Grand Finale – Oklahoma State Capitol Dome

For most of the 20th century Oklahoma’s state capitol remained “unfinished,” the majestic cast-in-place concrete dome its designers envisioned never built.  But as Oklahoma approached its centennial – to be celebrated in 2007 – a new spotlight was trained on the incomplete structure, and efforts to construct the dome finally gained momentum.  At long last Oklahomans would complete their state capitol – with one important distinction:  the dome they would build in the 21st century would be constructed with a steel superstructure.

By Gene O. Brown, P.E., and Timothy J. Dolf, P.E.

Oklahoma became a state in 1907, and by means of a special session of the Oklahoma legislature and a statewide election on December 16, 1910, legislators and voters overwhelmingly chose to make Oklahoma City rather than Guthrie the capital.  The Capitol Commission was formed to oversee the construction of the state capitol there.  The noted architecture firm Solomon Layton and S. Wemyss Smith was selected to design the structure, and 8 acres (3.2 ha) of farmland several miles northeast of the downtown area were donated as the site of Oklahoma’s new government seat.

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The plans developed by the architects in 1914 favored a neoclassical design and called for the reinforced-concrete structure to be crowned with a 140 ft (42.7 m) cast-in-place concrete dome.  Unfortunately, World War I had begun, and the money, labor, and materials needed to fully complete the structure were diverted to the war effort.  As a stopgap solution, a saucer dome – a cast-in-place concrete dome that, viewed from the interior of the building, gave the appearance of a shallow dome – was put in place.  Commission meeting minutes reveal, however, that commissioners considered the idea of construction the saucer dome from steel to facilitate later demolition.  Ground was broken on July 14, 1914, and the state took occupancy of the building on June 30, 1917.  The cost of construction had totaled just over $2 million.

In July 2000, the state’s governor, Frank Keating, announced the success of fund-raising efforts to pay for the construction of a new $21-million dome as part of the state’s centennial celebration efforts.  For the better part of a century, Oklahoma’s capitol had remained “unfinished,” the only state capitol in the United States originally designed with a dome not to have one.  At a ceremony on June 20, 2001, at which he gave the order to raise the dome’s first structural column, Keating observed that “the dome is a symbol of the new Oklahoma, the prosperous Oklahoma – a symbol that Oklahoma can complete what it starts.”

Backed by private donations, the Oklahoma Department of Central Services began to develop the project, the state’s first major design/build contract.  The new dome was designed and engineered by Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates, P.C., an architecture, engineering, and planning firm located in Oklahoma City.  The new dome was constructed by Capitol Dome Builders, a joint venture of Manhattan Construction Company and Flintco, Inc., both of Oklahoma City.  Statehood Day – November 16, 2002 – was seen as a fitting date for the dedication ceremonies.  The construction team determined that 19 months would be required for construction, which meant that construction had to begin by April 2001.  Such a schedule allowed only six months for site investigation, architectural design, and engineering.

The initial efforts of the design/build team were directed toward verifying the findings of the feasibility studies carried out before the fund-raising efforts.  Thanks primarily to the Oklahoma Historical Society’s meticulous preservation of the original ink-on-linen construction drawings, project specifications, construction photographs, and Capitol Commission meeting minutes, this verification process was not as complicated as it might have been.  Although the construction documents would be considered incomplete by today’s standards, they proved to be an invaluable resource during both the investigative phase and the design process.  The original documents included just 1 structural drawing and 5 architectural drawings for the dome; by contrast, 71 drawings were required to fully develop and construct the dome.

Continue reading “Grand Finale – Oklahoma State Capitol Dome” →

Positively Impacting Education Through Design

Educational Research Design Symposium

About the Symposium
This symposium gave attendees the opportunity to interact with students, educators, administrators, architects and engineers, interior designers, IT specialists, and others focused exclusively on learning environments. In this ever changing society, the goal is to create spaces that allow students to flourish in their environments. The idea is to promote a broader view of issues related to learning environments. This was a great opportunity to enjoy the latest in educational facility design.

Positively Impacting Education Through Design
• Uniting Education & Architecture
• Safe & Secure Environments
• Holistic Healthy Environments that Inspire
• Creativity & Collaboration

Four student teams presented their project design concept and learning objectives with the following information:
• What is the space intended to do?
• How did you solve the objective?
• How does the space transform learning?
• How did your team collaborate?

Charrette Design Objective – Create an Innovative Learning Environment For 2025:
• What does it look like?
• How does learning happen?
• How does education practices and architectural space work in unison?
• How does this space transform learning?
• Environment must accommodate 37 learners.

FIRST PLACE – TEAM 2
The Learning Environment (LE) Team 2 designed is a learning hub supporting both individual and collaborative learning. It is designed as several functional units that can be assembled together as an integrative structure and fit into a given space. It is like a kit, the user can use whichever pieces to create their own LE, depending on the conditions of the space provided.

The learning idea of a mobile class room close to nature is exceptional. This set up should have an impact on the mindset of the students to engage them in learning more, it also creates an amalgam between the nature and the students and thus breaks the traditional class room concept surrounded by walls and windows.

“This solution was very ambitious and used the notion of a learning environment to the fullest extent by terming it a “whole learning environment.” The components were nicely thought out and each one was tied t educational concepts and learning styles.”
– JURY COMMENTS

Community by design

OKLAHOMA CITY – When the Frankfurt-Short-Bruza architecture firm was awarded the contract to design the south Oklahoma City Senior Health and Wellness Center, Project Architect Allen Brown said his first priority was meeting with NorthCare, the organization that will operate the facility.

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Above, Dallas-based Moody Nolan architecture firm was the design consultant group, as it has worked on several senior wellness centers. The design will make use of outdoor space. Below, a view of the center from S. Walker Avenue. COURTESY RENDERINGS

The city had project requirements for all of its senior wellness centers, Brown said, but with each one having a different operator, he wanted to make sure his design would meet NorthCare’s needs. Dallas-based Moody Nolan architecture firm was the design consultant group, as it has worked on several senior wellness centers.

“We wanted to create a wellness environment where we had offerings for seniors functioning on all socioeconomic and health levels,” said Randy Tate, NorthCare CEO.

Those needs fall into three categories: healthy and high-functioning residents, people who may have a health indicator that needs to be addressed like obesity or smoking, and people with chronic diseases that need to be managed with programming.

This led Allen to design a 37,000- square-foot-facility with areas for weight training, water aerobics, computer use, art classes and socialization. There will also be an integrated health clinic with a family practice and a pharmacy. The center will sit on the west side of S. Walker Avenue, directly behind Capitol Hill High School, which is at the corner of SW Grand Boulevard and S. Walker Avenue.

The exterior features cementitious panel and wood-appearing HardiePlank.

“We didn’t want it to be too institutional,” Brown said. “We wanted it to have a little more of a residential feel. We wanted it to be low-scale and fit into the community.”

Residents will enter the center from S. Walker and immediately see a library with a computer area on the right and a cafe in front. When they turn left, they will find a reception desk. The center is divided into two parts, with the east side being for exercise, and the west for crafts and socialization events. While the building is essentially one level, there is a partial second floor with a small cardio space in the center and a walking track wrapped around it. People upstairs can see down into the lobby area.

On the east side, residents can swim in the hybrid pool, work out in a group fitness class in the 3,300-square-foot area, lift weights in the 2,005-square-foot weight room, hang out in the game room, and get ready for their next event in the locker rooms. On the west side residents can find a 2,027-square-foot multipurpose room, an arts and craft area with a kiln room, a health clinic, a demonstration kitchen, and an area for people who are suffering from memory loss and their loved one wants to use the center.

“Everything is open and social, not behind walls,” Allen said.

The interior will feature bright colors, both on the walls and on the furniture, pulling from the Hispanic influence of the area. NorthCare hasn’t forgotten the Hispanic population either, and it contracted with a corporate bilingual specialist to hire bilingual staff members at the facility. The center’s signage will be printed in Spanish as well.

The activities will not be confined to the building’s walls. The two wings will each have doors to the back courtyard with a large yard. It will have a fire pit, a barbecue area, and raised beds for a community garden. The nearby tennis courts, which are used by the high school, will be refinished and shared by the center and the school. The center will also have a path for the residents to walk to the trail at Hosea Vinyard Park.

The project is still going through final design stages. Construction documents are expected to be approved by the City Council in July, with construction slated to start in September. The center should be complete by late fall 2016.

 

Elevations: Chickasaw Nation Visitor Center

By: Molly M. Fleming

Extending a Warm Welcome

SULPHUR – Visitors to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in south-central Oklahoma will soon be able to learn more about the tribe and the park in one convenient stop. The Chickasaw Nation Visitor Center has been designed by the Frankfurt-Short-Bruza architectural firm of Oklahoma City. It will be at the intersection of Highway 7 and Highway 177, on the south side of the Artesian Hotel.

“We’ve been doing Native American work for the past decade,” said Fred Schmidt, principal of FSB. “This project builds on that. It’s a small project with very unique characteristics.”

One of those characteristics is an expected Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, Gold certification. he building will have many eco-friendly aspects, including its utilization of water. The center will use any rainwater for its sprinkler system. Water from the sinks will be used in the toilets before being sent out of the building.

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The Chickasaw Nation Visitor Center will have eco-friendly features. COURTESY RENDERING

The 8,000-square-foot building will include rich materials that draw on influences from nature and surrounding buildings. Some of the materials include copper panels on the exterior and natural stone floors. Building designers drew some architectural influences from the Chickasaw government buildings and cultural center.

“It’s contemporary, but has a lot of natural elements at the same time,” said Jason Holuby, senior associate at FSB. “We wanted the primary tie to be with the park.”

Schmidt said once the building is complete, they plan to it for design awards.

The center will be the home of information for visitors to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, as well as offices for the recreation area. The offices are used by staff members who manage tourism at the park.

Holuby said one of the challenges with the project was an 8-foot slope on the property. This slope actually worked in the favor of the designers because it allowed the office space to be built at a lower level than the visitor center amenities. The extra height of the building will allow visitors to see directly into the park. The front windows open to a view of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

The offices will be on the lower floor. The top floor will feature a gallery of Chickasaw Nation artwork and historical information. There will also be seating available for park visitors who need a rest. Kiosks will be spread throughout the top floor to provide information to visitors.

“People will be able to visit the kiosks to help plan their visit to the park,” Holuby said.

A gift shop will be on the top floor. People can buy gifts from the park or the Chickasaw Nation. Visitors can learn about the Chickasaw Nation in the video presentation room. The lower floor will include office space, a shared break room and a conference room.

The building is nearly 80-percent complete and is expected to open in July. The project has been in the works for nearly nine months.

 

These Walls: Thunderbird Chapel Tradition of Worship

BY KIRBY LEE DAVIS

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The chapel was designed to capture the look and feel of Camp Gruber’s original churches. PHOTO BY RIP STELL

BRAGGS – It resembles something from an old movie set: a white frontier church, its steeple stretching 57 feet into the prairie sky.

“It stands very prominent amongst the trees,” architect Glenn Short said of Camp Gruber’s nearly 10,500-square-foot Thunderbird Chapel. “It’s sited so that it will look towards the barracks facilities and their future barracks.”

That’s a key point since the chapel, opened this spring, serves as Gruber’s only dedicated sanctuary — its first since that Oklahoma National Guard post was reactivated in 1977.

It wasn’t always that way. As one of 84 U.S. military training camps launched from 1941 to 1942, the Braggs complex grew to have 14 churches among its 1,000-plus buildings. But with the camp’s 1947 decommissioning, nearly all of those structures, including all of the churches, were either taken down or relocated.

It took Gov. Mary Fallin’s 2010 election to change that. When she learned of the camp’s deficiency, Fallin formed a commission to give Gruber a dedicated sanctuary this year, so that Oklahoma soldiers returning home from overseas service would have a place to help them find peace.

“We had some people that worked 14 to 15 hours a day, seven days a week, to keep it on schedule,” said Shepherd, president of Oklahoma Roofing and Sheet Metal. “The Associated General Contractors, they were a big help. I went to them again and again and again.”

Short, a principal with Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates, designed the structure to capture the look and feel of Camp Gruber’s original churches — wood-framed 1920s prairie chapels, with exposed wood trusses, stained-glass windows and exterior stone skirts.

Starting with existing designs FSB had crafted for prison chapels, Short and his team adapted their plans to fit Shepherd’s construction techniques and materials. For example, instead of stone, Thunderbird Chapel has brick veneer around its exterior base, which workers from Landmark Homes installed in a day.

“They showed up that morning at daylight and worked until midnight, working under pickup lights to keep it on schedule,” Shepherd said.

And that marked just one example of sacrificial efforts by volunteers seeking to help get the project done.

“Everybody stepped up,” Shepherd said. “They knew who it was for and they believed in it. Man, they gave me everything they had.”

Thunderbird Chapel ended up twice the size of Short’s prison chapels, to accommodate weddings, banquets and other gatherings.

“As you enter, it’s got a nice lobby,” said Short. “It’s got a very beautiful auditorium, with the trusses exposed.”

Short and his team adapted the site’s native trees into Thunderbird Chapel’s master plan, with involves a planned monument made of stone recovered from the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, site of the Oklahoma City bombing.

“Off to one side we have a memorial area,” he said. “We call it a memorial garden. It’s still to be constructed. It will have a pond and a fountain and memorial plaques to the National Guard members who have sacrificed their lives since 1911.”

Factoring in the donated materials, labor and funds raised, Shepherd estimated that the project cost would come in at about $2.2 million. Both he and Short credited these efforts as support of our troops.

“Some of them have committed their all,” Short said. “They’re over there basically defending what America stands for. My satisfaction is being able to contribute to what they do.”

Designing facilities that save lives

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The numbers are staggering. On any given night, about 300 people are living on the street in Oklahoma City. Sadly, a number of these individuals are considered chronically homeless. They’ve lived a difficult life on the street, in some cases more than a decade. Many struggle with mental illness or addiction, and some are veterans affected by post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Homeless Alliance is a nonprofit in Oklahoma City working to end long-term homelessness. The organization’s passionate executive director, Dan Straughan, said he is confident the organization’s new housing center represents a huge step in the right direction. And, he says he knows the new center is already saving lives.

“We’ve figured out what any five-year-old could have told us if asked about the answer to homelessness,” Straughan said. “They would say ‘It’s houses right?’ And that is right, the answer is providing a broad array of housing options that fit the diverse needs of the population you’re trying to serve.”

When The Homeless Alliance began the search for the right architecture and engineering firm to design affordable housing on its WestTown campus near downtown Oklahoma City, they were looking for a team that understood the issue and wanted to join the push to eradicate homelessness in Oklahoma City. The firm had to have an inherent respect for the homeless, and a desire to build an uplifting center where residents would have easy access to counseling, health care, meals and many other resources, Straughan noted.

“We took presentations from several different architecture firms. FSB’s presentation was brief and in the rest of the allotted time they wanted us to tell them what we wanted. That was not what the other presenters did,” Straughan said. “Through the course of working through the design, FSB was very attentive to the specialized needs that a nonprofit has. FSB was really creative about helping us find ways to keep ongoing maintenance and operating costs really low, which was a big deal to us.”

In what Straughan describes as a two-way education process, the Homeless Alliance outlined the unique elements a housing center for the recently homeless should include. FSB responded with a practical and bright design that resembles a college dorm, with 20 single occupancy 250-square-foot rooms and a large community living area featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and a soaring roof to maximize natural light and inspire interaction.

The housing center, open since September, incorporates geothermal energy to cut long-term energy costs, and is finished with durable fixtures that are inexpensive to replace.

“It’s very simple, but functional industrial architecture,” said Rob Brown, FSB architect for the project. “We used pre-engineered metal structures as a starting point, which are durable and helped us keep construction costs low. The idea was to adapt that type of building system into something that was more architectural.”

Thelma Gaylord Emergency Shelter for Women

For FSB, designing buildings for nonprofits brings a sense of professional and personal fulfillment, particularly when architects can see their work as contributing to saving lives, said John Osborne, an FSB architect who served as the director of design for the YWCA’s Thelma Gaylord Emergency Shelter for women and children experiencing domestic abuse. Prior to September 2015, when the new shelter opened, the YWCA was using a converted motel that was too small, lacked adequate security and had not been updated since the late 80s.

“Now they have additional security features including a privacy fence, as well as two layers of security gates to prevent cars from driving onto the property without permission,” Osborne said. “This new shelter almost doubles the capacity of the previous facility and includes more counseling and advocacy space.”

ywca_gaylord-shelter_interior-lobby_oklahoma-city-okYWCA CEO Jan Peery, said Oklahoma currently ranks sixth in the nation for women killed by men and that, in domestic violence situations, shelters are the closest thing a community has to homicide prevention. The Thelma Gaylord emergency shelter is the only certified women’s shelter in the county and serves about one fourth of the state’s total population.

“FSB have been partners and supported us for many years, so they were familiar with our work and the trauma that is part of the journey for our clients,” Peery said. “The environment itself creates a sense of peace and healing and that is critical when you are working with individuals traumatized by violence. It’s everything from the intercoms in the rooms to the wide corridors. People need to feel safe because only after this can they finally let their guard down and actually start absorbing some of the therapeutic services we have to offer to help them.”

In the months since the shelter has opened its doors, Peery said she’s already seen the facility playing a role in the recovery process for clients. A playground in the central courtyard provides a safe, protected space for children. Their mothers can receive advocacy and case management while maintaining a direct line of sight through a window into the children’s activity area. The emergency shelter is all at once strong fortress and a restorative temporary home.

“For me, working on this project brought tremendous personal fulfilment knowing I used my skills as an architect to provide a protective, respectful space for women and their children to find safety and support,” Osborne said.

“During the last 30 years working in the domestic violence movement I have toured more than 200 domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, and transitional housing facilities across the United States. The design, functionality, and aesthetics of the YWCA’s new shelter in Oklahoma City puts it in a category of ONE, said Casey Guinn, President, Alliance for HOPE International. Frankfurt Short Bruza’s work created the most impressive housing facility I have ever seen. The YWCA’s facility speaks life, honor, respect and hope into the lives of survivors and their children as soon as they enter its doors. The passion and giftedness of the architectural team allowed them to take the values of the domestic violence prevention movement and integrate them into the actual layout, design, and flow of the shelter in a way that will produce hope and healing for thousands of survivors for decades.” Congratulations on a job well done.”

For more information about the Homeless Alliance’s housing center and other resources visit homelessalliance.org. For more information about the Oklahoma City YWCA’s emergency shelter and its other services visit ywcaokc.org.

Interested in learning more, contact Laure Majors at [email protected] or call her direct at 405.840.2931.

The Discovery Process: Design by Collaboration

Creating a collaborative environment amongst stakeholders is a key strategy to designing a new building or redefining existing spaces. FSB has developed a specialized design workshop process – FSB Design Discovery Lab – that creates a partnership between an owner, and the design team, resulting in highly successful projects.

Collaboration Session: Capitol Restoration Committee members, key stakeholders, art historians, collection curators, historical preservationists and representatives from the design-build team.

FSB Design Discovery Lab
A Design Discovery Lab is a collective, partnering exercise, between all stakeholders and the design team. These forums are work sessions that explore facility uses, defines user needs and experiences, and ultimately outline a strategic design direction for the space. The Discovery Lab promotes critical thinking, communication, creative problem solving and collaboration. Intersecting thoughts and ideas, from varying stakeholder points of view, provides opportunities to assess, engage, agree or disagree on important project issues – which is essential to significantly strengthening final project outcomes.

FSB’s Discovery Labs enable the entire team – stakeholders and designers – to:

Share knowledge
New and innovative thinking will remain unrealized unless there are opportunities to shape ideas by involving all key players.

Create community
Providing an open forum to talk about stakeholder roles in a project opens doors to forming partnerships – that may not have existed – and promotes collaboration beyond the workshop.

Facilitate decision-making
An essential first step in successfully designing a new space is to establish expectations, define purpose and outline the process that will be needed to meet the goals. Establishing common ground is key to encouraging stakeholders to work together and, in the end, reach consensus.

FSB’s signature approach to defining a client’s needs, through a collaborative Discovery Lab environment, was recently demonstrated on the Oklahoma State Capitol Building Interior Restoration Project. As part of this project, FSB and Capitol Design Team are redefining the visitor experience. Fred Schmidt, FSB principal and project leader, recently facilitated a Discovery Lab that provided the design framework for this aspect of this highly visible and historically significant project.
Held in FSB’s newly designed Team Lab space, this five hour, collaboration session included Capitol Restoration Committee members, key stakeholders, art historians, collection curators, historical preservationists and representatives from the design-build team.

Fred Schmidt, FSB principal and project leader, facilitating a Discovery Lab

Brainstorming and Creative Thinking Focus:

The New Context of the Capitol’s Visitors Level Current Visitor Experience
Pros: what’s working well with the current experience?
Cons: what’s not working as well?

If These Walls Could Talk
What do you want the architecture to say to the visitor?
What do you want the initial thoughts of the visitor to be?
What is the one thing you would like a visitor to remember at the conclusion of their visit?

Big Picture Ideas – Defining Form and Function
What are the performance requirements that will shape the building design?
What are the issues that will affect building shape?

Telling a Story
What is the symbolism that creates a connection?
What is important to creating a progression of experiences?
How can we connect the visitor to the space being “theirs”?

  • This is your state
  • This is your state house
  • This is your place of government
  • This is your state’s story

How can we demonstrate that this is where Oklahoma Government history is made?
Who do we want to showcase: famous men, famous women?

Upon completion of the Design Lab, all participants emerged with a clear vision of the goals and objectives for the new visitor center. A detailed story line to guide the desired visitor experience was established, providing the design team with the needed direction to pursue creative architectural solutions.

The FSB Design Discovery Lab allows owners to:

  • participate in a collaborative workshop setting
  • visually ‘see’ and represent the project prior to formal design
  • be involved in creating their own spaces in collaboration with the design team
  • obtain buy-in to both the project and business objectives
  • express their experiences – increased understanding and empathy from the design team
  • reduce stakeholder conflicts and factions working in silos
  • make better strategic decisions and reach stakeholder consensus and commitment
  • define and support synergies in inter-disciplinary strategies
  • create cross-functional team development, understanding and learning
  • generate enthusiasm and positive energy towards the project

If you are interested in learning more about how the Design Discovery Lab experience can benefit your project or want to learn more about the Oklahoma State Capitol Building Interior Restoration Project, visit us at fsb-ae.com or contact Fred Schmidt at 405.840.2931.

For more information regarding restoration of the Oklahoma State Capitol, visit any of the following sites:

 OK Capitol Restore   OK Dept of Tourism   Oklahoma Arts Council: Art at the Capitol   Oklahoma Historical Society

 

 

 

Designing Safe Learning Environments for Tornado Alley

Tornados, unfortunately, are part of life in Oklahoma and surrounding states, an area known by many as Tornado Alley. Here, cool Rocky Mountain air and warm Gulf Coast air tends to collide and form the supercell thunderstorms that often produce tornadoes. Spurred by disasters like the May 20, 2013 tornado that struck two elementary schools in Moore, Oklahoma, districts and municipalities throughout the region are adopting codes requiring all newly constructed schools to include safe rooms. FSB has designed safe rooms for decades. As technologies improve, the firm has placed heavy emphasis on bringing modern, practical options to its clients.

“When something like the May 20 tornados come through a community, the parents and administrators’ first inclination is essentially to build bunkers, windowless rooms that end up becoming classrooms,” FSB Principal Fred Schmidt said. “How would you like that to be your classroom? It’s not a great learning environment.”

Instead, the architects and engineers of FSB are steering their education clients towards hardened spaces that can double as gymnasiums, band rooms, cafeterias, or proper classrooms with exterior windows. Contrary to common belief, aboveground shelters can be just as safe as below grade spaces if they are designed with the necessary structural reinforcements, Schmidt said.

“One of the fallacies around here is that the best storm shelter options are underground, but underground shelters actually can pose additional challenges since they are difficult to keep dry.

Schools have limited construction budgets and square footage, and most cannot afford to have a space that only functions as a safe room.

More than ever, products on the market today make these multipurpose safe rooms attainable. Schmidt said that for Heartland Middle School, completed in 2016 for Edmond Public Schools, the firm incorporated high-performance laminated glass into the windows of one of the school’s safe room spaces — two adjoining classrooms. Approved for use within the past five years, the laminated glass looks like an ordinary window, but is an inch thick, made of glass layered between a thick laminate to prevent it from shattering into the classroom during a severe weather event. Set into steel frames, these windows are structurally welded into the supports with major columns and beams. The adjoining classrooms are one of two safe room spaces in the school; the other is a gymnasium. Together, they will accommodate everyone at Heartland.

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“Looking at the classroom, you don’t know it’s a hardened shelter,” Schmidt said. “It has glass, lights and a ceiling. It’s just as attractive as the classroom next door that’s not a shelter.”

For another recent design project at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkowa, FSB included safe rooms in its dormitory design. Each dorm building included a game room on the ground floor that could fit all residents during severe weather events — seven square feet per person, plus furniture. These safe room still had exterior windows, but designers also included steel shutters that could be fastened in the event of severe weather to shield occupants from broken glass.

Beyond the obvious need for safe room elements to be designed by professional architects and engineers, materials must undergo a series of tests by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be an approved building component. Safe rooms must withstand projectile debris as well as high wind forces, so prototypes of the high-performance glass, steel doors and steel shutters are repeatedly exposed to these forces in a testing environment before hitting the market.

FEMA builds test walls out of each building material or new product, and they fire an air cannon that shoots a 15-pound wooden 2 x 4 at 100 mph at each test wall. The 2 x 4 has to either bounce or shatter for the material to be approved for use in a safe room. By FEMA’s definition, a safe room also includes emergency lighting, ventilation and a restroom. Schmidt said the firm works with school districts to learn the requirements and priorities of each school and design the shelter or safe room they need, with respect to FEMA guidelines. If the school has accepted federal dollars to fund the construction of a safe room, then FSB will also help the school submit plans to FEMA whenever needed for approvals. Though there is a finite amount of FEMA funding available for new safe rooms, Oklahoma schools have been strong grant recipients in recent years, Schmidt said.

FSB stays up-to-date with changing local codes and federal requirements, and passes this knowledge on to clients. The firm’s understanding of new building materials and technologies informs safe room designs. As a cross-discipline firm, FSB’s team of architects, engineers and interior designers marries structural stability with aesthetics and functionality in safe rooms.

“At FSB we’ve created a culture that emphasizes graceful integration between disciplines,” Schmidt said. “It’s not just a structural or architectural solution, but a holistic solution that ends up being seamless for the client. We enjoy guiding owners toward a decision that not only gives occupants a safe environment during severe weather, but also creates a healthy environment the rest of the time, with natural light and sufficient ventilation.”

For more information about tornadoes, visit the FAQ page on the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) joint site with the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office of Norman, OK: FAQ / Tornadoes

Interested in learning more about safe room design and your next project? Contact Laure Majors at [email protected] or (405) 840-2931.

Aircraft Maintenance Hangars: Floor Markings for Function & Safety

Checklists, requirements and standards are commonplace in the world of Commercial and Federal Aviation. This consistency promotes occupational safety and protection of aircraft assets, resulting in fewer mishaps and increased performance for the industry. With these multitudes of requirements in place, it can be interesting to delve into those areas where clear, consolidated standards do not exist, and one such area is Aircraft Servicing Bay (Hangar) floor markings. Requirements for airfield markings are addressed in well over a dozen different standards, but they literally stop short of the hangar floor.

Hangar floor markings serve as visual communication of very important information, safety and restrictions. In FSB’s experience there are a wide variety of floor markings utilized, and they can vary significantly by hangar use, installation and agency/corporation. Oftentimes, when FSB is working with clients to determine the type of hangar floor markings needed the users of the facility face uncertainty and we end up providing markings similar to the previously constructed hangar. While this may be a good solution locally, the lack of consistency from installation to installation creates the potential for miscommunication and could result in injury or damage.

FSB Hangar Floor MarkingsIn reviewing each of the standards related to airfield markings, the lack of consolidated guidance for hangar floors is a little surprising, considering the number of documents on the subject. Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-1042 entitled “Standards for Marking Airfields” states that a future Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC 3-260-04) will be issued for airfield markings, however it is unknown if this document will address interior hangar floor markings. The “pre-decisional” version of UFC 4-211-01 (dated 22 February 2016), if implemented in its current form, will provide the most complete guidance to date. However, many of its requirements are incomplete, some appear to conflict with established safety standards, and they lack the consistency and uniformity the industry requires. To a certain degree it makes sense that once inside a hangar the airfield standards are no longer applicable. Hangar floor markings are more about a hangar’s function, aircraft type, protection, and most importantly, worker safety.

Occupational safety standards, such as OSHA and AFOSH, provide some additional insight into floor markings, but do not provide complete, clear requirements. Air Force Instruction (AFI) 91-203 entitled “Air Force Consolidated Occupational Safety Instruction” is based upon OSHA recommendations and provides the below criteria for warning colors, noting, “Safety color coding for warning signs and markers helps alert persons to the presence of hazards. Refer to Table 29.6 and 29.7 for examples of color use. Color specifications in this standard are in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.144. and 29 CFR 1910.145.”

  • Black or white lettering provides contrast with basic warning and cautionary colors. Black lettering shall be used on a yellow, white or orange background. White lettering shall be used on a red, green or black background. For airfield pavement, ETL 1110-3-512 defines the color as Federal Standard 595, Colors: Black – 37038 and White – 37925.
  • Green shall be the basic color for safety and first-aid equipment locations. Solid green, green and white stripes, green cross on white background, or white cross on green background can be used. Green is also used for identifying compressed gas cylinders and piping systems containing oxidizing materials. For airfield pavement, ETL 1110-3-512 defines the color as Federal Standard 595, Colors: Green – 34108.
  • Orange, with the exception of fluorescent orange or orange-red used to designate biohazards, shall be used to designate electrical conduit and unguarded, dangerous parts of machines or energized equipment which may cut, crush, shock or otherwise injure, and to emphasize such hazards when equipment guards are open or removed. For airfield pavement, ETL 1110-3-512 defines the color as Federal Standard 595, Colors: Orange – 12197.
  • Red shall be used to mark danger and stop. Note: Red and white are the OSHA colors for fire safety; areas with a fire extinguisher, fire alarm pull station, firefighting water or an exit typically have hangar floor markings of these colors. For airfield pavement, ETL 1110-3-512 defines the color as Federal Standard 595, Colors: Red – 31136.
  • Yellow shall be used to designate caution, flammable materials and to mark physical hazards, such as strike against, stumble, trip, fall and caught-between types. For airfield pavement, ETL 1110-3-512 defines the color as Federal Standard 595, Colors: Yellow – 33538.
  • Solid yellow, yellow and black stripes, and yellow and black checks may be used interchangeably for various danger areas identified in AFI 91-203, as it creates the most attention.

OSHA and ANSI both consider line widths above 2 inches to be acceptable for floor markings. AFI 91-203 also provides glimpses into the recommended line widths used in floor markings. In Chapter 7, the AFI states that aisle clear zone “… lines, two (2) to three (3) inches wide, shall be used when marking is necessary” and subsequently states, “Edges of docks shall be marked with four-inch wide yellow lines when there is a chance of workers falling.” These physical line widths are consistent with industry standard marking widths of 2, 3, 4 and 6 inches. AFI 91-203 and AFOSH Standard 91-100 both include similar language to indicate that taxi/tow lines shall be painted on hangar parking areas to aid in the safe movement of aircraft, including spots where the nose or forward wheel of the aircraft shall be positioned.  If maintenance docks are utilized, each aircraft wheel location must be marked to prevent contact with the aircraft during docking. These standards also state that taxi/tow lines are not required if numerous types of aircraft use the same facility and multiple paint lines would be confusing.

In reviewing more than three dozen airfield and safety standards, many of which are referenced in the Appendix, it is clear that our industry is provided with only partial guidelines. We do not have the clear and consolidated direction on the requirements or recommendations for complete hangar floor markings, to enable us to support consistent and clear occupational safety and protection of aircraft assets. Based upon the standards in place at this time, and FSB’s experience with agencies/corporations across the United States, we propose the following standards be applied to hangar floor markings.

navfac_nas-north-island-hangar_flightline-side-exterior_nas-north-island-coronado-ca

Hangar Floor Markings:

The following recommendations are based upon the documents referenced in the Appendix. These recommendations are heavily augmented to provide clear and consistent direction for hangar floor markings in order to support consistent and clear occupational safety and protection of aircraft assets inside the aircraft servicing bay.

Recommendation: Hangar floors shall be reflective and light in color – this permits hangar floor markings to be clearly seen and has the added benefit of providing a clean and safe appearance, reducing lighting/energy requirements and promoting detection of Foreign Object Debris (FOD). Because hangar floor markings exist in a predominately clean, dry and lighted environment with light colored pavement and aircraft are being moved slowly by tugs, hangar floor markings do not need to be reflectorized (glass beads, etc.) nor do they require high visibility markings (adjacent or surrounding black lines). All floor markings however, shall comply with safety requirements for slip resistance.

usace_sof-hangar_hangar-interior-doors-open_cannon-afb-nm

Basis: NAVAIR 51-50AAA-2 Section 006 01 requires that where markings do not provide sufficient contrast with the surrounding pavement they shall be outlined with black, non-glossy borders. ETL 1110-3-512 does not specifically list hangars as a required location for markings to include glass beads. AFI 91-230 requires that hangar floors meet the guidance provided in ETL 96-5 (Hangar Concrete Floor Reflective Coating Criteria) which has since been superseded by UFGS 03 53 14.00 20 (Light Reflective Nonferrous Metallic Aggregate Floor System), UFGS 09 67 23.15 (Fuel Resistive Resinous Flooring, 3-Coat System) and UFGS 09 67 23.16 (Fuel Resistive Resinous Flooring, 5-Coat System). The AFI further requires floor coatings to exhibit anti-skid properties to reduce the risk of worker slips and falls and requires a minimum coefficient of friction of 0.5 for level surfaces (Chapter 7). The pre-decisional version of UFC 4-211-01 indicates that all paint for maintenance bay pavement markings comply with FS TT-P-1952.

Aircraft Tow Lines:

Recommendation: A single, continuous 6-inch wide yellow stripe should be utilized to mark aircraft tow lines extending into the hangar from apron centerlines. For large aircraft, provide a 12-inch wide by 6-foot long yellow stop line perpendicular to the tow line at the appropriate locations as determined below. For smaller aircraft, such as fighters, provide an 18-inch by 18-inch yellow square.

For hangars constructed to routinely serve a single or similar airframe in a consistent location:

Nose-In Hangars: Provide tow lines with a nose gear stop line (mark aircraft type in stop line with 6-inch black text) and optionally mark main gear stop lines.

Tail-In Hangars or combination Nose-In / Tail-In Hangars: Provide tow lines for all gear, including nose gear stop lines (mark aircraft type in stop line with 6-inch black text) and optionally mark main gear stop lines.

Note: Mark all stop locations for all wheels if utilizing maintenance docks in order to ensure proper placement and prevent adverse contact with the aircraft during docking.

For hangars constructed to routinely serve multiple aircraft in various locations:

If tow lines would become confusing, and thus potentially provide more harm than benefit, they may be omitted.

If overhead fall arrest systems are being provided in certain locations for aircraft maintenance, provide tow lines with a nose gear stop line to properly align and place the aircraft underneath.

mikkipiper_cafb_2_23

Basis: AFI 91-203 and AFOSH Standard 91-100 both include similar language to indicate that taxi/tow lines shall be painted on hangar parking areas to aid in the safe movement of aircraft, including spots where the nose or forward wheel of the aircraft shall be positioned. If maintenance docks are utilized, each aircraft wheel location must be marked to prevent contact with the aircraft during docking. ETL 1110-3-512 Figure A-45 adds that wheel stops should be an 18-inch square yellow box. These standards also state these taxi/tow lines are not required if numerous types of aircraft use the same facility and multiple paint lines would be confusing. For consistency the taxi/tow line should match the requirement from ETL 04-2 for the apron centerline, a single, continuous 6-inch wide yellow stripe. The pre-decisional version of UFC 4-211- 01, if approved and issued, would require a single, continuous 6-inch wide yellow stripe with a 6-inch wide perpendicular yellow nose gear stop for Airforce and Navy hangars, and a 6-inch wide dark grey stripe in Army hangars.

Hangar Doors:

Recommendations: Provide 3-inch wide alternating yellow and black diagonal stripes over the area within 5 feet of all hangar door crush and pinch points, minimum. In addition, paint a minimum 14-inch by 20-inch wide “DANGER” sign outside of this clearance zone in accordance with AFI 91-203 (including Figure 29.1 and Table 29.3). Note: Crush and pinch points typically occur at door pocket sides/back and at the location in which hangar doors close/seal.

Optional Recommendations: At the hangar door’s leading edge (point of door opening), it is recommended that the above zone markings be increased to 10 feet in order to provide for the minimum hangar door opening width. For hangars constructed to routinely serve a single, or similar, airframe in a consistent location, provide a 3-inch wide yellow stripe across the hangar door threshold at the location marking 10 feet clear of the wing tip.

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Basis: AFI 91-203 requires the establishment of a clear zone, i.e., five (5) feet if space allows, around all hazardous areas including crush and pinch points between structural beams and hangar doors. Hazardous areas such as crush and pinch points that cannot be eliminated by engineering controls or mechanical safeguards must be highlighted with colored paint and signs. Mark these clear zones with solid yellow or yellow and black stripes. Additionally the AFI requires approach from all sides of the hazard area to have a 14 by 20 inch or larger “DANGER” sign painted on the floor just outside the clear zone in accordance with AFI 91-203 Figure 29.1 and Table 29.3. The word “DANGER” shall be printed on top with white letters with a message below stating “HAZARDOUS AREA – STAND CLEAR DURING DOOR OPERATIONS”.

AFI 91-203 and many Airlift Wing Instructions (such as 445th AWI 21-108) require a 10-foot minimum hangar door opening width. AFI Chapter 24 indicates a hangar‘s general ventilation may be supplemented by opening hangar doors (not less than 10 feet) to provide additional air movement. Also Airlift Wing Instructions often state: “Powered hangar doors will be opened a minimum of 10 feet. A 10-foot mark will be identified on the floor, visible from the door control panel. If operational constraints require the doors to be opened less than 10 feet, the main electrical power switch for the door will be locked out (OFF) and remain locked out until the door is opened more than 10 feet or closed.”

UFC 3-260-01 Table 8-2 requires 10-foot wingtip clearance to hangar doors. AFI 91-203 Chapter 24 has multiple references to the hangar doors being opened “enough to allow complete passage of the aircraft, both in width and height, with at least 10-foot wingtip clearance on either side”, and “overhead hangar doors shall be fully opened before moving aircraft through the door entrance. Horizontal sliding doors shall be opened to permit a minimum 10-foot clearance at each wingtip.” Note: this door to wing clearance line will often conflict/overlap with the other two hangar door floor markings and is not typically an issue if the doors are always fully opened in a hangar bay prior to moving the aircraft.

Safety Corridor (Fire Lane):

130910-038

Recommendation: A continuous 6-inch wide red stripe should be utilized to mark a safety corridor around the interior perimeter of the hangar. At a minimum, the safety corridor width should be 5 feet clear; the width should be increased as necessary depending upon the size and type of equipment located along the hangar walls. Optionally 6-inch white lettering may be included within the red line to read “FIRE LANE – DO NOT BLOCK” spaced at 20 feet on center.

Basis: FAA 8083-30, Safety, Ground Operations and Servicing (Chapter 11) recommends safety lanes, pedestrian walkways and fire lanes should be painted around the perimeter inside the hangars as a safety measure to prevent accidents and keep pedestrian traffic out of work areas. UFC 3-260-01, Airfield and Heliport Planning and Design indicate a 5-foot wide safety corridor (fire lane) should be included around the perimeter inside hangars.

The pre-decisional version of UFC 4-211-01, if approved and issued, indicates a continuous 6-inch wide yellow boundary line (Airforce) and a 5-foot wide solid yellow safety corridor (Army and Navy). The Navy has an additional requirement that in areas with vehicular traffic the safety corridor (lane) be denoted with a 6-inch wide yellow border and 6-inch wide diagonal yellow stripes. Yellow safety corridors would represent a change from the previous common practice of utilizing a continuous 6-inch wide red line around the interior perimeter of hangars, and it presents a potential conflict with the current requirements for marking the hangar door hazards indicated above. For this reason, FSB’s recommendation for the safety corridor won’t be changed until the new UFC is issued.

Fire Extinguishers and Fire Alarm Manual Pull Stations:

mikkipiper_cafb_2_15

Recommendation: Provide a solid red painted area at the floor in the vicinity of fire extinguishers, fire alarm manual pull stations, etc. Painted area shall be a minimum of 48 inches wide by 48 inches deep.

Basis: The pre-decisional version of UFC 4-211-01, if approved and issued, would require a red perimeter box with a 2-foot clearance around these types of items. The 2-foot clearance in all directions would result in a minimum 4-foot area.

Emergency Eye Wash / Shower and First Aid:

Recommendation: Provide a solid green painted area at the floor in the vicinity of emergency eyewashes, showers and first aid kits. Painted area shall comply with safety requirements for slip resistance suitable for a potentially wet environment and be of sufficient size to maintain clearance and access, at a minimum, 24 inches in all directions from the fixture (minimum 48 inches wide by 48 inches deep).

Basis: AFI 91-203 requires emergency eyewashes within a 100-foot travel distance and states that permanently- installed units and self-contained units installed in fixed locations shall be identified with a highly visible sign. The area around or behind the unit, or both, may be painted with green and white stripes if needed to increase visibility for easy identification by the user. AFI 91-203 also states that green shall be the basic color for safety and first-aid equipment locations. Solid green, green and white stripes, green cross on white background, or white cross on green background can be used. The pre-decisional version of UFC

4-211-01, if approved and issued, would require a green perimeter box with a 2-foot clearance around these types of items. The 2-foot clearance in all directions would result in a minimum 4-foot area.

Aircraft Jack Points:

Recommendation: Provide a continuous 3-inch wide black stripe at the boundary of the acceptable aircraft jacking points, when conditions and structural analysis require such limitations. Just inside this area, provide 2-inch tall black text stating, “AIRCRAFT JACK PLACEMENT”.

Basis: Depending upon the size and weight of the aircraft, soil conditions and pavement design, locations for acceptable jack points may be limited to certain areas specifically engineered to support jacking loads. When applicable, and limited, the boundary of these allowable jacking points shall be marked.


Aircraft Static Ground Points:

Recommendation: Provide an 18-inch diameter yellow circle around all aircraft static ground points, leaving the center ground receptacle unpainted. Provide a 2-inch wide red border around the yellow circle (outside diameter of 22 inches). In the yellow area of the mark, paint the word “GROUND” in 1-inch tall black text, and the date stated in ½-inch tall black text.

Basis: ETL 1110-3-512 (Figure A-44) requires static ground points to be an 18-inch diameter yellow circle with a 6-inch wide black border. Other grounding standards require static ground points to be an 18-inch diameter yellow circle with a 2-inch wide black border with black text for date and ohm rating.

UFC 3-575-01 (Figure 2-3) requires static ground points to be 18-inch diameter yellow circle with a 2-inch wide red border and black text. The pre-decisional version of UFC 4-211-01 will reference UFC 3- 575-01 Figure 2-3 for Army, Air Force and Navy hangars when approved and issued.

Electrical Panels, 400Hz Gateboxes, etc.:

Recommendation: Provide 3-inch wide alternating black and white diagonal stripes over the area required for clearance and access.

Basis: To ensure that an electrical panel can be accessed at all times for inspection, maintenance or emergency, OSHA requires the working space in front of the equipment must be at least 30 inches wide (or the width of the equipment) and have at least 6.5 feet of vertical clearance. A clearance of at least 3 feet is required for equipment using 120 to 250 volts. The workspace also must permit at least a 90-degree opening of all hinged panels and equipment doors. This workspace space cannot be used for permanent fixtures or temporary storage.

Door Swings:

Recommendation: Provide 3-inch wide alternating black and white diagonal stripes over the area required for clearance and access to doors.

Basis: FSB extensive hangar design experience.

Edges of work docks, pits, etc.:

Recommendation: Provide a continuous 4-inch wide yellow stripe at all edges of work docks, pits, etc. where there is a trip or fall danger.

Basis: AFI 91-203 Chapter 7 requires that dock surfaces be smooth and even. Where necessary, aisleways shall be marked. Edges of docks shall be marked with 4-inch wide yellow lines when there is a chance of workers falling.

Low clearances overhead:

Recommendation: Provide 3-inch wide alternating yellow and black diagonal stripes over all floor areas in which there is not at least 7 feet of vertical clearance.

Basis: AFI 91-203 Chapter 7 requires whenever there is less than seven (7) feet of headroom over stairs, obstructions shall be padded. When they cannot be padded, obstructions shall be color-coded yellow or yellow-and-black stripes to highlight the hazards. In all cases, caution signs shall be used to warn people of low clearances.

Machinery, Equipment:

Recommendation: Provide 3-inch wide alternating yellow and black diagonal stripes over the floor area determined to be a hazard potential near fixed machinery and equipment.

Basis: AFI 91-203 states that marking of machine clear zones is optional. The installation’s safety office and shop supervisor shall determine the need to mark clear zones based upon hazard potential. Yellow or yellow and black hash-marked lines, two (2) to three (3) inches wide, shall be used when marking is necessary.

Storage Areas:

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Recommendation: Provide a continuous 3-inch wide black stripe at the boundary of the acceptable storage area(s). Just inside this area, provide 2-inch tall black text stating, “STORAGE AREA: 12 FOOT MAXIMUM HEIGHT, AIRCRAFT NOT PERMITTED”.

Basis: If storage areas are to be utilized in an aircraft servicing bay they must be considered in the fire protection strategy – including layout and location of HEF, AFFF, underwing nozzles and triple IR flame detectors. Additionally, these storage areas will no longer be appropriate locations for aircraft. Height of storage shall be kept below 12 feet for Class I through Class IV commodities.

Obstructions:

Recommendation: Mark obstructions, such as utility stands in the hangar bay, with a continuous 3-inch wide orange stripe 2 feet clear of the obstruction.

Basis: The pre-decisional version of UFC 4-211-01, if approved and issued, would require an orange perimeter box with a 2-foot clearance around these types of items.

Example Hangar Floor Marking Plan:

The example hangar floor marking plan, on the following page, is a graphic representation of the above recommendations as may be implemented in an aircraft hangar.

 

Appendix A: Example Hangar Floor Marking Plan:

sme-fsb-hangar-floor-markings

 

Appendix B: List of Related Airfield and Safety Standards:

UFC 3-260-01, Airfield and Heliport Planning and Design, 17 November 2008

For Pavement Marking, UFC 3-260-01 states it is not the applicable document and directs to the following standards:

Air Force AFI 32-1042, Standards For Marking Airfields (UFC 3-260-04)

ETL 04-2, Standard Airfield Pavement Marking Schemes (UFC 3-260-04)

Army TM 5-823-4, Marking of Army Airfield-Heliport Facilities (UFC 3-260-04)

Navy/Marines NAVAIR 51-50AAA-2

FAA AC 150/5340-1, Marking of Paved Areas on Airports

UFC 3-260-04 (not yet released) Note: It is unknown if this document will address interior hangar markings. AFI 32-1042, Standards for Marking Airfields, 14 January 2015

ETL 04-2, Standard Airfield Pavement Marking Schemes, 19 July 2004

UFC 3-260-02, Pavement Design for Airfields, 30 June 2001

UFC 3-260-05A, Marking of Army Airfield Heliport Operational and Maintenance Facilities, 16 January 2004 UFC 3-575-01, Lightning and Static Electricity Protection Systems, 1 July 2012

UFC 4-211-01N, Aircraft Maintenance Hangars: Type I, Type II and Type III, 16 December 2009

UFC 4-211-01N ITG for Maintenance Hangar Design and Planning Guidance for F35, 12 January 2010 UFC 4-211-01 Design Guide for Air Force Fighter Hangar/AMU Facility, 1 August 2015

UFC 4-211-01, Pre-Decisional Aircraft Maintenance Hangars, 22 February 2016

NAVAIR 51-50AAA-2 (Commander, Naval Air Systems Command), General Requirements for Shorebased Airfield Marking and Lighting, 1 June 2006

FAA Advisory Circular 150/5340-1, Standards for Airport Markings, 27 September 2013

TT-P-1952, Federal Specification for Paint, Traffic and Airfield Marking, Waterborne, 17 February 2015

ETL 1110-3-512, Army Airfield and Heliport Markings, 30 September 2015

ETL 97-18, Guide Specification for Airfield and Roadway Marking, 5 December 1997

AFJMAN 32-1015, Airfield, Heliport and Roadway Marking Note: This document will replace AFI 32-1042 per the 1997 version of ETL 97-18 – however this does not appear accurate, as AFI 32-1042 has been updated as recently as 2015.

AFMAN 32-1076, Design Standards for Visual Air Navigation Facilities, 1 December 1997

AFI 32-1065, Grounding Systems, 12 January 2015

AFI 21-101, Aircraft and Equipment Maintenance Management, 14 April 2008

AFI 21-101 ANG Supplement to Aircraft and Equipment Maintenance Management, 12 November 2009 445th Airlift Wing Instruction, 31 August 2011 (and similar orders)

AFI 91-203, Air Force Consolidated Occupational Safety Instruction, 17 September 2015

AFOSH STD 91-100, Air Force Occupational Safety and Health Standard, 1 May 1998

AFOSH STD 91-100, ANG Supplement to Air Force Occupational Safety and Health Standard, 28 Oct 2010 AFOSH STD 91-501, Air Force Consolidated Occupational Safety Standard

AFOSH STD 91-66, General Industrial Operations

FAA 8083-30, Safety, Ground Operations and Servicing (Chapter 11)

NFPA Standard 409, Aircraft Hangars

OSHA Standards 1910.22 https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9714

OSHA Standards 1910.144 https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9793

Superseded Documents (Referenced in Above Criteria):

TM 5-823-4 (superseded by TM5-923-4), TM 5-923-4 (superseded by UFC 3-260-05A), ETL 94-1 (superseded by ETL 04-2), ETL 96-5 (superseded by UFGS 03 53 14.00 20, UFGS 09 67 23.15 and UFGS 09 67 23.16),
AFR 88-16 (superseded by current ETL 04-2)

 

Interested in learning more, contact Laure Majors at [email protected] or call her direct at 405.840.2931.

Choctaw Nation’s new headquarters will show tribe’s culture

Jason Holuby, Principal at Frankfurt Short Bruza, talks about plans for the new Choctaw Nation Headquarters.

DURANT — Construction on a new 500,000-square-foot headquarters for the Choctaw Nation is set to begin in March.

“This is a tribal legacy project for the Choctaw Nation and its citizens,” Chief Gary Batton said. “We’ve waited a long time to see the beginning of this construction, which will bring much more efficient delivery of services for tribal members. This whole project represents the future of the Nation and the progress we have made as a people.”

The new five-story, facility of brick, stone and glass will include a conference center. It is expected to be finished by the end of 2017.

Oklahoma City-based architecture and engineering firm FSB designed a new campus for the tribe on about 80 acres the tribe owns north of the Choctaw Casino and Resort near U.S. 75 in Durant.

“Their vision for the project was to incorporate the tribe’s history where they are now and also where they see the tribe going in the future,” said Jason Holuby, project lead for FSB.

About 50 FSB staff members who worked on designing the Choctaw project spent a day attending a cultural immersion course in Durant to learn about the tribe’s history and beliefs. FSB’s resulting design for the headquarters incorporate’s many tribal symbols, such as a decorative diamond pattern that is prominent on the facade of the new main building.

About 75 different tribal business units and programs are expected to move into the new building when it is completed, consolidating the tribe’s offices that are now spread across Durant. The tribe has been spread out across roughly 30 leased properties for the past few years, and the new campus will help consolidate services for tribal members in one place, Holuby said. The building will also showcase culturally significant artwork and symbolism. In addition to the main building, the complex will include a data center, conference center with cafeteria, and a 765-space parking garage.

The landscaped ground of the Choctaw’s campus will include running trails, and a pond among other outdoor features.

About 900 employees will be moving into the new headquarters building.

The tribal headquarters will cost approximately $219 million.