Turf's up: New civic building & plaza
are on the way
Construction of Silver Spring's "town hall"
slated to begin in late summer
by Tamra Tomlinson
Long delayed by budget constraints and the wait for other nearby redevelopment projects to be completed, construction of the new Silver Spring civic building is set to begin as soon as late summer.
For Gary Stith, Director of the Silver Spring Regional Center, it can't begin soon enough. "The sooner the better." he said. Once completed, the civic building will become the new home of the Regional Center as well as the Roundhouse Theater School. He's anxious to see the most community-oriented component of downtown's renewal finally arrive and envisions it as a place that will "be responsive to the community…and its diversity."
| COURTESY MACHADO & SILVETTI ASSOCIATES, LLC |  | | Architects' rendering of the civic building and Veterans' Plaza as seen from Fenton Street. |
The project's design is the product of the first design competition undertaken by Montgomery County. The selection process began with the creation of a program of requirements by the Civic Building Steering Committee. This document detailed the building's desired functions and what it would have to accommodate. An initial field of seven architecture firms was first narrowed to three through an interview process. The three short-listed firms then submitted concept plans to a final selection committee. Architecture and urban design firm Machado and Silvetti Associates emerged as the winner in 2003.
By the time the firm was awarded the project, partner in charge, Rodolfo Machado and project director, Matthew Oudens were confronted with a program of requirements that ran to about 90 pages. Because it was so well-developed, the architects were able to use it as a reference during the design process. In most cases, this process is reversed, with the designers and client developing the program during the design process. Oudens recalled that both the requirements for the facility and the demands of the site offered "opportunities and constraints." "The deliverables were quite extensive and had to be executed on a modest budget. The county was trying to provide a lot…and that required a certain amount of flexibility."
The firm responded with a design for the civic building's 5000 square-foot "great hall" which will allow it to be divided into two separate spaces of equal size. Both spaces will have independent access to the lobby, allowing two events to take place at once without logistical problems. The portico and the pavilion were also designed with flexibility in mind, in order to accommodate outdoor events year-round. Also included in the design is an interior courtyard, which can host smaller-scale activities outside. One of the studio spaces for Roundhouse Theater School will be adaptable to use as a community program space as well.
Another objective was to incorporate "sensible and responsible design decisions" in terms of energy usage. That had to be accomplished while abiding by the limitations of a budget that Oudens said was "never a luxurious one." The design for the civic building was completed well before the Montgomery County Council enacted legislation requiring all county-funded building projects to comply with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. However, the designers believed that it was important to operate "in the spirit of LEED" with "good design practice."
| COURTESY MACHADO & SILVETTI ASSOCIATES, LLC |  | | Rendering of Veterans' Plaza from Ellsworth Drive |
Large windows around the courtyard will admit abundant natural light, which will reduce dependence on artificial sources. The height and width of the windows will allow natural light to penetrate well into the interior spaces. Overhead lights in areas nearby will have dimmers activated by sensors that detect sunlight and adjust accordingly. Low-emittance glass in the windows will suppress the flow of radiant heat from the sunlight.
Machado and Silvetti's design also called for a "high albedo roof" whose materials will reflect rather than absorb sunlight. This feature will serve not only to reduce the amount of heat drawn into the building itself, but also to reduce the "urban heat island effect" in its immediate surroundings. The heat island effect, according to the EPA, is an "increase in ambient urban air temperatures resulting primarily from the replacement of vegetation with buildings." Finally, the firm chose flooring of durable and rapidly-renewable bamboo for the great hall and its lobby as well as the interior stairs.
For the exterior and the portico in front, the design team wanted to strike a balance between materials that would "convey a sense of permanence", while creating an appearance that was "welcoming and approachable." They chose a combination of ground-face, stacked masonry and panels of ipe wood. Oudens explained that grinding the masonry's surface produces a smooth texture and exposes the colors of the minerals that it contains. Its visually heavy presence will be offset by the ipe, which is known as an "iron wood" because of its teak-like resistance to pests and weather damage.
Veterans' Plaza, the three-quarter acre public space in front of the civic building, will feature etched glass art by Toby Mendez to commemorate the lost lives of Maryland veterans. The glass panels will be arranged along the Ellsworth Avenue side of the plaza, which will be shaded by trees. This area, Oudens said, will serve as a more "contemplative space", while the adjacent pavilion is meant to be a multipurpose, all-season destination for activity.
To make the pavilion adaptable to a range of uses, it was designed with a freestanding, translucent roof. A cantilevered steel frame between two layers of translucent acrylic creates the structure's undulating shape. It's supported by two curved concrete columns at one end and a cluster of thin steel columns at the other. The 7,000 square feet of space below will be furnished with moveable tables and chairs to allow for what Oudens calls "social micromanagement" -reconfiguration of the pieces to suit whatever uses visitors want. At night, the roof will be lit from above, producing a soft glow. Also built into the roof will be a system of hoist points that will allow rigging for speakers and lighting to be hung for outdoor events.
In the colder months, the pavilion will become an ice skating rink. The roof will then serve to prevent the ice becoming pitted or uneven from winter precipitation. Cooling lines laid underneath the surface of the pavilion's floor will maintain a temperature low enough to keep the ice from melting. The goal, Oudens said, was to "bring some vitality to that space" during a time of year in which it might otherwise see little use.
The ice rink's inclusion in the plans for the plaza has been a matter of some contention for several years. Two years ago, efforts to keep costs down briefly pushed the rink out of the picture. That move prompted enough objection that then-County Executive Doug Duncan allocated additional funds to keep it in the plan. Now, it's not money, but the use of the space itself that's become the focus of the discussion. From Silver Spring blogs to The Washington Post's opinion pages, residents are again registering opinions about what Veterans' Plaza should be.
The carpet of turf that currently covers part of the lot at Fenton and Ellsworth - originally a stop-gap measure - has taken on a life of its own. It's become a sort of communal backyard that provokes the kind of spontaneous activity that planners often try unsuccessfully to generate. The fear among some residents is that the planned plaza won't be as inviting for the "just hanging out" purpose that the turf often serves. Gary Stith believes that the appeal of the turf lies at least as much in where it is as what it is. He said that "we haven't gotten the word out" about the variety of elements that will be present in Veterans' Plaza. He wondered whether much of the opposition to the hardscaped pavilion might be the result of a lack of communication between the planners and the community. To give Silver Spring residents a more complete picture of what the project will look like and the ways in which it can be used, the Regional Center has posted links to site plans, renderings and event diagrams on its website.
Glenn Kreger, leader of the Silver Spring/Takoma Park team on the Montgomery County Planning Board, predicted "a very lively public hearing" when the project plans and the planning staff's report come before the board in about six weeks. "Everybody has their own perspective" regarding the use of the space, Kreger said. He summed up his own perspective as "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The turf, he said, does have its advantages. "It can work", he thinks, "if it's installed correctly", but drainage would have to be addressed effectively. Whether it's turf or natural grass, Kreger has observed that support for "greening up" the Central Business District is strong.
Richard Jaeggi, of Howard University's Center for Urban Progress, a longtime resident of Silver Spring, said that the skating rink and pavilion are "a fantastic idea, but not there." "The turf shows how people want to use the space." For Jaeggi, a more important matter is that the people who are most vocal about the use of the space are not the ones most likely to use it. However, nine years after the demolition of the armory, he's less concerned about what gets built than how soon it can happen. He's observed that commercial development has, so far, been top priority in downtown's renewal. He doesn't question its importance in drawing people to the area, but said, "That brings people together--in a superficial way."
"Public space is precious", Jaeggi insists, "and knits the community together."
Get involved!
Leggett seeks applicants for Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee
County Executive Isiah Leggett is seeking applicants to fill two vacancies on the Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee. One vacancy is for an optional method developer representative; one vacancy is for a representative of the Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce. One incumbent is eligible to apply for reappointment.
The committee provides information and advice to the Silver Spring Regional Services Center regarding promotions, maintenance, service levels, and budgetary guidance for the downtown Silver Spring Urban District.
Members serve three-year terms without compensation and meet the third Thursday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in Silver Spring.
Interested applicants should write to County Executive Isiah Leggett no later than April 20 at the Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, MD 20850, or send an e-mail to CountyExecutive.Boards@montgomerycountymd.gov.
The application should include a cover letter outlining the reasons you wish to serve, and a brief resume including home and work telephone numbers. Members of County boards, committees, and commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time. Members of this committee are eligible for reimbursement for travel and dependent care for meetings attended.
Leggett's appointments are subject to confirmation by the County Council. Applications of those selected for appointment are made public as part of the confirmation process.
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