With a plethora of sprawling buildings in my portfolio, my fourth year professor suggested I design a project for AISC’s Steel Design Open Competition. The program had to be comparable to the non-open competition – an aquatic swimming/diving center. The space submitted had to require long span steel structures and utilize modern steel construction methods. Under these constraints, the building would undoubtedly be a large, cellular building. Drawing from my experience exercising along the Potomac River just south of DC, I proposed an exercise research center, headquarters for Gatorades product analysis department, to replace an existing power plant along my favorite jogging trail. The GSSI, Gatorade’s Sport Science Institute, would allow enthusiasts and beginners alike to take their personal exercise to an all new level, while providing the Gatorade scientists with larger sample sizes for their data analysis.

The main project of fall studio, third year students were asked to demonstrate an understanding of building program, site analysis and planning, functional planning, and congruent solutions of architectural systems in harmony with that earlier analysis. A speculative office development proposal was to be designed at the end of Main Street in Baton Rouge. Students could propose whatever tenant they wanted for the site but they had to allow for 80% of the building to house open office space for future use. Aside from their own intentions, students were required to address an existing ordinance for the Louisiana State Capitol Complex Development Plan, Plan BR.