Today’s column on the MCPAC’s architectural program is the first in several on the forthcoming design and construction phases and one of the most important, in my view. “What is an architectural program?”, you might say. One definition says “It is part of the pre-design phase of a building project. It’s the research and decision-making process bringing together your wants and needs, ultimately identifying the scope of work to be designed.” In simpler terms, it’s a chance to dream about what might be possible and see if you can squeeze it all into your dream facility and budget. Seriously, a solid architectural program identifies what is most important, so the spaces needed their relationship to one another align in the most efficient and usable way. This then drives decision after decision as the design process proceeds.
We recently spent some time with our designers, LMN Architects, reviewing our current program details. The goal was to re-confirm that this program, created some years back, was still relevant to the needs of our community and our vision for the center.
We started by reviewing our vision and goals, which included enhancing quality of life and advancing our region’s identity as a great place to live, ensuring that resident performing companies have a well-equipped home base, providing economic partnership opportunities for business, and offering educational opportunities for all ages in an outstanding venue.
We then discussed some of the needs of our partner organizations as well as the other types of events we want to host in the new facility. I’m pleased to say that preliminary work is still solid, and the core vision for the Center remains very relevant. This is not to say that some parts of the program don’t need a bit more focus to align properly, but that’s what we will continue to work on, refining and enhancing things until we get it just right.
We concluded by discussing a long-awaited topic of the delivery method, which is construction-speak for how the next design phases and the hands-on portion of building the Center will be managed and when it will allow us to open. Another exciting outcome of our program review work over the next few weeks will be a new set of renderings that will more accurately reflect how the building might sit on the Columbia Park West site, and for the first time, what the inside spaces might look like. I can hardly wait!
Blake
