Washington University St. Louis | Summer 2016 Projects

V Three Studios recently wrapped up several projects for Washington University in St. Louis that showcase the firm’s expertise in providing technically-driven solutions that meet programmatic requirements and engage users through great design.  

The Athletics Complex Level B Renovation

V Three Studios planned and designed the renovation of more than 6,000-square-feet of backfill space beneath the Athletics Complex Field House upper-level seating terrace.  The project converted an existing sports training facility located in a long, narrow “bowling alley” space into a cluster of new private offices for men’s and women’s varsity coaches, an athlete recruiting lounge, and a new concession stand.  Additionally, an existing Green Room used by the Athletics Department for staff and team meetings and review of game film benefited from a complete rehab and A/V upgrade. 

Since Washington University is subject to the provisions of Title IX federal regulations that prohibit gender discrimination in educational programs and activities, many of the project’s programming parameters were shaped by the need to provide gender-equal accommodations. V Three designed comparable facilities for the men’s and women’s varsity basketball coaches, the varsity women’s golf coach, and the varsity women’s volleyball head and assistant coaches. The athlete recruiting lounge was designed to provide a welcoming environment for prospective student athletes and their families that touts Washington University’s legacy of success. The concession stand, which pairs nicely with V Three’s food service experience, is a considerable improvement over the previous, thirty-year old space.

Psychology Building Research Suites

V Three’s extensive background designing acoustically-sensitive environments was leveraged in the renovation of two research suites located in the Psychology Building, built in 1999.  The existing suites – part of the university’s Psychological & Brain Sciences Department – lacked visual impact and suffered from sound infiltration from adjacent suites. Working closely with the two Principal Investigators and other University team members, V Three programmed and planned the renovation so that the resulting suites optimally and efficiently support research objectives.

The paramount concern for the speech & language research suite located on the fourth floor was acoustic separation and isolation.  The center piece, literally, is a pre-engineered, custom-built, two-room acoustic booth that was specifically designed to fit within the 1,000-square-foot suite while leaving space for the remaining programmatic functions.  V Three was able to seamlessly integrate the sound booth with the suite’s existing architecture and new layout by completely demolishing all walls and ceilings and reconfiguring spaces to form a “U” around the booth. V Three was responsible for the interior architecture, selection of finishes and fixtures, and coordination of furniture and fabric selections.

For the behavioral studies research suite located on the first floor, the PI’s main goal was to maximize use of the suite’s existing layout while enhancing access to natural light throughout the occupied spaces.  Strategic decisions were made to relocate doors, borrow light frames, and partitions where necessary.  The result is a light-filled, comfortable working environment that is already receiving glowing reviews from the PI and research staff.

Ann W. Olin Women’s Building

Built in 1927, the Ann W. Olin Women’s Building has undergone various renovations to meet evolving programmatic needs.  A previous project separated a gymnasium into two adjoining rehearsal studios used by the Performing Arts Department.  However, the rehearsal studios were not sufficiently isolated from one another and sound flanking contributed to disruption when both spaces were being used simultaneously.

For this project, V Three worked with a consulting engineer to design a new, acoustically high-performing partition adjacent to the existing 30-foot tall demising wall. Due to the height of the new wall and the need to minimize deflection, special structural engineering considerations were required. In order to reduce structural borne sound transmission, V Three called for the gymnasium wood floor planks and sleepers running continuously under the existing demising partition to be cut and filled with joint sealant. To eliminate sound transmission through the door openings between the adjoining rehearsal studios, V Three specified that the existing door hardware be replaced with a new set of seals and astragals that complete the separation assembly.  Early indications are that the project was a success. 

Grove Multi-Family Residential | St. Louis Missouri

V Three Studios is thrilled to partner with Restoration St. Louis, Inc. to create a new, multi-family residential building in the heart of St. Louis’ Tower Grove district. The completion of this project will enhance continuity of the streetscape and infuse vitality to the neighborhood by increasing residential density. The five-story building located directly across from Urban Chestnut Brewing Company will consist of a contemporary, urban material palette including masonry veneer,  fiber-cement cladding, aluminum-framed glazed storefront, and projecting balconies on the upper floors. The scale of the building will be expressed through a composition of planes rendered in complementary materials and colors that suggest multiple volumes; but that work together as a whole.

The ground floor – measuring approximately 15,600 square feet – will have two street-fronting commercial tenant spaces with plans for a café that has both indoor and outdoor seating. Secured parking for residents is accessed from the side street and rear alley. An elevator lobby for resident access to the upper floors has doors from the garage and directly onto Manchester. The upper levels – each measuring approximately 13,430 square feet – will have 14 market-rate rental apartments, with unit sizes ranging from approximately 400 square feet to 1,150 square feet.

Good Fortune | St. Louis Missouri

Restaurateur Corey Smale has tapped V Three Studios to help launch his modern, fast-casual Asian dining concept in St. Louis’ historic Central West End. To bring the concept of Good Fortune to life, V3 focused on a simple palette of modern lines and contemporary materials with walnut tables and accents. The main design feature will be the branding of Good Fortune in large-scale neon lights, which is a stark contrast from the simple architectural palette of the 1,310-square-foot space.

Blue 2.0 | Appleton Wisconsin

Blue 2.0 is a rapidly growing technology solutions provider that specializes in streamlining businesses by rethinking process management. When the St. Louis-based company looked to expand its reach to Wisconsin, V Three Studios was brought on board to develop a distinct design that reflects the company's identity, while still serving as an IBM Bluemix Garage, which will offer a collaborative workspace where developers from small start-ups and large companies alike can come together to create new cloud applications. 

As an IBM Blue Partner, Blue 2.0 needed a collaborative environment that was flexible to meet the needs of interdisciplinary companies housed in the space, with an emphasis on technology integration. The interior was kept as open as possible, while loosely defining several smaller areas that cater to different types of collaboration. The layout also emphasizes flexibility, with large glass sliding doors that allow the office to be divided, or joined to create a larger space that will allow Blue 2.0 to host meetings and technology events. V3 worked to develop cost effective solutions by using simple light fixtures, materials and graphics in new and creative ways.

Sugarfire Smoke House Now Open

Sugarfire Smokehouse has officially opened its newest and largest location designed by V Three Studios in downtown St. Louis adjacent to the National Blues Museum. The design takes aesthetic cues from the museum, using reclaimed materials in unexpected ways to create modern textures with a contemporary feel. The new location features barn wood walls, hand-painted graphics, large scale neon “Sugarfire” sign on corrugated shed tin and a bottle cap mural wall. Nothing goes together quite like Blues and BBQ. 

In addition to the restaurant design, V3 worked with Sugarfire and the city to design and implement a 24-foot shipping container located on 6th Street that houses two smokers. This unique location will bring Sugarfire’s incredible barbeque to an entirely new demographic in downtown St. Louis, as well as the many visitors who make the journey to the new National Blues Museum next door.

National Blues Museum Grand Opening

The National Blues Museum, a signature project for V Three Studios, held its official opening in downtown St. Louis on April 2, 2016. The completely renovated 23,000-square-foot space now features a modern, interactive museum celebrating blues music and its impact on American and world culture. The museum’s live venue hosted once-in-a-lifetime performances by Bobby Rush, Big Joe Brock and of course St Louis’ own Marquise Knox. The museum is anticipated to attract up to 100,000 visitors per year, and has been endorsed by celebrities such as Buddy Guy, Morgan Freeman, John Goodman, Derek Trucks and Jack White. During the opening week the Blues Museum was delighted to host over 4,000 visitors from all around the country. When the museum doors opened to the public on Saturday morning there was a line two blocks long filled with Blues enthusiast eager to be among the first to experience the interactive displays and exhibits. The first person through the door was a Chicago native who had driven overnight and started the line before the sun came up.

Images courtesy of the National Blues Museum.
See more photos from the Grand Opening here.

Alpha Media | One of Radio Ink's Fantastic Facilities

Radio Ink just released its annual fantastic facilities issue that features the recently completed V Three Studios project for Alpha Media. The 7,800 square foot facility in Biloxi/Gulfport Mississippi features 8 studios for broadcast operations and a collaborative office environment. The broadcast operation’s studios and tech-ops-center are connected by an adaptive electrical infrastructure that will allow Alpha’s engineering team to update the studios as the technology in this industry continues to evolve in the digital age.

“Complete with eight clustered studios for on-air and content production, flexible infrastructure, and a primarily open office layout, this facility is poised to easily adapt to the ever-changing radio and digital Industry. The layout and design approach by V Three Studios LLC has proven to increase efficiency and will be the basis for future renovations across the country.”

— Radio Ink

The Alpha Media facility is located directly next to the regional airport which presented acoustic challenges with studio sound isolation. The sound tests for departing aircraft were measuring at an NC-40. The acoustic assemblies for the studios were designed to bring the NC Rating to an acceptable level below a NC-25. The Henserling Construction team’s implementation of the design was excellent and the actual metered NC levels upon completion were just above an NC-15.

The project team consisted of architect V Three Studios, general contractor Dan Hensarling, Moses Engineers, OmniRax for studio furniture, and Axia for broadcast equipment.

View the full article here

Native Broadcast Enterprise | St. Michaels, Arizona

Native Broadcast Enterprise is pursuing plans to build an approximate 7,500 sq ft freestanding facility for the Voice of the Navajo Nation in St. Michaels, Arizona. The building will include eight studios supporting AM/FM radio broadcast, and implements V3’s response towards radio station facility design in this dynamic age of media evolution. Prior to V Three’s involvement, the project experienced various unsuccessful starts, but V Three was able to get the project back on track with a completion date slated before the end of the year.