The Vision
Texas State University-San Marcos, founded in 1903, currently serves more than 28,000 students in 110 undergraduate and 96 graduate programs. Distinguished alumni include the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson. The main campus in San Marcos, Texas is situated on the edge of the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Construction of the university's Speck Street Parking Garage with 735 parking spaces was completed in August, 2008 and designed to address the urgent need for more student and special events parking. The facility is located at a principal campus entrance and borders a quiet residential neighborhood. The design team was challenged to develop a highly-attractive façade that concealed parked cars, supported the Spanish Colonial architecture utilized throughout the campus, and met the mechanical ventilation requirements for the enclosed parking structure.
The Airolite Look...
An innovative combination of more than 13,000 square feet of Airolite Matrix Grilles and Sansome Grilles installed in each of the parking structure's facades and towers successfully addressed both the aesthetic and functional goals of the project. Airolite's Matrix Grilles with four inch channel frames were configured to replicate the original design concept which called for the use of light bronze anodized aluminum wire mesh grilles arranged in geometric patterns. In addition to breaking up the long brick veneer facades in the parking structure, the Matrix Grilles enhanced the overall building appearance by adding multiple reliefs and depth to yield the desired sightline cut-off, while still yielding the free area required to support static ventilation of the enclosed parking structure. To precisely match the color of the light bronze anodizing, the Matrix Grilles were coated with durable Kynar 500® Lindie Bronze coating.
Airolite also helped enhance the project by utilizing a custom Sansome Grille configuration to showcase the university's signature logo, the Rising Star of Texas. Airolite's Sansome Grilles can be manufactured in any geometric configuration, whether simple or complex, and can also be reproduced to exacting detail with multiple reveals.
That Works
Airolite custom architectural grilles provided a truly unique, resourceful and signature appearance to support the integration of this structure into the campus and residential environments. The combination of Airolite's Matrix and Sansome Grilles clearly embraced the original design intent, but also added a welcomed dimension of "depth" and "university spirit" to the original design while supporting perimeter security.
Airolite's architectural grilles exceeded the original "sightproof" requirements by significantly concealing parked and moving vehicles from view. Airolite's grille design and water-cut spandrel patterns helped to create an overall design for the parking garage that is in character with the Spanish Colonial campus design standards to the delight of nearby residential neighbors. Case in point - the architect and contractor were walking along the sidewalk next to the parking garage during an inspection when a driver in a passing car pulled over and said, "I just want to tell you that this is one of the nicest looking parking garages I have ever seen! My hat's off to you!"
Texas State University-San Marcos, founded in 1903, currently serves more than 28,000 students in 110 undergraduate and 96 graduate programs. Distinguished alumni include the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson. The main campus in San Marcos, Texas is situated on the edge of the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Construction of the university's Speck Street Parking Garage with 735 parking spaces was completed in August, 2008 and designed to address the urgent need for more student and special events parking. The facility is located at a principal campus entrance and borders a quiet residential neighborhood. The design team was challenged to develop a highly-attractive façade that concealed parked cars, supported the Spanish Colonial architecture utilized throughout the campus, and met the mechanical ventilation requirements for the enclosed parking structure.
The Airolite Look...
An innovative combination of more than 13,000 square feet of Airolite Matrix Grilles and Sansome Grilles installed in each of the parking structure's facades and towers successfully addressed both the aesthetic and functional goals of the project. Airolite's Matrix Grilles with four inch channel frames were configured to replicate the original design concept which called for the use of light bronze anodized aluminum wire mesh grilles arranged in geometric patterns. In addition to breaking up the long brick veneer facades in the parking structure, the Matrix Grilles enhanced the overall building appearance by adding multiple reliefs and depth to yield the desired sightline cut-off, while still yielding the free area required to support static ventilation of the enclosed parking structure. To precisely match the color of the light bronze anodizing, the Matrix Grilles were coated with durable Kynar 500® Lindie Bronze coating.
Airolite also helped enhance the project by utilizing a custom Sansome Grille configuration to showcase the university's signature logo, the Rising Star of Texas. Airolite's Sansome Grilles can be manufactured in any geometric configuration, whether simple or complex, and can also be reproduced to exacting detail with multiple reveals.
That Works
Airolite custom architectural grilles provided a truly unique, resourceful and signature appearance to support the integration of this structure into the campus and residential environments. The combination of Airolite's Matrix and Sansome Grilles clearly embraced the original design intent, but also added a welcomed dimension of "depth" and "university spirit" to the original design while supporting perimeter security.
Airolite's architectural grilles exceeded the original "sightproof" requirements by significantly concealing parked and moving vehicles from view. Airolite's grille design and water-cut spandrel patterns helped to create an overall design for the parking garage that is in character with the Spanish Colonial campus design standards to the delight of nearby residential neighbors. Case in point - the architect and contractor were walking along the sidewalk next to the parking garage during an inspection when a driver in a passing car pulled over and said, "I just want to tell you that this is one of the nicest looking parking garages I have ever seen! My hat's off to you!"
Information
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Architects:
Leo A Daly, Houston, TX