Willow & Rise Parking Garage | 218 West Broadway Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76104
- Owner:Â Maverick Development Group
- Architect:Â Architecture Demarest
- General Contractor:Â Rampart Construction
- Subcontractor: Viewtech Inc.
- KINETICWALL System Manufacturer: EXTECH
Maverick Development Group was searching for a creative way to meet code requirements and add visual charm to their recently completed Willow & Rise Apartments parking structure. The main challenge was meeting the code requirement that public right-of-way parking structures to be screened.
EXTECH’s KINETICWALL system was an option discovered by the owner that can meet percent openness and ventilation requirements for parking structures, alternative to a static screen.
The KINETICWALL dynamic façade is designed to move with the wind, moving and providing ventilation much like a living organism, while masking the otherwise open face of a parking structure. The kinetic façade visualizes wind patterns, a biophilic experience for passers by.
To complete the face of the parking structure, approximately 20,114 square individual kinetic elements were pre-fabricated and fully assembled into 92 panels. The panels ranged in size from approximately 5′ – 6′ wide x 7′ – 23′ long. The individual panels are designed for easy hoisting and installation to the support structure. In summation, the 92 panels were installed to the support structure to complete the 7,333 sq. ft. façade.
“Two kinetics rarely look alike,” stated Kevin Smith, President at EXTECH. “Each project is unique to enhance the specific environment, meet local code requirements, and add curb appeal to captivate public interest.”
In an article by the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Maverick Development Group founder Brian Crowell stated, “We were very fortunate to find a solution to a problem that creates a public ‘good’, is unique to the area, and is amenable enough to the Urban Design Commission to grant a waiver to vary from the code.”
Crowell continued, “Local reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.”