Proj Overview

Project Overview

Hartford Hospital - Hudson Street Employee Parking Garage is a nine-story structure that holds 900 vehicles for hospital employee parking. This is the first project designed as part of a 30-year comprehensive master facilities plan, and serves as the aesthetic foundation for future campus development.

The design team envisioned an evolutionary transformation of a modern, late 1940's structure into a definable campus image. They wanted the structure to be clearly organized and to serve as a beacon of safety and excellence in service to its community.

Precast Solution

By utilizing precast concrete in the project the design team was able to create cladding that would span long required distances. The team began to experiment with a shingle concept to give the structure some sense of scale and texture. The façade had two colors, white and dark gray. The panels received a light sandblast finish. The panels were cast with angled projections to create shadows. The projections varied up to 8" off the face. A three-dimensional fold was added to further enhance the play of shadows on the facade and to create channels for rain water that will mitigate the unsightly streaking that occurs on flat panel systems. Precast was the best solution because its versatility allowed them to meet their design expectations.

 

Awards
2013 Design AwardsDesign Award Building: Best Parking Structure (900+ Cars)
Project Team

Designer

Perkins+Will 

Structural Engineer

DESMAN Associates 

Design Build Contractor

Downes Construction Company 

Owner

Hartford Hospital Real Estate Corporation 

PCI-Certified Precaster

Unistress Corporation 

Precast Specialty Engineer

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

Key Project Attributes

  • Project was erected in just over 4 months
  • Use of precast for long span cladding
  • The cladding design became a channel for water and mitigated unsightly streaking
  • Precast’s versatility allowed for unique shapes to be created with multiple colors and finishes in different parts of the structure
  • 100% naturally ventilated

Project/Precast Scope

  • 448,335 square feet
  • Nine-stories, 1250 spaces
  • Four-month precast erection time
  • 1318 precast pieces including: double tees, slabs, stairs, walls, light walls, shear walls, beams, columns, and architectural spandrels.