A number of factors drove the development of this project.  The first was the existing site which included a change in grade.  This topographical element was incorporated into the design by making the concrete perimeter “knee wall” a retaining wall structure on two sides to create a flat building site for the rest of the structure. 

The choice of materials was deliberate to ensure ease of maintenance, resistance to salt corrosion, and, in the case of a band of translucent panels at the plate height, to enhance the function of the structure