Project Spotlight: Dacono City Complex
Project Spotlight: Dacono City Complex
Although we are proud of all our projects, sometimes we undertake something that showcases our unique expertise so well that we can’t help but share its story.
The Dacono City Complex is one of them.
When we were first contacted about this project, we had yet to learn the scope of what it would turn into. What we thought would be a simple, short-timeline accessory building became a tight civil property used to its full potential that this small American town can boast about.
Read on to learn more about this project, its evolution, and the problems we faced and solved during its design.
How Did This Project Start?
The City of Dacono, Colorado, reached out to FMP Construction, which also happens to be our sister company. Dacono is a small town outside the Denver Metro Area.
They explained that they needed a fast-tracked building for some extra space in their city complex, and FMP Construction put them in contact with us to design the building.
Our first thought for a quick, small building was a pre-engineered metal building, which is one of our specialties. The first concept was for additional support space to the existing City Hall and police building, but the overall task became much more than that.
Initial meetings outlined a project scope and space needs program that expanded the building to meet current and future city requirements, including a new council chamber.
The project evolved from a small rectangular addition to a large L-shaped civic center plan spanning 10,282 square feet.
What Were the Final Additions to the Building?
As mentioned, the project began small. Still, as time went by, it was clear that the city manager saw the opportunity to develop a larger-scale building on this portion of the site that could satisfy more of the city's needs.
He decided that they needed more than just a little extra space.
Council Chambers
The council chambers and conference room were the most extensive additions to the Dacono City Complex.
Because of the use of pre-engineered steel, the wide-spanned ceiling over this section of the addition was possible without the need for columns.
Along with the impressive open area for the courtroom, we added more:
Administrative offices
Open offices
Storage and expansion space
Police Annex
The police annex was renovated to add men’s and women’s locker and shower rooms. We also added a break room equipped with sleeping quarters for late-night shifts.
There is a state-of-the-art training and workout area with weights as well. The officers could come in before their shift, exercise, walk directly from the training room into the shower room, and then get dressed in their uniforms in the locker rooms.
These locker rooms provided state-of-the-art lockers with charging stations, safety lockers for guns and uniform storage, as well as showers and a changing area.
Lastly, the police annex held a new armory with all their necessary ballistics.
Office Space
Instead of an entire office building, the new city complex could function with multiple city department personnel. A multi-use office wing was added for city departments that might need expansion space at various times.
Remodel of Existing Police Building
The existing police building remained. However, it was completely remodeled. The call center, kitchen, restrooms, administration area, and interview rooms were all updated with more modern and elevated interiors.
Interiors
All three public buildings (City Hall, the police annex, and the police station), as well as the council chambers, were designed to convey the level of a civic complex facility that was representative of Dacono.
Entrance Vestibule
The city complex welcomed its citizens with an architecturally interesting and inviting entrance complete with storefront windows with overhead canopies and a pedestrian plaza.
What Unique Problems Needed to Be Tackled?
Every project is unique, featuring its own challenges and solutions. The Dacono City Complex project presented three challenges:
Integrating Three Buildings Into One City Complex
A different architect designed the original City Council building, and Dacono wanted to keep that one but renovate the interiors.
The City Hall interior remodel was designed by another architect with whom we collaborated to develop a common interior finish and furniture package to tie the complex together.
They did the interior remodel of City Hall only. ZP Architects & Engineers did the:
Interior finishes of all three buildings
Renovation of the police building
Full scope of the new annex building
We were able to ensure the exterior and interior design harmonized.
Tackling a Multi-Functional Building
Another interesting task was the need to design a building that had to fill multiple functions. We solved that by ensuring each building was equipped with all the necessary technology for whatever needs may arise.
We contacted an acoustic engineer to aid in acoustical design in conjunction with ZP architectural design. We were mainly concerned about the sound separation of the council chambers from the other spaces.
We hired an Audio/Visual consultant to install a state-of-the-art A/V system for all three buildings, but mainly in the council chambers and conference rooms.
Making a Pre-Engineered Steel Building Look and Feel More Welcoming
Steel buildings aren’t customarily considered beautiful or stately, but we chose this material for several reasons, which we’ll explain later.
We improved the facade by adding an exterior stone skin on the lower portion of the building and used two different types of metal panels for the rest, adding color and style.
The L-shaped entry vestibule with a bent frame added more visual interest.
What Was the Timeline for the Project?
The schematics of the master plan began right before the pandemic hit, around March of 2020. Social distancing protocols required creativity in how to hold meetings with the city, which was done through Zoom.
The first set of permits was granted around September 2020. The zoning and community planning were both approved. Permitting was faster due to the jurisdiction being smaller in Dacono. Construction was completed around August or September of 2021.
ZP was involved in every aspect of the project, from the initial design to permitting, and was present for every biweekly meeting throughout the construction phase.
What ZP Architects & Engineers Brought to the Project
ZP delivered the city of Dacono a sustainable, economical, and aesthetically pleasing civil building, inside and out.
Here’s how we did it:
Using a Pre-Engineered Steel Building
Our initial choice of material for the smaller addition was also the best option for the larger project. Pre-engineered steel buildings allow all types of exterior wall finishes, including various metal panel profiles, finishes, and colors.
This versatility in style and design makes it possible to build a structure that makes the city beautiful, even in urban design.
Our chosen finishes perfectly fit Dacono’s ranch-style architecture, with the Rocky Mountains visible to the west.
Choosing a pre-engineered steel building can significantly shorten the construction timeline. All steel structure pieces come cut, punched, and welded for easy installation.
These builds are economical, sustainable, and long-lasting. This is a high priority when designing public facilities or a high-quality gathering place.
Lastly, the pre-engineered steel building’s long-span ability made creating an ample open space in the council chambers possible without the need for interior columns.
Our Full Range Expertise
ZP is a small firm, but we are a full-service firm. We have years of experience and knowledge in a wide range of design projects. We can handle structural, site civil, architectural, and interior design, which we put to good use in the Dacono City Complex project.
Design
The coordination in all aspects was made possible by choosing every design element inside and out.
The exterior design was successful because ZP architects are experienced and confident in using this type of building and elevating the architecture to meet the client’s needs.
The interior design met the standard for a high-end civil building. All light fixtures and finishes were chosen to elevate the design standards.
Structural and Civil Engineering
In addition to all interior and exterior design services, ZP offers structural and civil engineering.
The Dacono project included structural coordination with the PEMB design team and foundation design. Site civil design, including site grading, site utility design, and site drainage design, was also a part of this experience.
A Design to Meet the Needs of the City
Principal Architect Jeanne Fielding was the point of contact for the city manager. She listened to the hopes, desires, and needs that the city manager expressed.
From those conversations, she translated that into needing a bigger city and county building. Then, she created a design to meet those requirements with the specific objectives for each area in mind.
Jeanne expressed the goal of an architect quite similarly: “You’re there to answer the client's needs along with providing your expertise to come up with the best design solutions for the client's needs.”
Recap
The Dacono City Complex became a civic symbol of what this little town with a population of around 7,000 wanted to become. Their new steel building will allow them to showcase this symbol for decades.
We sincerely enjoyed collaborating with the City of Dacono to design this complex inside and out, ensuring it meets and exceeds this town’s requirements and capabilities.
Contact us today to discuss your civic center design goals!
