PROJECT NARRARTIVE

Being the first of its kind, Ogden School District wanted to make a bold statement with the Athletic Center, through its architecture, its unique functionality, and its energy efficiency. The District hired VCBO Architecture and Hughes General Contractors to lead the effort in bringing that bold statement to life. The vision for this stand-alone athletic center was to break the mold of the traditional, boxy, cave-like, artificially lit, high school gymnasium complex by creating a fusion between an indoor practice facility for outdoor sports, with a highly transparent, visually engaging, and energy efficient gymnasium complex, that accommodates all student athletic groups.

The design employs highly durable and beautiful finishes, as well as an abundance of dramatic environmental graphics, and updated school colors, to establish a prominent ‘Scots’ brand that celebrates the many student programs the building was designed for.

In order to achieve the transparency and natural lighting goals, a significant number of skylights and perimeter curtainwall was employed. In order to avoid glare during competition, perforated exterior sun screens were provided for permanent passive solar control. Additionally, silhouettes depicting various sports were integrated into the perforation pattern to create dramatic scenes for both the interior spectator and the surrounding neighbors.

This building expertly blends a combination of CMU, steel, glass, and architectural tilt-up concrete; to create a dynamic, transparent, and efficient structure that enhances the beauty of the building, and creates a sense of tension by effortlessly suspending both main pedestrian stairs within the three-story “canyon corridor.”

The energy efficiency goal for this building was to be as close to a zero-energy building as possible. The District embraced such measures as a 370kW PV array, a 2-stage IDEC mechanical system, and destratification fans, to maximize user comfort, reduce annual operating costs, minimize ongoing maintenance, and reducing the energy demands on the overall system, resulting in a design that offsets 97% of its energy demand!

The new Ben Lomond High School Athletic Center has proven to be a resounding success! The VCBO Architecture, Hughes General Contractors, and Ogden School District team have delivered a highly efficient, extremely functional, and absolutely beautiful building that has proven to be a truly dramatic statement of their combined commitment to the students of Ben Lomond High School now and well into the future. GO SCOTS!