FLEXsystems

Located in a blighted industrial urban district surrounded by low income residences, this conditioned self storage facility was designed as an initial financial anchor to ignite new business investment and encourage a greater level of community optimism.  The building transcended prototypical storage facility designs through simple means of color composition, thoughtful detailing and strategic use of light.  This was achieved through the use of economical materials and standardized building methods in order to meet budgetary requirements.  In a like manner, the lighting design was facilitated through economical means; using 3 variations of linear fluorescent strip luminaires all having a single lamp specification.  The resulting structure offers a day and night presence that is symbolic of hope and future prosperity as much as it successfully serves the functional need of its task.  Light is carefully designed as an integral material to the building; eliminating all visual presence of luminaires, resulting in a lantern like luminous façade, reaching out to the surrounding community.           

Owner: Botwin & Company
Architect: El Dorado
Lighting Designer: Derek Porter Studio
Photographer: Mike Sinclair

Details
Topeka, Kansas
24,000 square feet
New Construction

Awards
Commendable Achievement, A/L Magazine, 2007
IALD Award of Excellence, IALD, 2006
Edwin F. Guth International Award of Excellence, IESNA, 2005
Monsters of Design Award, Young Architects Forum, 2004
AIA Central States Region Design Awards, Merit Award, 2003
AIA Kansas City Young Architects Forum, Honor Award, 2003

Publications
Architectural Lighting, “Flex Systems,” 2006

Architecture, “Bright Spot,” 2006

Lighting Design + Application, “Self Storage Self Improvement,” 2006

Professional Lighting Design (Germany), “Beacon of Hope,” 2006

Luxes (Mexico), “Iluminando a Traves de la Experiencia Humana,” 2006

Architectural Record, William Weathersby, Jr., “Derek Porter Studio Elevates Image of FLEX”, 2006

Kansas City Star, Steve Paul, 2005

Review, Diane Botwin Alpert, 2005

Capital Journal, Ann Marie Bush, 2005

Topeka Capital Journal, Michael Hooper, 2004

Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, Rick Hellman, 2004

Iowa Architects, Channing Swanson, 2004

Kansas City Star, Steve Paul, 2004