Auburn University Hotel & Dixon Conference Center

BPA has strong ties to Auburn—several members of the BPA family graduated from Auburn University, support its various athletic teams, and consider the Loveliest Village on the Plains to be a second home. For our team, it is a great privilege to work on a project at our old stomping grounds for our alma matter.

The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center is a notable landmark for anyone traveling along South College Street through the Loveliest Village on the Plains. Last year, The Hotel debuted interior upgrades for its world-class conference center. Strategic construction phasing was necessary to facilitate the extensive renovations while allowing the hotel and conference center to maintain operations.

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Check out the project page to read and see more of the 21,000 SF renovation: www.bpa.net/auburn-university-hotel-dixon-conference-center

Mentone Cultural Arts Center

BPA has been working on something close to our hearts - a cultural arts center for Mentone, Alabama. As designers, we are honored to help develop this design that will support and encourage the arts and art education in our state!

Click here or read below to hear about the vision behind this project from the Mentone Arts Cultural Center (MACC) Board. 

"Art and music are woven into the very fabric of Mentone and the Lookout Mountain region."

"The mission of the Mentone Arts and Cultural Center is to provide education about this rich history in order to promote, propagate and protect it for current and future generations. Creation of the Center has been a long-time dream of many in this mountain hamlet. Plans are beginning to materialize that will ensure the reality of this dream.   

The facility will be designed and constructed for the general public of Mentone. Mentone itself is home to approximately 450 residents, but swells in size on weekends and throughout Spring, Summer and Fall as part-time residents and tourists come to the mountain. There are over 15 boys and girls camps that bring families from all over the country during the summer months. In addition, over 250 artists - known regionally, nationally and internationally - reside in the area and significantly contribute to the cultural fabric of the community.

Due to the high rate of tourism and a significant artists' presence, there is strong support for the arts from the Mentone town council and various local organizations. The town and local businesses open up its parks and green space and the local organizations sponsor a variety of cultural events and art festivals. Hundreds of artists from the region and elsewhere participate and draw thousands of people to the community to partake in these festivities throughout the year. Due to the positive economic and social impact of the arts and festivals on the town of Mentone, it is natural that various disciplines of the arts have become woven into the fabric of the town and surrounding area." - http://www.mentoneartscenter.org

The project will be built in phases and the design includes:

• a state-of-the-art multipurpose center which will include a stage suitable for theater, dance, and other performing arts

• a wing that will house a commercial kitchen and restrooms

• a sculpture garden which will feature native plantings, seating areas, and a life-size sculpture of Sequoyah which is being crafted by bronze sculptor Carl McCleskey and his wife Betsy Scott.

• educational classrooms

• a museum which will double as a storm shelter for the community’s use

• a 450-person amphitheatre for outside performances and large gatherings

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UAB School of Optometry

Greetings loyal BPA blog audience! We express our sincerest apologies for keeping our faithful readers in the dark about our exciting projects.

One of those is the renovation to UAB’s School of Optometry building. A significant portion of the work has already been completed, with the remaining renovations scheduled to be finished by the end of the year.

We’re proud to continue our relationship with UAB in designing spaces that empower our clients to bring innovation to the communities around us. The School of Optometry continues to distinguish itself as a top-tier program by providing state-of-the-art clinical practice and partaking in groundbreaking discoveries in vision science.

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Peruse the project page to read and see more about the 18,600 SF renovation: www.bpa.net/uab-school-of-optometry. And learn more about UAB's School of Optometry at their website: https://www.uab.edu/optometry/home/.

Mercedes-Benz US International In Review

As we begin a new year, let's take a look back at the completion of the 2017 office renovations at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Alabama. With over 80,000 square feet already completed, we are proud to say we are currently under design and construction for several additional areas throughout the plant. Stay tuned in 2018 for more exciting updates!

Each renovation begins with a conceptual idea that is conveyed through a sketch, thanks to our very own Wallace Williams! This allows us to convey our ideas to the client before we begin the construction documentation process. So far this has been well received and leaves each area with a piece of art to motivate them for the future!

A special thanks to the talented Chris Luker with Luker Photography for these images http://www.lukerphotography.com/

For more photos and information on our work at the Mercedes-Benz plant, visit our project page www.bpa.net/mercedes-benz

St. Vincent's 119 Sisters Garden

After our addition of the Ambulatory Surgery Center at Saint Vincent's One Nineteen, we were tasked with dreaming up a sacred space for the One Nineteen campus to connect the existing wellness facility and the new Surgery Center.

We held collaborative charettes with healthcare providers and caregivers that serve the ministry, and as a product of these work sessions, came up with the idea for the Sisters Garden. Our goal was to develop a space that welcomed growth, sharing, renewing of the inner life, persistence of purpose and reminding us of the spiritual presence in all of creation. 

The St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Sisters Garden is a sequence of outdoor spaces designed as a fundamental component of the St. Vincent’s Health System’s Healing Ministry. This sacred space constitutes a meditative garden and labyrinth, ethereal canopy and intimate gathering spaces. 

The design underscores the physical and spiritual centrality of the project. Each detail element reinforces the concept of suspension between introspection and outward engagement.  Cedar screens shelter visitors, patients and caregivers alike, while maintaining a visual connection to their surroundings. A translucent canopy arcs across the space, drawing passers-by into a moment of rest and contemplation.
 

Check out our project page for more details and photos: http://www.bpa.net/st-vincents-one-nineteen-sisters-garden

Photographs by: Luker Photography

Project Update: ALDOT Tuscaloosa Main Administration Building Renovation

The Alabama Department of Transportation’s Tuscaloosa District Office on Skyland Boulevard is in the midst of significant interior and exterior upgrades. 

The facility currently serves as an administrative and technical branch for ALDOT’s West Alabama region. Initially constructed in 1961, the office space has experienced a series of expansions to reach its current 33,000 SF footprint. Our scope of work features a comprehensive upgrade to the existing facility, including building code and life safety corrections, interior finish improvements, new exterior metal panels, and a new public entrance and lobby. The existing facility had difficulty establishing a formal street presence, making wayfinding and access by visitors difficult. BPA approached the challenges of the renovation project as an opportunity to enhance the ALDOT District Office’s visibility while creating a fresh, welcoming environment for ALDOT employees and the public.

Overall renovation work and the new entrance are currently at the mid-point of construction, and the final completion is expected this spring.  This project is one of several statewide that we are excited to be assisting ALDOT with. BPA is also pleased to be working with K&A Builders of Tuscaloosa on the project. Photos of construction progress can be found in the gallery below. 

BPA Service Project - Pearson Hall

On November 19th, BPA teamed up with Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center (ADATC) staff for a workday at their Pearson Hall facility in western Birmingham. ADATC is a non-profit facility that provides chemical-dependency treatment services. The team was able to make a significant impact in a short time with carefully chosen material solutions, brightening up the environment for those receiving treatment and improving long-term maintenance for staff.

A special thanks to Fred Armstead at Pearson Hall for allowing us to be of assistance for a few hours, and to the staff for their help. We would also like to thank the donors that supplied materials for our workday: Brown Sales/Acrovyn provided over 200 square feet of wall protection material; Sherwin Williams provided 12 gallons of interior paint; and Armstrong Ceilings provided 500 square feet of acoustical ceiling tile.

More information about ADATC can be found at https://adatc.org/.

See the progress of St. Vincent's newest hospital in Chilton County

As Saint Vincent's describes in its foundation newsletter (see below), residents of Chilton county have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new hospital. St. Vincent's Chilton is set to open it's doors this coming fall and our team here at BPA has been hard at work over the past couple of years to bring the project to fruition for the Chilton community. As construction starts to wrap up, take a peek at some progress photos of Chilton over the last several months. 

BPA Project Team for St. Vincent's Chilton:
Russ Realmuto, Kim Edwards, & Maria Glaser
Photo Credit: Kim Edwards

Project Update: University of Alabama Peter Bryce Main Building

Recent photo of approach to Bryce Main Building.

For over 150 years, the historic Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa, AL was used by the state’s Department of Mental Health. Over time, the monumental facility was being under-utilized and was in need of extensive repair. By 2014, the patients at the historic Bryce Hospital were moved into a new facility nearby. Subsequently, The University of Alabama acquired the historic Bryce Hospital with plans to adaptively reuse the facility as a welcome center for the university and classroom space for the theater and dance department.

View from one of the courtyards.

1970s photo of Main Building approach. Photo from National Park Service.

Cupola on Main Building.

The original Bryce Hospital comprised of a four-story main building and six wings. We were selected as the architect to help the University of Alabama in their pursuit to preserve as much as the original building as possible. During the selective demolition and abatement process, it was determined that much of the historic structure could not be preserved; and, as a result, the two outermost wings were demolished. The remainder of building’s masonry structure will be preserved with a variety of techniques. In some areas, the interior load-bearing walls will be removed and replaced with a steel structure. The exterior masonry walls will be preserved on remaining portions of the historic structure.

The photos below reflect some of the progress made during the selective demolition and abatement process.

Before selective demolition and abatement started in one of the west wings

After selective demolition and abatement process began in one of the west wings

AL.com has posted an article with more information about the Bryce Hospital’s former use. http://s.al.com/y1sD3nk

All photos taken by Birchfield Penuel & Associates, unless otherwise noted.

BPA Service Project - Camp Stoney Creek

On May 14th, BPA teamed up with high school students from Central Park Christian School to move 30 bunk beds donated by Central Park Baptist Church to Stoney Creek Camp in Vinemont, AL.  These bunk beds will be used in the new dorm facility that has just been completed.  After a day of moving and transporting bunk beds everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the camp’s extensive zip-line trails. 

Stoney Creek Camp provides summer camp experiences at no cost to inner-city and underprivileged children. Below is a link to the camp’s website to find out more about the camp and their mission.

http://www.stoneycreekalabama.com/camp-2540.html

Site Visit: Gray Construction's Southeast Headquarters

Birmingham's chapter of the American Institute of Architects is one of the most engaged in the country, providing numerous services to local architects. One of those services is regularly scheduled site visits for the chapter's Emerging Professionals, a group of Birmingham's brightest young architects and interns. These site visits not only help us better understand the tangible, real-world side of what we do, but also help us fulfill the on-site requirements of our professional licensure process. This week one of our interns took advantage of the most recent of these opportunities and visited the site of the future Southeast headquarters of Gray Construction.

Gray is currently renovating the former Booker T. Washington building at the corner of 3rd Ave. N and 18th St. in downtown Birmingham. The office building is situated at the very heart of one of downtown's brightest stars, the Theater District. We appreciate the investment Gray has made in the continued revitalization of our great city, and look forward to them occupying their new home.

Photo credit: Charlie Abram, Graduate Architect at BPA

Walk MS Birmingham

This past weekend, BPA joined the St. Vincent’s Marching Saints team for Walk MS Birmingham, at Regions Field and Railroad Park.  The weather was beautiful and the energy of the event was amazing!  It was St. Vincent’s 4th year participating in the Walk and the team ranked in the top 10 overall in fundraising, which is an incredible accomplishment.  The Team and the Walk are both very close to their fundraising goals.  Please visit the Walk’s website for more information on how you can help create a world free of MS: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/ALCWalkEvents?pg=entry&fr_id=27185

B'ham Rising: Spring has Sprung

You’ve probably noticed a change in your surroundings over the last couple of weeks. The cold tones of winter have melted away to be replaced with a panoply of the brightest greens and purest blues you’ve ever seen. Spring has sprung in Birmingham and there’s no better time to be outside in our city! Birmingham has a wealth of public outdoor space and its calling your name.

Situated at the very center of downtown, Railroad Park is the heart of the outdoor energy of our city. The park occupies 4 full city blocks and has been the catalyst for much of the growth our urban core has seen since its opening in 2010. Lovingly known as the city’s “front yard,” the lives of its residents are on full display. Grab the hand of someone you love and wander the landscape as trains glide by like kinetic sculpture. Find the workout of your life and some unexpected friendships at one of the park’s free exercise classes. Whatever you do, come and experience for yourself the range of activities Railroad Park has to offer.

If you’re looking for more of a walk on the wild side, you need look no further than the edge of the city center. Two former mining camps have been repurposed as nature preserves that offer more rugged experiences for the bold among us. Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve has a network of wooded trails that will make you forget you’re in the middle of one of the city’s resurgent neighborhoods. Red Mountain Park is one of Birmingham’s newest outdoor spaces. Thrill seekers will enjoy the park’s many adventures, including the Red Ore zip-line tour.

The Red Rock Ridge and Valley Trail System is the name given to a vision for connecting the many cherished outdoor spaces Birmingham has to offer. Far from a pipe dream, the first of the systems many trails has been constructed and is open to the public. The crown jewel of the trail is Rotary Trail Park, where the trail runs four blocks through a former rail line that is sunken many feet below street level. Set to open next week, Rotary Trail Park is unlike anything you have encountered in Birmingham or beyond.

Your outdoor opportunities are not limited to those listed here. Walk along the historic, tree-lined Highland Avenue. Take in the urban theatre all around you as you dine street-side at a downtown café. It doesn’t really matter what you do so long as it’s outside. A brand new Birmingham is waiting for you.

Auburn Internship Fair Recap

We had a great time at the Auburn University AIAS Internship Fair! The Auburn students brought their best, and we were definitely impressed! Those of you that interviewed with us had the opportunity to see some of our work through a virtual reality headset, and you were also entered in a drawing to win a virtual reality headset of your own. Congratulations to the giveaway winner, 4th year student Carley Chastain!

It was a pleasure to meet all of you. We wish you the best of luck on your studio projects and your futures!

Also, don't forget that we have another giveaway coming up on March 18th! More information can be found here: http://www.bpa.net/blog/2016/2/29/its-giveaway-time and our social media accounts.

B'ham Rising : An Introduction

The city of Birmingham is being transformed right before our eyes. The Magic City benefits from a unique combination of resources that led to the city's early development and continued growth. However, Birmingham's population peaked in the 1950s and has since suffered from the effects of suburban sprawl. The steady migration of people out of the city has been reversed thanks to a concentrated effort to bring people, activity, culture and life back to the city's urban core. Recent reinvestment in the city's downtown neighborhoods has increased momentum behind the rapid growth. This revitalization of the city is not only attracting locals back into the downtown areas, but is also garnering attention across the nation. Just check out this link from Lonely Planet: 

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/the-south/birmingham/travel-tips-and-articles/birmingham-alabama-the-souths-newest-rising-star

Birmingham is more than just a resilient, Southern city rising from the ashes; Birmingham is BPA's home. It is exciting to witness the change as spectators, but more so, it is an honor to use our design talents to contribute to the revitalization of our city. Visit our blog in the future to read more about some of the things that we love about the city we call home.

Photo Credit: Charlie Abram, Graduate Architect at BPA