PROJECT

Discovery Middle School Addition.

Alexandria, Minnesota

Discovery Middle School Addition

project details.

Client

JLG Architects | ISD 206

Location

Alexandria, Minnesota

Services

Engineering
Structural

Origin Design, in partnership with JLG Architects and ISD 206, provided structural engineering services on an addition to Discovery Middle School in Alexandria, Minnesota.

The addition primarily included two gymnasiums—one holds two full basketball courts, a retractable batting cage, and volleyball nets, while the other houses gymnastics equipment that serves the entire district and community.

The project included details for a base bid and an alternate bid. The alternate bid in the gyms included translucent panels in the precast concrete walls. This affected the structural design of the roof structure since the base bid and alternate bid had differing load paths that had to be accommodated in the design and details. It was an economical way for the district to put the project out to bid and assess what could be built within their budget. The alternate bid with the translucent panels was ultimately selected allowing natural light into the gymnasium areas.

When working with additions on existing buildings, many conditions need to be field verified, even when there are existing drawings. The Discovery addition tied into a re-entrant corner of the existing building that was not perfectly built at a 90-degree angle. Origin provided input during construction, slightly adjusting the details and the location of the building to accommodate the existing conditions.

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