New pavilion aids city's goal of providing residents a vibrant and viable lifestyle
Posted
04/4/2011
A little innovative planning has
brought an underutilized plot of land in Lexington,
Ky., to life. Juxtaposing old and new, a remarkable open
air pavilion-the Fifth Third Bank Pavilion-houses
concerts, weddings, festivals and the ever-popular Saturday morning
farmer's market. The pavilion architecture is reminiscent of
historic markets familiar to Lexington in the early 19th century,
yet with a more contemporary twist. A colonnade of steel posts and
simple brackets define the framework of the pavilion. Tubular
purlins attach the steel trusses to the roof where a raised
clerestory provides natural ventilation. According to lead
architect, Clete Benken from Kinzelman Kline Gossman Architects,
Covington, Ky., the challenge of maintaining the intimate scale
inherent to the surrounding buildings was addressed by carefully
calculating the height of the structure so as not to compete with
the historic façades surrounding the park, including the old
courthouse and adjacent restaurants.
Galvanized steel was used in the overall framing to reinforce
the simplicity of the contemporary form as permeable clay pavers
mark the path of the original carriage way. The market pavilion,
along with the adjoining landscape, demonstrates the city's
commitment towards providing the residents a vibrant and viable
lifestyle.
Sustainable features of the pavilion include the use of
polycarbonate sandwich panels in the roof monitor and soft LED
lighting that turns on at sundown. As night falls, the hidden LED
strip light fixtures cast a soft, even light on the underside of
the internal wood roof deck and provides a lantern-like glow when
viewed from the outside. Form and function come together with five
commercial-grade large diameter, low speed ceiling fans from
Lexington-based Big Ass Fans, aiding in the natural ventilation of
the space. The fans' silent, comforting breezes are especially
welcome during hot summers when concerts and art festivals are
nonstop in this population-dense environment.
Big Ass Fans, www.bigassfans.com