Fidelity Investments wanted to provide safe, convenient parking for employees and visitors to its Smithfield, R.I. headquarters. But preserving the natural beauty of the area was important, too. An award-winning design was developed to nestle a 1,250-car garage into an excavated hillside. Walker Parking’s unique framing solution was to use vertical ladder walls on the exterior in lieu of interior shear walls. The challenge for Unistress was to balance the massive structural pieces with the fine architectural features required, using creative forming techniques and hidden connections.
Unistress' partnership with the contractor, engineer, and architect increased efficiency and assured delivery of the client's high expectations. The result is a striking multi-level structure that, by stepping back into the hillside, gives the appearance of a single-level deck. An architecturally finished light well in the center of the structure introduces additional natural light and openness, as do the glass-enclosed stairs.
The distinctive project was named "Best Precast Concrete Parking Structure for 1999" by the Prestressed Concrete Institute.
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