2018 Directory

34 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .18 | www.aia-wyoming.org to bear heavier loads than originally designed for in the late 1880s and allow for modern utili- ties to pass under the historic footings. Significant collaboration efforts were required to coordinate underground MEP and the micropile systems. JE Dunn Construction, the Construction Manager, utilized a 3D modeling software to detect and avoid clashes in MEP and mocropile layout and installation. This technology enabled trade partners to redesign or re-adjust the final layout avoiding costly conflicts in the field during installation. All MEP systems were completely removed, replaced, and organized in four new vertical chases. Instead of running above suspended ceilings, miles of piping and ductwork now run underneath the garden level floor and up vertical chases to the attic. Voids for each of the vertical chases penetrate each floor, mak- ing the initial underpinning step especially critical. Removal of the suspended ceilings has restored the original ceiling heights and unveiled historic arches, coffered ceilings, and decorative column capitals. To address egress issues, elevators have been removed from the main corridors and replaced next to two interior staircases, located on the north side, which have been extended from the Senate and House Chambers to the garden level. The previous elevator locations narrowed the corridors outside the Senate and House Chambers and public galleries, restricting exit widths and impeding ADA access. The new, relocated elevators provide adequate access for medical emergency service equipment and also include access to the upper-level of the third floor, eliminating the need for a separate lift. Moving the elevators had the additional benefit of restoring the monumental historic corridors. The strong commitment to better accommo- date public needs includes significantly in- creasing meeting space, adding new restrooms on every floor to meet code required fixture counts, and addressing ADA compliance issues in the Capitol. Prior to the restoration, the tiny hearing rooms were overcrowded and the only public restrooms were on the garden level. Within the Capitol, the project has cre- ated two large meeting rooms that seat about 50 people on the west end of the first floor. The two-story historic Wyoming Supreme Court Chamber and balcony are being restored. It will be the largest meeting room in the Cap- itol, seating 75 people. In the Capitol Exten- sion, six large public meeting rooms are under construction. Space for a 250-seat auditorium is planned for the future at the north end of the Capitol Extension. Shelled space has also been included to create a Student Learning Center and Visitor Center in the future. Due to the level of invasive infrastructure work necessary to install new systems and address code-related issues, the interior of the Capitol needed to be repainted, providing the opportunity to restore the original paint palettes and decorative designs. Investigative studies revealed extensive decorative designs in historic chambers, offices, and monumen- tal corridors in the 1888 and 1890 sections of the Capitol. One style of historic painting, called trompe l’oeil, which means to “fool the eye” creates an illusion of three-dimensions through the use of painted highlights and shadows. The project has already restored the original 1888 design to the Rotunda and restoration of the original paint schemes in the legislative and historic Supreme Court Cham- bers is in progress. As drywall and plaster efforts are completed, the rest of the painting on all floors will follow. Loose sandstone, failing entablature, and dete- riorating materials on the dome and drum are being repaired on the exterior of the Capitol. While the 130 year old masonry was generally sound, some stones were damaged or loose, requiring replacement and repair. To preserve historic materials, the project only replaced stone if pieces posed a life-safety risk or caused water management issues. The replacement sandstone was mined at the original quarry near Rawlins. The quarry owner, the Anschutz Corporation, allowed the State of Wyoming to extract the stone for free. Made of metal, the insufficient supporting structure and materials of the entablature, cor- nice, and pediments at the top of the Capitol exterior were failing with some areas barely supported with bailing wire. Nearly all of the entablature has been replaced with new sheet metal. The historic modillions and decorative elements on the pediments were repaired and reinstalled. Additionally, a new steel structure has been constructed to attach the entablature securely to the building. Extensive repairs to the dome and drum are almost complete. Demolition is complete in the Capitol Extension, which connects the Capitol to the Herschler Buildings underground. Concrete forms are now being erected to pour the walls for the six large public meeting rooms being constructed in the Capitol Extension. Demolition is also complete in Herschler West and construction is progressing. Herschler East opened to the public in May.