STRUCTURES + BUILDINGS
Datum Engineers recommended designing the ceiling for an array of potential hanging loads. The coordinated array consists of small, 360-pound concentrated loads at a frequent spacing, coupled with an 1,800-pound point load. One of the first changing exhibits —Whales — called for several small whale skeletons and a full-grown male Sperm whale to be partially suspended from the roof structure.
events and indoor receptions between exhibits. Lake|Flato’s solution to this programing challenge resulted in a multipurpose room with a 70-foot by 131-foot column-free space, flanked on the north and west by trellised exterior circulation galleries. To aid in the flexibility of the space, Datum Engineers recommended designing the ceiling for an array of potential hanging loads to accom- modate diverse and changing exhibits, in addition to a uniform 10- psf ceiling load. The coordinated array consists of small, 360-pound concentrated loads at a frequent spacing, coupled with an 1,800-pound point load, which permitted a wider spacing. This hanging load al- lowance was soon utilized with the hosting one of the first changing exhibits —Whales, which called for several small whale skeletons and a full-grown male Sperm whale to be partially suspended from the roof structure. The roof over the multipurpose room was also designed to support a 33,000-pound mechanical unit and an associated concrete pad on steel form deck. The concrete pad provides both structural support and noise dampening. The final criteria for the roof was a building height limita- tion that set an available structural depth at 6 feet. The obvious solution for this clear-span space was a series of roof trusses. Early in the design phase, the team discussed a common architectural language for the campus additions and decided to integrate wood into the key architecturally exposed portions of the structure. Datum’s response for the Mays Center roof was to include vertical wood com- pression members in an otherwise steel Pratt truss. Datum also rec- ommended pairing the chord members to accommodate and conceal electrical conduit for lighting fixtures integrated in the truss.
Cultural anchor Creative design aids growth of the Witte Museum, San Antonio’s legacy natural history museum. By Larry Rickels, P.E.; Tim Stocks, P.E.; and Craig Rios, P.E.
The Witte Museum, founded in the northern outskirts of San Antonio in 1926, recently received a $100 million upgrade. The Witte campus rests in a part of Texas where evidence of human habitation dates back longer than 11,000 years, making it a fitting site for the city’s museum of natural history. San Antonio has grown from 160,000 to 1.2 million people since the 1920s and the museum is no longer on the outskirts. With its now-prominent location between Broadway Street and the San Antonio River in historic Brackenridge Park, the Witte serves a constant and integral cultural role. Led by Museum President Marise McDermott, designed by Lake|Flato Architects, and built by Linbeck, the campus makeover met the muse- um’s three most critical needs. It included the addition of a new build- ing to host special events and changing exhibits, provided reconfigured galleries and interior spaces, and added a large entry and exhibit hall. Mays Family Center: Whales and ballrooms The first of the three components of the project to be competed was the 16,500-square-foot, single-story Mays Family Center building, located at the north end of the campus. This facility required an incredibly flexible space, and the variety of uses posed a host of interesting de- sign challenges. The Mays Center was to serve as a home for traveling museum exhibits for a portion of the year and as a ballroom for special
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csengineermag.com
april 2018
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