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
