In just 33 weeks, an abandoned 130,000-sq-ft big-box retail space was transformed into an office and community center that provides health and wellness services. To bring natural light into the expansive interior, openings were cut into the roof to create two distinctive courtyards. The process began by reinforcing the building’s foundation with additional structural steel, then expediting curtain wall installation to help protect the structure from winter temperatures and precipitation. As roof-cutting work got underway, fans helped keep interior air clear so that other demolition and fit-up activity could proceed safely. The building team also took advantage of the open roof areas to perform parapet work from inside, using more than 50 lifts to help expedite the process.

Photo courtesy of Pepper Construction

A safety rail system on the roof and beneath the openings kept workers safe while the two courtyard openings were being cut and enclosed. Floor railings also prevented fall risks along the mile’s worth of trenching that was in active use for electrical and plumbing rough-ins. Bridges over the trench ensured safe passage for lifts, which maneuvered through the building along a railing-bordered “expressway.”

Photo courtesy of Pepper Construction

除了将绿色屋顶托盘搬到庭院外，经过翻新的建筑还集成了步行道。双用药天花板云可以管理内部声学，同时还反映和放大天然和电灯，从而创造出发光的内部空间。