DNK Architects, Inc. Draws Inspiration from Avondale Neighborhood to Design Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Parking Garage

Cambridge is Open to Your Ideas. For more than 40 years, we've partnered with clients to create unique and forward-thinking products. This is our philosophy – an open exchange of ideas that leads to a well-conceived process and finally, a well-constructed solution. If it weren't for your vision, drive and expertise, we realize we wouldn't have been able to repeatedly use our mesh in new and inventive ways.

To showcase this philosophy, we're launching a new series of e-newsletters. Each installment will feature one architectural firm and the idea they brought to us. Please enjoy our very first "Open to Your Ideas" E-Newsletter...

Cambridge Architectural is Open to Your Ideas

DNK Architects, Inc. Draws Inspiration from Avondale Neighborhood to Design Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Parking Garage

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Parking Garage

At first sight, the Northern Avenue Parking Garage on the campus of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center looks nothing like a parking garage at all. In fact, its flowing and organic aesthetics might lead one to initially assume it's a museum or a cultural center of some kind – and that's exactly the point. Behind the structure's design is a story – the story of its neighborhood, and the story of an architectural firm committed to the communities that surround the buildings it designs.

DNK Architects, Inc., based in Cincinnati, OH, is a boutique architectural firm that strives to efficiently push the technology of architecture, while fine-tuning every project through a research-before-design framework. This framework was especially prominent in the Northern Avenue Parking Garage, where DNK knew the demographics of the area to be primarily African American, and as a result drew upon African influences

on American culture like weaving and braiding to determine the structure's architectural motif. The outcome was a final design concept based on a metaphor for the neighborhood as a whole: a tight-knit aggregate of "old and new, institutional and residential." The weaving and braiding concept was employed on the garage's exterior facade with architectural mesh, also referred to as woven metal fabric, which perfectly matched DNK's design theme. Cambridge was chosen to supply the stainless steel mesh based on overall experience and product quality.

"Cambridge immediately came to us and shared their depth of knowledge with architectural mesh," says Raffi Tomassian, a Designer with DNK Architects, Inc. "We quickly reached the critical point where we felt comfortable pushing the boundaries of the material."

Cambridge and DNK's successful working relationship developed quickly – a product of two organizations with a similar outlook on project management. Both advocate Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), which requires an active collaboration among all members of the project team from the very beginning of the process in an effort to streamline design, construction and operations and ultimately eliminate their inefficiencies.

The IPD method especially paid off during the installation process. ProCLAD, Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, was responsible for building the facade's curved steel framework and installing the mesh system. They were extremely pleased with the support they received and how the project was managed.

"DNK developed a cutting-edge design and went out of their way to work closely with us on the details of the budget, design and installation stages," says Brad Hitzfield, President/CEO of ProCLAD, Inc. "Cambridge, like always, was very supportive in engineering the system, including building full mock-ups to evaluate both the flatness and the curve of mesh to ultimately ensure a beautiful and functional final product."

The end result of effective project team collaboration was a curved steel framework method designed by DNK and implemented by Cambridge. Cambridge's Parkade™ architectural mesh system was adapted to envelope the structure in a revolutionary basket weave design, featuring both longitudinal and latitudinal curves of woven metal fabric.

"With Cambridge's help, we squeezed out every possible inefficiency to create a beautiful, diaphanous system that is comparable in price to a conventionally clad open-deck parking garage," says Tomassian. "We believe that if good design and solid workmanship are employed, superior architecture does not have to come at a higher price."

Cambridge would once again like to thank DNK Architects, Inc. for coming to us with their idea. More than anything, we value our relationships with our clients, and we value their collaboration. We look forward to continuing that tradition in the interests of creating revolutionary, world-class architecture.

Sincerely,
Cambridge Architectural

Cambridge Architectural is the world's most experienced – and only – full-service provider of sustainable architectural mesh systems for both interior and exterior building applications. Cambridge offers full system design, engineering and collaboration from concept through installation – including highly challenging building projects, environments and budgets. Cambridge metal fabric systems are categorized by the primary application the system serves. These include: Parkade™, Solucent™, LandscapeInteriors™, MeshFX™, MeshDefense™ and Meshellaneous™. For more information about Cambridge Architectural call 1-866-806-2385 or visit www.CambridgeArchitectural.com.