Pollinator Pavilion
Topeka, KS United States | 2022
2023
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CloseRyan Gray Playground Pavilion
Lawrence, KS United States | 2023
2024
The Ryan Gray Playground for All Children was the first ADA accessible playground in the State of Kansas when it opened in 1993. The playground was built in memory of Ryan Gray – a disabled student at Hillcrest Elementary, where the playground is located. Although renovated and updated in the last decade, the playground has lacked shade. During the fall semester of 2023, KU Architecture collaborated with the Hillcrest Elementary Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) to fundraise, design, and build a new shade pavilion adjacent to the playground.
"These projects are so rich with real-world content for the students,” Professor Van de Riet said. “I can’t imagine a better experience for them to get the holistic picture of what it takes to build even a relatively simple structure."
The pleated form of the pavilion follows the existing curved concrete slab and picnic benches to seamlessly blend in with the existing playground. The colorful roof tiles complement an already vibrant playground and reflect the international heritage of the student body at Hillcrest Elementary. The existing playground signage is framed by the roof and columns of the new shade pavilion to strengthen the unique forms already present at the site.
From the beginning of the project, USD 497 requested the pavilion be low maintenance, due to an already stretched thin workforce providing upkeep across the district’s properties. The longevity of hot-dip galvanizing, particularly in the Midwestern climate, was an attractive option to ensure the project would be maintenance-free for decades.
An existing relationship with the nearest galvanizing plant ensured the project would be done with the utmost concern toward quality and finish for this community-based project. Throughout the project, architecture students learned the standards and expectations for hot-dip galvanizing and developed drawings and diagrams to indicate lift points and vent holes to ensure a successful process. These drawings were shared with the galvanizers to determine any additional vents and to collaborate on the aesthetic impact on those vent locations. In most cases, the vent holes were determined to also provide moisture drainage in the final structure.
In short, by collaborating with the galvanizers, the project had a final appearance that exceeded expectations and benefitted from the early conversations. Both parties had vested interest in the project, and the community was improved as a result.
Details
Award Class
Newly Complete
Award Sectors
Excellence Award Winners
Civic Contribution
Environment
Suburban
Location
Lawrence, KS United States
Reasons for Galvanizing
Aesthetics, Coating Durability, Corrosion Performance, Ease of Specifying, Initial Cost, Life-Cycle Cost, Prior HDG Experience, Quality of HDG, Sustainability, Turnaround Time
Components Galvanized
All exposed structural steel members were galvanized - including columns, beams and rafters.
Tonnage/Size
Steel: 8
HDG: 6
Team Members
Others
Sabrina Kuksi
Hillcrest PTO
A-1 Paint, Powder and Sandblasting
Sean Reardon
KBS Constructors, Inc
P1 Group
HME, Inc
House of Rocks
Midwest Concrete Materials
Foley Rental
Cottin's Hardware and Rental
Courtney Masterson
Native Lands
TJ Tangpuz
University of Kansas
Ben Brown
University of Kansas
Engineers
Celeste Spickert
McClure Engineering
Josh Valenti
McClure Engineering
Fabricators
Allison Brooks
KU Design-Build
Natalie Chalona
KU Design-Build
Ashley Loza-Hernandez
KU Design-Build
Monet DeFreece
KU Design-Build
Anna Dority
KU Design-Build
Ellie Goodman
KU Design-Build
Matthew Hahn
KU Design-Build
Shyann Jonscher
KU Design-Build
Nick Peterson
KU Design-Build
Kevin Rauch
KU Design-Build
Keith Van de Riet
University of Kansas (KU) Architecture Design-Build Instructor
Jeffrey Tistoj-Lara
KU Design-Build
Jillian Tomlinson
KU Design-Build
Alex Ultzsch
KU Design-Build
Richard Wiggins
KU Design-Build
Elaina Wright
KU Design-Build
Alice Kucherov
KU Design-Build
AZZ Galvanizing
Ocean Babcock
KU Design-Build
Owner
Facilities and Operations
USD 497
Member Galvanizer(s)
AZZ Galvanizing - Kansas City
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