Billings Architecture Association Design Competition 2016

Kato and I got 2nd place in this years Billings Architectural Association design competition.

I think most of you have seen stuff on facebook, but I thought I would break down our design process and share a little extra information below.

Program

Mixed use building for Redoxx MFRG. in the East Billings Urban Revitalization District

First Floor: Warehouse with a small retail space.

Second Floor: 2500 sf Office space & conference room. The rest of the second floor is open to below to accommodate the conveying equipment for the warehouse

Third Floor: Roof park, picnic space, outdoor theatre, BBQ area, Boccee court (non of this was required by the prompt)

Fourth Floor: Airbnb Units

Design Process

Having only two people working on this years design competition allowed us the opportunity to design a little differently than we had in the past with more people. Kato and I decided to basically divide the building in Half. Kato design from the Roof Park up, and I designed the lower half. We had a lot of input from each other, but more or less gave each other the freedom to design what we wanted. Designing this way put a lot of importance on where the two halves met, and the Roof Park quickly became a very important element connecting different program elements and different design ideas.

Concept

Red Oxx Mfg. in the East Billings Urban Renewal District, at 1314 4th Ave North creates an interplay of ideas for the revitalization of the historic area. Renewal efforts in this area take into consideration the industrial context while bringing housing and life to the street corner. The EBURD is void of much needed green space and parks; 1314 remedies this while retaining the EBURD’s strong industrial grit. Space for people to gather is created by raising a park onto the roof of a 2 story office, shipping center, and retail location for Red Oxx Mfg. Displacing the park from grade provides beautiful views over Billings towards Sacrifice Cliffs and the Rimrocks to the North, while also buffering the park from the adjacent high traffic street. Access to the Roof Park is granted though a monolithic staircase which acts as the building’s mechanical and support spine on the north side of the lot set against busy 4th Ave. A tower rises from the building clad in rusted steel like the 2 story structure below, echoing the fractal nature of the Eagle formation Sandstone which makes up the Rimrocks. This tower gives access to two vacation rental apartments, tree like structures that float over the Roof Park, shading and protecting its patrons. The project responds to both the natural and man made environments, creating something that is built to last.

Click here for PDF of final Boards 2016 final boards for print2

6th Avenue Perspective