Terre Haute Convention Center

The entry, a two-story glass volume, is on axis with the intersection of Wabash and 8th Street. This provides a dramatic welcoming gesture to the city, and introduces into Terre Haute a crisp and elegant facade befitting a prominent civic gathering space. This glass volume is shaded with a generous overhead cornice and with horizontal sun-shade devices at its southern exposure. This is a sustainable design feature allowing for an abundance of natural daylighting, reducing the electric lighting demand, and providing a means of blocking the harshest sun angles thereby moderating the mechanical cooling requirements.

The length of primary street façade consists of large glazed openings looking into the Convention Center’s active pre-function spaces. This transparency allows the energy and activity inside the Convention Center to support and contribute to the downtown Terre Haute streetscape. Both this pre-function space, and the building’s primary circulation artery are essentially indoor extensions of the downtown pedestrian pathways. These openings are framed by a regular spacing of stone columns, breaking the building’s scale down into an appropriate module for the local urban context.

The remainder of the building is trimmed with banded limestone and concrete for a durable, low-maintenance, and regionally sensitive exterior. The building is organized around a central circulation street that provides access to the pre-function spaces and the main ballroom. Up to 900 guests can be seated and served full course meals prepared in the facility’s state of the art kitchen. Separate back-of-house circulation provides food and server access to the main room without passing through the public spaces. Access is provided to permit the introduction of large items into the ballroom allowing trade shows to take advantage of the facility. The main room can be subdivided in to as many as six large meeting rooms for hosting smaller events. Acoustics was a key design criterion necessitating the use of high performance operable partitions so that multiple events can be hosted concurrently without acoustic interference. This feature provides the operator maximum booking flexibility. Breakout rooms are provided on the opposite side of the main circulation corridor. A two-story atrium provides visual access to more breakout areas located on the second floor. Full food service can be provided on the upper level as events may require.

Flexibility was a key design requirement allowing the facility to host meetings with up to 2000 participants or as few as 10 or 12 guests. Infrastructure is provided to allow the main room to host trade shows. State of the art IT infrastructure permits digital wireless internet access to all rooms and potential event configurations. A DAS systems make sure guests will have cell phone access at all times no matter how large an event is being hosted.

Indianapolis International Airport, Col. H. Weir Cook Terminal

The terminal at the Indianapolis International Airport is a modern, dual-level terminal located midfield between the two main runways. The terminal is designed as a dynamic, changing form that reveals its purpose as a destination, gateway, and powerful symbol of the city. The first complete airport campus to earn LEED certification, the airport is built for growth and flexibility well into the future.

CSO directed and coordinated the design development, construction documents, bidding, and construction administration phases of this seven-year project. The firm displayed the key skills that airport planners were looking for to lead this partnership, including; the ability to collaborate with the Design Architect and other consultants; an outstanding track record in partnerships with Disadvantaged, Minority, and Women Business Enterprises; and experience with large, multifaceted projects that demand aggressive scheduling and multiple bid package experience. This project was designed in collaboration with HOK.

The Palladium

The design of the Palladium is based upon the traditional ‘shoe box’ shape concert hall with high ceilings and massive, sound-reflecting walls. This cornerstone of the Carmel City Center is designed to accommodate a myriad of music types.

The performance hall is designed as a multi-purpose space, yet its principal use is for live symphonic music. Through the design process it was decided that a truly multi-purpose room would not meet the highest standards for music production, however a room built for symphonic music can support many other types of events. In true concert hall fashion, the hall was developed as a single room, meaning there is no separation between the audience and the performers. This allows the initial sound to radiate freely without the constriction of a proscenium wall.

Within the hall, acoustics are further refined with the utilization of variable acoustic devices including automated curtains and a one-of-a-kind glass and steel acoustic canopy. The facility also includes state-of-the-art production lighting and sound systems with the capability to handle almost any production.

The space is designed to accommodate all patrons with visually excellent sight lines. The seating mix includes distinct locations including main floor, choral balcony, balcony, and box seats with private anterooms.

CSO was commissioned by the City of Carmel and the Carmel Redevelopment Commission to serve as the Architect of Record on The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts.  The firm worked with David M. Schwarz Architects and Artec Consultants, Inc. to design the only true concert hall in the region.

The Commons

Through a long series of meetings and public planning sessions, resulting in the review of over 5000 survey responses, the City and the building owners decided to demolish the original building and rebuild on the same site. Input revealed the following priorities for the new design.

      • Creating a new and improved performance space
      • Expanding and improving the indoor playground
      • Adding more informal and formal public meeting spaces
      • Including more food and restaurant opportunities
      • Maintaining the sculpture, “Chaos 1,” by Jean Tinguely, which was a highlight of the development’s original interior

The new Commons provides public meeting and performance areas, a playground, restaurants, and a commons area in the center.

Early in the design process, prior to demolition, it was determined that the new facility would pay tribute to the original by keeping the steel superstructure of the original building as well as leaving the beloved sculpture, Chaos 1, exactly where it has always stood. Consequently, demolition was very selective.

The newly created main entrance to the building features zigzag windows that are acoustical as well as architectural, framing views down the main street. Escalators and stairs wrap around the Chaos 1 sculpture, in its original location, to create a commons space and draw people to the second floor activities.

A new second floor under the original building’s structure provides space for the multi-purpose performance and activity space. The upper level space is designed for flexibility to accommodate public community events, performances, and private events.

A corner glass pavilion is skewed and sloped, providing views of the corner courthouse tower while creating an intriguing space to house a new indoor playground featuring a custom designed interactive sculpture that serves as a “climber” for children.

Natural daylighting, energy efficient lighting and mechanical system, and a vegetated green roof on the new structure assist with making this a sustainable project.

CSO collaborated with Koetter Kim to complete this project.

Zionsville Town Hall

Prior to building this new Town Hall, the administrative offices for the Town of Zionsville were housed in a former church. A lack of functionality prompted the need for a new building that would allow public service officials to better serve the community. The new building provides an efficient workplace for Town offices including Clerk/Treasurer, Planning and Permitting, Mayor, Information Technology, Fire Department Offices, and Town Council Chambers.

Designed with the public in mind, the building features a large community room for meetings and events. The design included 5,000 square feet on the second floor to accommodate future growth. The building is also designed to allow for expansion on its southwest side, as the needs of the community continue to expand.

CSO provided complete FF&E services in addition to the design of the building. The design features a central lobby with various departments and payment centers, space for planning and economic development, and offices for the mayor and other staff.

Bulldog Park

Bulldog Park includes a National Hockey League-sized ice rink, an outdoor amphitheater, and a two-story building. The area between the building and ice skating rink is designed to serve various seasonal purposes and includes a splash pad feature for summer use. The ice rink is the only outdoor NHL-sized ice rink in Northwest Indiana.

The ice rink is designed for use at temperatures up to 45 degrees. This enables the City to offer ice-skating without having to wait for the temperature to drop to freeze the ice naturally.

The city anticipates hosting various events at the venue including a farmer’s market, car shows, and performances. They also expect that the public will use the various spaces for private events such as wedding receptions.

The two-story building provides a new home for the city’s Special Events and Parks Department offices and Senior Center.

South Central Indiana REMC

The goal of this project was to provide functionally efficient, flexible, and expandable areas within a facility that can be easily updated as workspace, technology, workflow processes, and number of employees change. The South Central Indiana Rural Electric Membership Corporation project includes a 50,000 square foot office, 37,000 square foot warehouse, basement, and community center that spreads over two stories.

The building was constructed with precast concrete walls, structural steel frame, and a metal roof. The design features include new LED lighting with sensors that provide more than 50% in energy savings, thick walls for better temperature and sound control, and restrooms equipped with sensor sinks, low-flow nozzles, low-flow toilets, and energy efficient hand dryers. In addition to the building features, there is a vehicle storage building that is approximately 18,000 square feet and a parking lot pre-wired for future electric car charging stations. Garmong provided construction services for the project.

Joint Force Headquarters

The 79,111 square foot renovation and 76,342 square foot addition was designed to develop a more efficient operation center by consolidating units associated with the headquarters which were located at other facilities and buildings at Stout Field. The facility houses the Indiana Army National Guard Element, Joint Force Headquarters, Indiana Air National Guard, Indiana Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion, and the 38th Infantry Division Band.

The multi-building renovation and additions improved building aesthetics and sustainability while preserving the history of the facility. The renovated buildings were kept fully operational throughout construction. The renovation of Building 9 is a hangar with two-story office wings that was built at the beginning of World War II. The building is eligible for listing on the National Register and was reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office.

Limited Army Aviation Support Facility

This new facility services three aviation units, utilizing three UH-60 Blackhawks and two 0H-58 Kiowa helicopters. The hangar portion of the facility is comprised of three heated maintenance bays and two unheated aircraft storage bays. The adjoining office area houses administrative areas, an aviation life support equipment shop, lockers, restrooms, and training areas.

One of the major challenges presented to the project team was the need to comply with the FAA’s building height limitation requirements while accommodating the minimum height required by the Indiana National Guard’s aviation equipment. Due to these constraints, the hangar structure was limited to a total height of 13′-4″.

This facility was the first of three phases in a $25.5 million, federally funded project “intended to enhance the Indiana National Guard’s ability to successfully perform its missions, from fighting world-wide terrorism to providing support in time of natural and manmade disasters to the citizens of Indiana.” The facility earned the Army’s SPiRiT Silver self-certified rating and gave the Guard much-needed access to the Chicago/northwest Indiana metropolitan area.

Governor Mitch Daniels Barracks Complex

CSO was retained by the Military Department of Indiana for the design of one of two new complexes for Camp Atterbury. The facility provides barracks for over 600 soldiers in standard modified two-story design. The project was designed in accordance with the requirements of UFC 4-171-05 Army Reserve Facilities, 4-010-01 anti-terrorism force protection.

The project includes billeting facilities in a barracks-style configuration, as well as 2+2 sleeping quarters for the non-commissioned officers associated with each wing. A television lounge, internet café, laundry, and latrine facilities are provided with each set of barracks. Two Bachelor Officer Quarters house 80 soldiers in a semi-private 2+2 arrangement.

A 30,000 square foot dining facility serving the complex is also included. The project is the first phase of a new complex just north of the existing Camp Atterbury campus that will house 6,000 soldiers.

Zionsville Fire Station #93

Station No. 93 features a four-bay drive-thru apparatus room, fire engine, ambulance, training room, and living area for up to 12 personnel with room for future growth.

It was Zionsville Fire Department’s goal that the building be designed for a fifty-year life span, be flexible in layout to accommodate change over time, be economical to maintain and operate, and have a scale that reflected the residential developments in the surrounding community.

Interior flexibility was achieved by using a steel frame through the center of the residence which allows the entire facility to be reconfigured, within the perimeter walls, without disrupting the structural integrity of the building. The finished design is a result of a carefully managed balance between cost, quality, and scope with the end result achieving the overall project goals and reflecting the values of the Zionsville Fire Department and Town of Zionsville.

Indianapolis Fire Station #5

This new firehouse is home to Engine 5, Tactical 5, IEMS Medic 5, Battalion 1, IFD Arson Investigation and the IFD Public Information Officer. The design includes five apparatus bay positions with two being drive-through lanes, dormitories, locker rooms, home theater room, workout room, commercial kitchen, and separate quarters for the battalion chief.

The Collapse Rescue Tactical Unit includes a classroom and workshop, along with indoor and outdoor collapse rescue simulators. The simulators provide opportunities for the CRT Unit to train within confined spaces, trenches, fluid tanks, a collapsed material maze, and a simulated partial building collapse for compromised openings and heavy structure collapse.

The City of Indianapolis, Department of Public Safety, and Indianapolis Fire Department entered into a build-to-suit agreement with a private development company to develop the new Indianapolis Fire Station No. 5 on a lease-to-own basis.