, Inc. - Pgs: 01. 02. 04. 05, 06, 10, 11, 12, upper half of 07 (2 images), lower half 08 (2 images) Jon Viscott Photography - Pgs: lower half of 07, upper half of 08 (4 images total) |
West Hollywood City Hall and Automated Parking Structure
Category
Commercial
Description
The risk taking for this project was universally applauded by the jury who noted that this project will have a regional impact due to its use of innovative technologies. They admired the Sustainability and urbanality of the building and hoped that it can help create a paradigm shift for parking structures everywhere.
Congratulations LPA, Inc.
Winner Status
- Honor Award