Proj Overview

Project Overview

Administrators at Indiana University wanted to create an iconic look for its new training and practice facility adjacent to its basketball arena, Assembly Hall.

The goal was to create a design with its own signature look while complementing the nearby facility.

Precast Solution

Designers created a building that echoes Assembly Hall’s vaulted theme and buff concrete color with a more ethereal appearance.. Architectural precast concrete panels finished with a finish that references native limestone without trying to replicate it.
The building is characterized by a succession of ten structural concrete arches that span the building volumes. Forming the base of the building is a thermally efficient enclosure of high-performance insulated wall panels. The panels include 2 inches of rigid XPS foam insulation to achieve an R-10 value.

A precast fascia forms a soffit around the transition from the second-floor offices, similar to the larger panels around the courts.

 

Project Team

Architect

Populous 

Engineer

Fink Robers & Petrie Inc. 

General Contractor

Weddle Brothers Building Group LLC 

Owner

Indiana University Department of Facilities 

Precaster and Precast Specialty Engineer

High Concrete Group LLC 

Key Project Attributes

  • Fabricating the precast concrete components under controlled conditions in the plant ensured high quality and tight tolerances, minimizing field adjustments and speeding up erection time.
  • Casting components off-site while site work was completed allowed precast concrete pieces to be ready for erection as soon as foundations were ready, speeding up construction.
  • Precast concrete’s aesthetic versatility provided a dramatic, ethereal look with a finish that referenced limestone without replicating it.
  • CarbonCast high-performance insulated wall panels provide high thermal efficiency with a minimum wall thickness.
  • Carbon-fiber wythe connectors deter thermal bridging through panels.

Project/Precast Scope

  • 67,000-square-foot training facility for basketball players adjacent to arena.
  • 8,667 square feet of CarbonCast high-performance insulated wall panels.
  • Panels include 2 inches of rigid XPS insulation to provide continuous insulation and an average R-10 value.
  • Limestone-like color used approximated sample #109 in PCI Architectural Precast Concrete Color and Texture Selection Guide.