Honorable MentionSubmitted by:
Marmon Mok
Edgar Farrera, Architect
700 North St. Mary's
Suite 1600
San Antonio TX 78201
P: 210-223-9492
email: farrera@marmonmok.comAlamodome Walkway Project
Metal Product Perforated, pre-finished, metal panels manufactured by Accurate perforating of Chicago, Ill. Pattern used was ½” diameter round staggered holes x 11/16” centers, with a total open area of 48%.
Scope the project scope was to provide shading for an existing walkway that links San Antonio’s 65,000 seat Alamodome with the nearby Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. The walkway is over a quarter mile in length. The Client, the Alamodome, asked the Architect to consider aesthetics, construction cost, maintainability, resistance to the elements and resistance to vandalism as design considerations. The solution which was presented by Marmon Mok was to use a series of cantilevered canopies to shade the walkway. These cantilevered shading devices were inspired by the iconic masts that support the roof of the nearby Alamodome.
The structure is made of galvanized steel with bolted connections for ease of assembly. Major subcomponents were assembled offsite and delivered to the site as partially assembled structures. The shading component of each canopy is comprised of pre-finished perforated metal panels. Four colors were selected to evoke San Antonio’s traditional use of color during festivities, as well as to coordinate the shading structure with the Alamodome and Convention center both of which use the color blue prominently.
Advantages offered by the use of perforated metal include the quality control afforded by specifying a factory finish, cost effectiveness, the ability to provide shading without needing to provide for drainage for when it rains, and the ability of the manufacturer to meet the project’s tight schedule (about eight weeks). These colorful walkways were inaugurated as part of the NCAA’s Final Four basketball tournament which was hosted at the Alamodome during April of 2008.
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