The new national standard for Armed Forces Reserve Centers

Transcription

1 HOFFMAN BUILDS: The new national standard for Armed Forces Reserve Centers In Clackamas, Oregon, the 41st Infantry Division Armed Forces Reserve Center at Camp Withycombe sets a new national standard for what an AFRC should be. Completed two months ahead of an aggressive schedule, it is the new home to 12 Oregon National Guard units, with one wing of the facility used by the Army Reserves. Showing off the new space, the Chief of Military Construction for the Oregon Military Department (OMD) Jim Willeford notes that Guard soldiers risk their lives for the well-being of their community and their country. They are deployed often, in-state and internationally. They address natural disasters and security threats, and serve on US missions overseas. Willeford says, We wanted to have a facility that portrays the professionalism of the individuals in our organization. The soldiers are not the only ones whose lives are affected by their service. Willeford recognizes that families entrust their loved ones lives to the National Guard organizations. A building that provides wide-ranging support and exudes professionalism is the first step in garnering that trust. Owners: Oregon Military Department Design Team: BBL Architects, Glumac, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Walker Macy, Green Building Services, Halliday Associates, Daly-Stanlee Associates Construction Cost: $63,835,000 Square Footage: 248,960 Dedicated: September 16, 2011 Location: Clackamas, Oregon LEED: Gold

2 Classroom Equipment garage Office space and meeting areas Informational signage Conference room

3 A modern Armed Forces Reserve Center (AFRC) serves all sorts of functions. It provides training facilities, classrooms, staging and preparation areas for troop mobilization, meeting spaces, an auditorium for conferences and performing arts, and community space used for dances and weddings. One room at Camp Withycombe s AFRC that the Senior Project Manager for the OMD Dennis Herring is particularly proud of is the Library. Not so much a traditional library, this is where comprehensive family support is provided. It has a room with toys so kids can be kept entertained and distracted when their mother or father have discussions. It provides a space where they can speak with professional counselors and use on-site computers to write their loved one an . These kinds of services are part of the AFRC s infrastructure, representing the priorities of the Guard. Herring looks proudly at this room that was value engineered in, a common characteristic of how design-build delivery brought betterments to the project. He notes that the US military expressly provides family support, but does not fund it. By finding ways of reducing costs throughout the Center, this room was created and the military s promise can be made more practical. Herring, a former soldier who served two deployments during Desert Storm, said, When I was in the Army, they didn t have this stuff. My wife and kids sat in their house and cried, and that was not appropriate. Amenities such as this are spread throughout the AFRC, a credit to the collaborative design-build relationship between the Oregon Military Department, Barrentine Bates & Lee Architects (BBL), and Hoffman Construction.

4 A FACILITY BUILT TO BE USE When BBL and Hoffman were hired to design and build the project, the team focused on a key question: How will the Guard use the building? Mark Danielson, architect for BBL, says, Our plan as a design-build team was to include OMD as an integral part of the design process from the start of the design all the way through construction and occupancy. We worked with OMD to develop a thorough understanding of the programs and activities underway on the base. For example, in planning the design for the workout facilities, the team realized there were two types of Guard members: those who lifted weights often and had the physique to prove it, and those that didn t and were embarrassed to show up at the gym. A unique layout ensued. Workout rooms are separated on different floors between free weights and aerobic equipment. The people who tend to shy away from working out typically want to run on treadmills or ride stationary bikes, but not in front of muscular and dedicated peers lifting weights. By keeping the aerobic room separate from the weight lifting room, people with different kinds of goals are more inclined to spend time dedicated to their fitness. The National Guard based at Camp Withycombe realized a dramatic 22% spike in people passing their running tests. Willeford emphasized the importance of this improvement, saying, In the National Guard, your career and your well-being is based on how physically fit you are. Along with the workout rooms are a flex and stretch room that supports combat/martial arts training and a gymnasium with a full-length basketball court. Herring states, We re calling this the new standard for physical fitness. Detail-oriented investigations also led to the design of a field-ready control room. In the middle of desks and offices stands a giant frame holding several projectors and adjacent screens. This room is used by the Guard to make tactical decisions. It is the same equipment that is used in the field. It is part of the train as you fight philosophy guiding the AFRC. It s not a simulation, Herring explains. If, God forbid, we need to deploy people into a field, to address a natural disaster or a war, this is the exact equipment and layout our soldiers will use. The AFRC also includes a state-of-the-art band facility. The enormous room, with its acoustic dampeners and its adjacent practice and recording rooms, make it a source of pride for Guard Members. Willeford says, Martial music has been central to the military since the age of Alexander. This band (the 234th Army Band, known as Oregon s Own ) is one of the best bands in the country. They play at the White House and all over.

5 If, God forbid, we need to deploy people into a field, to address a natural disaster or a war, this is the exact equipment and layout our soldiers will use. Dennis Herring for the Oregon Military Department With the help of extensive daylighting and on-site renewable energy producing systems, the AFRC is a highly efficient facility. Herring says that $221,000 will be saved in energy costs every year. One challenge was to place skylights such that they would provide enough natural light without bringing in too much heat. Hoffman selected sustainable materials where possible, focusing on recycled content and regional harvest and manufacturing. In the end, over 20% of materials were extracted, harvested and/or manufactured locally. To further reduce the cost and environmental impact, the AFRC uses a chemical-free water treatment system for its cooling towers. In the end, the AFRC achieved LEED Gold. Herring says, Together (with Hoffman and BBL), we were determined to use this design-build format to maximize the efficiency of this building.

6 Our ability to respond to both our Federal missions and state emergencies is dramatically improved because of this building. Jim Willeford Chief of Military Construction Oregon Military Department TELLING THE STORY Camp Withycombe is dedicated to the 41st Infantry Division, a combat team from the Pacific Northwest that fought in World War II. Displays honoring their heroic service tell a story throughout the Center. With informational signage, large photographs, and artifacts spread throughout the Center, Guard members can traverse time and relate to the 41st Infantry Division. While world dynamics have altered considerably and past enemies are now allies, the Guard members commitment to national well-being is very much the same. It is not uncommon to find Guard members observing a display and reading about the rich history of the 41st, in both international deployments and domestic disaster relief. Willeford notes, I haven t stepped in here once where I didn t see soldiers stopping and reading displays on the walls. And these people live here.

7 BBL and Hoffman created a strategy for telling the story, one that engages soldiers and their families as they make their way around the Center. More recent examples of National Guard involvement are displayed as well. These examples include troop assistance in fighting fires to conducting rescue operations in New Orleans throughout the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe. These signs remind us that overseas missions are just a part of the National Guard mission. MAKING OREGON AND THE USA A SAFER PLACE TO LIVE Camp Withycombe s AFRC will have far-reaching effects on the lives of Oregonians and US citizens in general. Through smart classrooms, it provides better training and communication among units. As the only Center to provide dedicated squad-level meeting rooms, individual units are now more ready and coordinated than ever. Its extensive loading docks and surrounding layout means soldiers can pack and leave much faster than before. Willeford says, Our ability to respond to both our Federal missions and state emergencies is dramatically improved because of this building.

8 HOFFMAN BUILDS Creative Solutions Value Relationships