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By Sara Hart

The proposal

All of these options were presented to the city with recommendations for or against their appropriateness. For the purpose of a design study, SMBW suggested that they proceed with a granite and aluminum composite metal (ACM) combination. (Although an in-kind replacement of marble with granite would be the most straightforward solution, it would also be the most expensive.) Granite panels proved to be the best stone alternative within the structural loading criteria, for unlike marble, it resists the effects of hysteresis, making it an excellent choice with regard to durability and long-term performance. ACM is cost-effective and as durable as a solid aluminum panel when correctly installed. It is fabricated from coils of predetermined widths, so more money can be saved by dimensioning the panels to minimize waste. The metal is coated with a high-performance paint, but SMBW recommended a metallic finish to reveal the material’s nature.

 

New lighting at the observation deck will be turned on at night, allowing the city hall to glow like a beacon in the skyline.

SMBW developed a strategy for optimizing the visual effect of the granite by limiting its use. Although seemingly contradictory, this approach resolved many issues. Granite would be applied at the quadrant levels and the council chambers, where it could actually be seen from ground level. Aluminum would replace granite on the tower, thus avoiding having to hang granite panels from wires, which were the typical soffit conditions. Furthermore, the column enclosures in the tower, clad in marble, could be reduced by 35 percent in perimeter size, because they only enclosed the m/e/p systems, not the structure. In addition, corner columns could be removed entirely, improving views from corner offices. Finally, the new scheme included a projection at the roof line on the building’s front to create a cornice, which would be more architecturally in tune with the cornice lines of surrounding buildings.

SMBW project manager Fred Ortiz summarizes the effects of their efforts: “We took advantage of reskinning the building with a new image in mind that was progressively Modern in nature while sensitive to Richmond’s traditional past and fast-changing urban context. The new face will redefine the tower’s presence on downtown’s main thoroughfare and mark the skyline in distinct fashion. It’s a new beginning.”