The American Institute of Architects

PLICO at the Flatiron | Architect: Rand Elliott Architects | 

Contractor: Lingo Construction Services

Photography by: Scott McDonald, Gray City Studios

Built in 1924, this historic blond brick flatiron stood vacant and boarded up for 27 years. Today, the building stands one story taller - a graceful golden presence at Downtown’s east gateway. The project includes the renovation of the historic two-level building and the addition of a modern and complementary third floor. The exterior brick has been restored and existing damaged and missing windows were replaced with historically accurate black anodized aluminum windows. Inside historic details merge gracefully with contemporary materials. Existing structural beams retain original fabrication markings and historic paint was left in place. The original exposed metal lath and concrete deck above remains. A new folded steel plate ceremonial stair is clad in clear polycarbonate and a blue polycarbonate office core defines new vs. historic. The new third floor is a respectful, complementary addition relating to the Flatiron building in shape, scale and color, its detailing, differentiated from the historic building through materials and setbacks. The unique glass columns continue the proportional scale and are designed to act as a rooftop screen wall that celebrates the view and makes the space comfortable on windy days. The addition functions as a boardroom, conference room, rooftop terrace, and kitchen.

The Academy of Classical Christian Studies | 

Architect: Common Works Architects | 

Contractor: Smith & Pickel Construction

Photography by:  Leonid Furmansky

The Academy of Classical Christian Studies had been housed for years in an unfortunate 1980’s bunker-like building with almost no natural light. After a recent influx of new students and an angel donor’s offer to fund for their needs, the school’s board began an effort to double their current capacity and move classrooms into a new facility. A new facilities layout had been predevised by the schools elders: a T-formation that bookended the current facilities with a gathering/chapel space that would follow biblical order and face the east. On either side of the chapel would flank classroom wings with a storm shelter at the center. From there, the design challenge became how to work within these parameters to successfully create a campus environment and facilitate a learning environment that matched the vision of the board. The final design balanced institutional and religious vocabulary into a simple and dignified composition that the school and its students can grow in.

The Jones Assembly | Architect: James Boswell Architect | Contractor: Lingo Construction Services

Photography by: Brandon Snider

The Jones Assembly embodies two distinct concepts: a restaurant and a concert venue. The space is designed to be flexible and capture the spirit of both, without feeling like the other when in restaurant mode or concert use. Guests never feel like they are dining in an auditorium. Originally an assembly plant, the historic Fred Jones Manufacturing Company complex produced 1 million Model-Ts during its time. After the Model-T era, the facility became one of the nation’s largest reconditioners of Ford Motor Company automotive products. Over half of the second floor of the 1923 two-story warehouse was removed, converting it into an open, two-story space with an overlooking mezzanine. Most of the roof on the adjacent 1930 single-story warehouse was removed, creating an open-air gathering space, which can be opened up to the interior space with overhead doors and glass wall systems. The adaptive re-use of the 95-year-old buildings and reclaiming and re-purposing the wood from the removed second floor contribute to the project’s sustainable highlights.

1212 Hudson | Architect: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris| Contractor: Smith & Pickel Construction

Photography by: Tim Soar

This collection of projects centers around a historic cinema building in the lively Midtown neighborhood of Oklahoma City. Built by the Sieber family and opened in 1941, the Uptown Theater was the first of its kind in the city to feature air conditioning. Its heyday was short-lived though, and subsequent addition and alteration of the original facility in the 1950s saw it converted to doctors’ offices. Building on this history of re-purposing, the three adjacent buildings are now to be revived to house three diverse functions: an indoor market in the theatre, lawyer’s office in the medical building, and taproom and brewery in the extended mercantile space. New additions are designed in a consistent architectural language that draws together the otherwise disparate materials and styles of the existing fabric, while the blade sign and marquee of the theatre is to be reinstated as a beacon for the development.

Pioneer Public Library Norman East |

Architect: MSR Design and The McKinney Partnership | Contractor: Globe Construction

Photography by: Brandon Stengel

Operated by Pioneer Library System, Norman Public Library East expands library service to a previously unserved area. Its design brings the elements of material and daylight together as a welcoming and familiar set of experiences inspired by Oklahoma’s iron rich topography, dramatic weather, red dust, and prairie. The new branch features highly flexible spaces that support collaborative learning, new education models, digital literacy, and information sharing. The building is oriented on the site to mitigate solar gain in the summer and accentuate long views to the horizon. The site features local xeriscape plantings and visible stormwater management that offers an opportunity for library visitors to learn about water conservation. Clerestory windows ensure daylight reaches all spaces within the library.

612 NW 6th Street | Architect: Common Works Architects | Contractor: Veer LLC

Photography by: Asa Highsmith, AIA

This private home was a study in translating traditional architectural elements and form using a contemporary lens. Among those elements are custom window awnings and planter boxes, a decorative chimney shroud, and two gabled forms that collide on an angle. That angle was a request by the client to slightly position views at the rear of the home towards downtown. The home is small relative to others in the area, clocking in at a tidy 2,315 sqft but still accommodating the all important three beds and two and a half baths.

Fulmer Group Law | Architect: Fitzsimmons Architects | Contractor: Lingo Construction Services

Photography by: Joseph Mills Photography

Like their slogan, “Not your grandfather’s law firm,” the preconceived notions of a traditional law firm are shattered the moment one sets foot in the space. Vaulted ceilings, clean white walls, and combinations of glass, stone, brick, and wood immerse visitors into an understated yet very modern office interior. The program of the suite is unique in its response to the status quo of the law profession. It articulates the firm's unique attitude and identity through the incorporation of contemporary art and openness. The firm has done away with individual private offices and opted for a more collaborative and conversational layout in which clients engage with the team in various transparent conference rooms or break-out areas throughout. This client-centered design approach ensures that the spaces are constantly active throughout the day.

8th Street Market | Architect: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris | Contractor: Smith and Pickel Construction

Photography by: Tim Soar

The 8th Street Market takes an underutilized warehouse building in downtown Oklahoma City and reinvents it as flexible space for restaurants, retail, and brewery space and taproom for Prairie Artisan Ales. The building sits on a site that slopes steeply to the bordering railway tracks, limiting the accessible street frontage. As a reaction to this—and the changing focus of the neighborhood—a new entrance is cut into the east elevation, linking the existing parking lot to a new internal ‘street’ of common area. This street feeds into the units, and is enlivened by them, with restaurant and bar seating areas meeting at the heart of the building. Natural light is introduced into the space by the inclusion of a large north-facing roof light, and the restoration of existing skylights. The street is announced on the façade on both sides of the building, with the new planted entrance portal to the east, and a similar pergola structure on the west creating cover to a raised patio; both ends have large glazed garage doors that can be opened in suitable weather to blur the distinction between inside and outside.

Archer Building Renovation | Architect: Lilly Architects | 

Contractor: Key Construction

Photography by: Photitect 

The Archer Building is a certified historic rehabilitation within the Brady Historic District, In the Downtown Tulsa Arts District. It was constructed in 4 portions, with the 1st completed in 1925 and the last constructed in 1952. Originally built along the railroad spur, the structure functioned for many years as a warehouse for wholesale distribution. Over time, the building’s use transitioned to long-term paper storage, with infilled openings on its façade and the original redbrick covered with beige paint. This 73,000 square-foot rehabilitation began with a vision of the George Kaiser Family Foundation. The once-blighted warehouse underwent extensive renovations to transform it into a vibrant mixed-use center. Lilly Architects provided design services for each of the building's tenants that is now home to 35 artist studios, 14 studio apartments, and almost one dozen retailers. 3D scanning technology provided the design team with a comprehensive platform to capture existing conditions and leverage the historic fabric of the building. The previously infilled openings were reopened, and glazing reinstalled to reestablish the facades to their previous pattern. Original overhead door locations now serve as recessed tenant entryways. With the beige paint removed, the red brick provides continuity within the district’s context and serves to reconnect the urban fabric of the corridor.

Sunshine Building | Architect: Gardner | 

Contractor: Lingo Construction Services

Photography by:Tim Hursley

Perhaps there is no more prominent demonstration of the profound and unprecedented renewal that has come to urban Oklahoma City than the rehabilitation of the iconic and 1929-built Sunshine Laundry Building along the “western fringe” of downtown. For more than fifty years, Sunshine Laundry provided commercial cleaning and linen services to the area. Closed in the mid-1980’s, and neglected for thirty years, it was purchased by the Pivot Project partners Jonathan Dodson, Ben Sellers, and David Wanzer. Pivot has built a reputation for taking on some of the most difficult yet critically important development opportunities and challenges with a focus on historic preservation, creative urban infill, and adaptive reuse projects that improve the quality of life in surrounding neighborhoods. With a self-described mission to “cultivate community and increase livability through thoughtful development” the team partnered with Gardner to reimagine what was once a roofless structure complete with a mysterious rusted boat hanging from its steel rafters into a prime example of the modernization and investment in Downtown Oklahoma City. The Sunshine Building was not just a blighted and boarded up eyesore, but perhaps even more mysteriously so, an element of intrigue. Today it serves as the entrypoint to a reimagined downtown, and a symbol of a new era for Oklahoma City

Alliance Steel, Inc. | Architect: Rand Elliott Architects | Contractor: Lingo Construction Services

Photography: Rand Elliott, FAIA

For the Alliance Steel’s headquarters, we saw an opportunity to put metal buildings in a new light. What emerged was a distinctive and economical building – a showcase for the many ways to imagine steel systems and bring them to life. Sitting back 650’ from the street, a dynamic steel sculptural was used to bring attention to the front door. The form illustrates lightness, drama, strength, and the beauty of steel detailing. The 10,009 SF addition is added to a 32,590 SF existing metal building that functions as part office space and part steel fabrication. Overlapping finger-joints connect the new addition to the existing structure, articulating the relationship to one another. Window heights mimic the existing facility and metal panel detailing shows the “honesty” of materials. The addition includes a guest reception area, office space, conference room, and a kitchen/break room. The interior reimagines standard metal building materials. A variety of metal panels – corrugated and smooth -- became walls and stairs, adding texture ranging from bold to delicate. Perforation allows them to filter sunlight, creating transparency and interest. Our goal was to make the interior space fresh, crisp, and bright by combining metal and light.

American Fidelity Parking Garage | Architect: TAP Architecture | Contractor: Flintco

Photography: Simon Hurst 

The American Fidelity Corporate Headquarters Parking Garage serves the employees and visitors of the corporate campus right located on the southeast corner of Broadway Extension and W. Britton Road. The over 600-car parking garage was chosen to sit at the forefront of the campus to allow simple and efficient connectivity through a major traffic thoroughfare. What many consider being a mundane and utilitarian building type has been used to enhance a corporate campus with a bold statement at the front door. It is both an attractive and practical parking receptacle during the day and a celebration of illumination at night.

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Eufaula Indian Health Center | 

Architect: 1 Architecture | Contractor: Ross Group

Photography by: Aaron Kimberlin – Architectural Photography

The Eufaula Indian Health Center is an all-inclusive health clinic that lies between a lake and a highway, with its narrow, linear volume nestled deep into the surrounding vegetation. The building’s low silhouette elegantly projects a strong solid mass in contrast to its surroundings. With the precisely detailed exterior phenolic skin and large expanse of segmented glass this nature-centric building optimizes the exterior views and provides a calming connection to nature. The exterior entry facade and canopy illustrate a playful representation of the landscape beyond. The canopy columns and asymmetrical branches, cut out of phenolic panels, celebrate the inherent tensions between nature and technology. The Health Center is rooted in tradition and symbolism, but as a state-of-the art LEED certified building, it is also strongly grounded in modern, sustainable technologies.

Tandy YMCA | Architect: GH2 Architects | Contractor: Flintco, Inc. 

Photograph by: Yellow Dog Design Works

Dedicated to the art of healthy living, the Tandy Family YMCA is located across in the heart of residential Tulsa. Originally constructed in 1968, our firm recently completed a transformation of this facility that included a 52,174 square foot renovation and a 42,790-square-foot addition. The intent of the project was to reflect the character of the organization in the design and to promote the core values of the YMCA (a healthy mind, body and spirit), while reinvigorating the dated facility to remain a landmark within the local community. The transformation of the unique facility is a combination of a complete renovation of the existing Thornton Family YMCA and the new expansion. Completed in two phases, the facility remained in continuous operation for patrons during construction. The center boasts an outdoor splash park and indoor aquatic center available to people of all ages. One feature of the water park is the indoor/outdoor slide that can be used year-round. There are three distinct bodies of water, including recreation pool, lap lane area and therapy pool.

MM31 | Architect: Freese Architecture | 

Contractor: Austin Edgar Austin Lee, LLC

Photography by: Nathan Harmon

The program was to design a thoughtfully-crafted, well-appointed modern home, reflective of the neighborhood and region. The muscular base of Oklahoma-sourced stone, detailed with recessed horizontal courses, approximates the proportions and horizontality of the neighboring single-story Ranch Style homes. The garage and light stucco second level are set back from the first-level base to reduce apparent building mass. The entry is a vertical slice in the stone, with a cantilevered plate steel canopy and a louvered wood gate. Through the gate, one enters a tranquil entry court with a trickling central water feature. A timber trellis overhead creates a sense of enclosure, while allowing interplay of sunlight, shadows, and reflections below. Elevated functional details include elongated metal roof scuppers, cantilevered plate steel canopies, and tight-grained wood trellises, while exterior materials of indigenous stone, plate steel, and solid timber provide an added connection to local and regional culture. Interior spaces are painted white to visually increase their volume, and are arranged for abundant natural light, with prominent views that create a connection to nature. A second floor bridge, joining the two upper level wings, offers a central overlook into the main public space, with large windows providing natural light below.

Page Woodson | Architect: Gardner | 

Contractor: Lingo Construction Services

Photography: Mel Willis

At center of the multi-phased Page Woodson development at 600 North High Ave stands the hill-topped and imposing 90,000 square foot historic red brick Classic Revival-style building. Originally built in 1910 as the Lowell School, these hallowed grounds watched over by limestone gargoyles perched high overhead, and its halls entered through dauntingly ornate carved wood Art Deco doors. Father-son developers Ron & Jason Bradshaw purchased the building with more questions than answers turning toward the members of the Northeast community to determine the building’s future. What transpired was not only a feasibility study for the highest and best use of a property and its surrounding site, but even more so the personal process of discovery and self-exploration that resulted in a clarified mission – solidarity, restoration, equity, and ultimately friendship. The Bradshaws began to see the school building, most widely remembered as the all-black Douglass Highschool – an impressive institute for learning, central gathering place, and treasured landmark of the African-American community, which had sat vacant and dilapidated for twenty-five years, as a creative opportunity to provide more affordable housing in Oklahoma City’s urban core.

Health Center | Architect: Inter-Projects Architecture | Contractor: Maccini Construction

Photography by: Bilyana Dimitrova

The design for the Health Center creates a welcoming space for patients along 23rd Street in the uptown area of Oklahoma City. This recently revitalized street features new restaurants, commercial spaces and office space. The area is centrally located in Oklahoma City allowing for patient access by bus, bike or car. The heath center is an 11,000 sf gut renovation of a 1960s building and includes both health care spaces and business administration spaces. The welcoming and modern atmosphere in the health center waiting room is created by illuminating the ceiling with half domes, enveloping the space with curved surfaces, and using light colored wood finishes. This atmosphere is carried on throughout the health center with the use of bright colors, well lit spaces and light colored wood grained finishes. The atmosphere is important in providing a calming environment to patients and reflecting the high quality health care that the center offers. The space creates a sense of dignity for patients. The business administration space also creates a welcoming atmosphere for guests and hosts a collaborative environment for staff. The open office space and two conference rooms center around a break room that encourages conversation and collaboration.

Oso on Paseo | Architect: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris | 

Contractor: Modus Construction

Photography by: Tim Soar

Oso on Paseo is the newest addition to the thriving arts community of the Paseo District in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Located at the main entrance to a popular mixed commercial complex, the new architectural pergola frames and activates the patio space with shade for pedestrians to enjoy year round. Designed with every square inch in mind, Oso has maximized its end use 5 times that of neighboring restaurants. Up close detailing and a walkable urban feel are essential to the design with visual connections to the Paseo from every seat. At night, Oso has become a beacon to the district. Large windows are filled to the brim with energy that spills out into the surrounding area. Inside the restaurant, the central bar is the main focus. Constructed out of white bricks, exposed core holes create a veil and add a play of light and depth to the bar. Oso’s material palette echoes the craft food concept with dark patinaed steel shelving, white-washed ceiling rafters, and handcrafted plywood details. Blue encaustic floor tiles line the bar area while the chosen color is repeated again in furniture and in the restrooms that feature blue-grouted tile.

Nonesuch | Architect: Common Works Architects | 

Contractor: Modus Construction

Photography by: MVCo

Nonesuch is not ambitious for OKC; it’s ambitious, period. The trio’s inspiration is modern Nordic cooking—a style of cuisine defined by hyper-local, often foraged ingredients, minimal but artful plating, and a love of all things fermented, pickled, and cured. What that means at Nonesuch is that if there’s a protein, vegetable, piece of fruit, or dairy product on the plate, it comes from Oklahoma. For some cooks this would mean culinary suicide, but for Stringer, Wang, and Wolfe, it is the whole reason for the restaurant’s existence.

Holland Hall Tandy Health & Wellness Center |

Architect: GH2 Architects, LLC | 

Contractor: Crossland Construction

Photography by: Susan Rainey, Yellow Dog Design Works

The Tandy is a dynamic 50,000 square-foot Health and Wellness Center that connects the Holland Hall campus and its student’s together through both physical and emotional means. Created in a former parking lot between the upper school—designed by O’Neil Ford—and middle school building, the Tandy is now the heart of the campus, providing a clear destination for visitors.Primary functions included within The Tandy are a 300-seat multi-use refectory with indoor and outdoor seating, wellness center, meeting rooms, spirit store, hall of fame exhibits, alumni lounge, conference rooms and athletic support spaces. The Tandy also supports the stadium at the East with locker rooms, sports treatment, coaches’ offices, and a concession area. The refectory provides a collegiate style dining environment where middle and upper school students dine together. The lively green space provides one more space for students to connect through pep rallies, impromptu gatherings and dining. The building connects to the outdoors with large windows to the South and West. Passive solar strategies were utilized throughout, with primary glazing at the refectory facing south with a generous overhang to take in winter sun but to minimize summer sun. Materials throughout the facility were chosen to be upscale, yet durable for everyday student use.

OK Department of Wildlife Conservation Renovation & Expansion | Architect: Beck Design | Contractor: CMSWillowbrook

Photography by:  Eric Baker of BAKER / ROWAN

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation project was a $16M renovation and addition, completely funded by proceeds made from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, not by taxpayers. The original building had served the Wildlife Department for nearly 50 years without any notable renovation. The original building was a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired design that served as the inspiration for the new addition. A new 12,000 SF addition was built; expanding the building to the west and north and introducing natural light to the interior of the building. Outdoor balconies were included to provide new vistas of downtown Oklahoma City and the State Capitol. The new addition houses offices, a conference room that cantilevers into the grand lobby, new auditorium, new front entrance and grand lobby with an elaborate wildlife diorama and interactive kiosks. The new Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters emulates the great State of Oklahoma with interior design features such as: intricate stone waves that splash across the board room walls representing movement of a waterfall, natural light filling open space through the lofty atrium where custom-made felt tree benches glow, and a duck blind that serves as the purchasing desk for licensing and permits.

MAPS3 Health & Wellness Center No. 1 |Architect: GSB, Inc. | Contractor: W.L. McNatt

Photography by: Kerry Azzarello

The MAPS 3 Senior Health & Wellness Center No. 1 promotes healthy active lifestyles, social interaction, and overall quality of life for Oklahoma City residents 50 years and older. The project includes a mix of fitness facilities, casual social spaces, and multipurpose rooms to support a wide variety of group activities, educational programs and other events. The 40,000-square-foot facility has exceeded membership projections by more than five times. The main lobby and lounge serves as a welcome center and social hub, and features a small cafe. One wing contains the fitness spaces including a 75-foot hybrid fitness pool, gymnasium, fitness center, and aerobics studio, as well as secondary social interaction areas. The other wing contains numerous multipurpose meeting rooms, private consultation rooms, demonstration kitchen, and art studio. Windows are in locations that provide daylight while limiting glare and heat gain. The design includes generous corridors and clearances, additional (and oversized) restrooms, higher lighting levels, acoustic enhancements, extra seating opportunities, privacy features, and enhanced accessibility measures. Accommodations outside include higher lighting levels, curb-less parking lot design, extra handicapped parking, covered porte cochere, and limited travel distance to the entrance.

Blake Bush Eye Care | Architect: SDG Architects | 

Contractor: MKZ Construction, LLC

Photography by: Jonathan Burkhart

SDG worked with Blake Bush to renovate a historic building in downtown Ardmore. The new space houses a full-service eye clinic and eyewear showroom with an urban boutique atmosphere. The custom designed eyewear display units were created to act as an anchor for the large showroom and provide storage space. Welded steel columns with mirror and frosted glass panels have a back lighting feature that creates an overall glow to the units and highlights the eyewear on display, while still allowing visitors to try on the frames and shop as if in a high end eyewear boutique. Blake really loved the idea of allowing clients to see how they work, so large interior glass windows were installed at the Lab to allow for transparency of the practice. Historic masonry, murals, and refinished wood floors reinforce the urban warehouse aesthetic of the building, while also respecting the historic elements. The facade was repainted, and the historic storefront was reconstructed to give it a fresh look without compromising the important historic design features. The floorplan was centered around the original skylight to provide natural lighting. The skylight is the highlight of the common area as it’s visible from every angle.

Huskins Residence | Architect: W Design | 

Contractor: Sixth Day Properties

Photography by: Ben Chau

The Huskins Residence was designed for a music lover and his family who appreciate clean lines and simple materials. The plan responded to the need to separate the musical spaces from the living spaces of the residence. A centrally located entry and thin foyer serve to connect the two wings of the home. The structure was sited further back on the lot than typical preserving trees in the front yard to maintain privacy while still allowing for a transparent design. Views through the entry to the reflecting pool in the courtyard help accomplish this feeling of transparency and connection to the outside. As an aspiring architect, the client’s son was present during the design process giving him an in-depth understanding of the important decisions that were made along the way.

St. Vitus | Architect: KKT Architects | 

Contractor: Joel Coggins Construction

Photography by: Adam Murphy

St. Vitus is designed around a strong thematic narrative: in a hypothetical post-apocalyptic future, crumbling edifices of the past are being reborn. The 2000 SF club represents an abandoned church converted into a dance club. Its cathedral-like layout features an altar-inspired bar facing east, an elevated pulpit-inspired DJ booth juxtaposed to the bar, and pew-like seating. Catholic motifs are expressed in metal details recalling confessional screens, ceiling murals, and back-lit Romanesque mirrors around the perimeter. Religious iconography includes faux stained-glass windows framing the DJ booth and even the club’s namesake: St. Vitus, the patron saint of dance. The palette is informed by the Vaporwave aesthetic which celebrates the synergy between music and art. Acoustically responsive LED dance floor lighting color-changes, chases, pulses, brightens, and dims. The gender-neutral restroom configuration—a first for Tulsa—fulfilled our client’s vision of one room with separate toilet rooms and shared sinks to use limited space most equitably and efficiently. We researched how other cities under the same code allowed similar design and advocated for this configuration with the City of Tulsa, ultimately securing approval for the design.

Archer Building Renovation | Architect: Lilly Architects | Contractor: Key Construction 

Photography by: Photitect 

The Archer Building is a certified historic rehabilitation within the Brady Historic District, In the Downtown Tulsa Arts District. It was constructed in 4 portions, with the 1st completed in 1925 and the last constructed in 1952. Originally built along the railroad spur, the structure functioned for many years as a warehouse for wholesale distribution. Over time, the building’s use transitioned to long-term paper storage, with infilled openings on its façade and the original redbrick covered with beige paint. This 73,000 square-foot rehabilitation began with a vision of the George Kaiser Family Foundation. The once-blighted warehouse underwent extensive renovations to transform it into a vibrant mixed-use center. Lilly Architects provided design services for each of the building's tenants that is now home to 35 artist studios, 14 studio apartments, and almost one dozen retailers. 3D scanning technology provided the design team with a comprehensive platform to capture existing conditions and leverage the historic fabric of the building. The previously infilled openings were reopened, and glazing reinstalled to reestablish the facades to their previous pattern. Original overhead door locations now serve as recessed tenant entryways. With the beige paint removed, the red brick provides continuity within the district’s context and serves to reconnect the urban fabric of the corridor.

Red Crown Credit Union | Architect: W Design | 

Contractor: HTC Builds - Tim McNeil

Photography by: Adam Murphy

Built in 1966, The Health Center Pharmacy in Claremore Oklahoma was the first in the city with a drive-thru. This unassuming modern building would be Red Crown Credit Union’s first location in Claremore and as such the new space needed to reinforce the citizen’s confidence in Red Crown as a progressive financial institution with a hometown touch. For 50 years the building that occupied the corner of Blue Starr Drive and North Florence Avenue was a straightforward study of mid-century modern and structurally functional design featuring a structural system of exposed steel columns and beams, brick infill panels, and tectum roof decking.

Oklahoma Stage at Expo Square | Architect: GH2 Architects | Landscape Architect: PDG | Contractor: Crossland Construction

Photography by: Susan Rainey, Yellow Dog Design Works

This project started with a vision for a permanent structure to create an outdoor venue unlike any in the region to bring bigger acts to the Tulsa State Fair. The plan was given support by the community when the VisionTulsa citywide bond issue passed in 2016 and funded this project. Vision became a reality when the 68-foot-tall Oklahoma Stage became the striking focal point in the center of Expo Square. The stage design took inspiration from the historic International Petroleum Exposition (IPE) building. The stage emulates the iconic steel structural beams that rise up above the roof of the building. The stage pays homage to the existing architecture by picking up on the angles of the rooflines, and how those angles interact with the beams. The end result is a modern expression of the existing historic fairgrounds architectural forms. Prominent features of the stage are color-changing LED lights, large equipment grid and angled steel beams. The Oklahoma Stage serves as the focal point for more than one-million people attending the Tulsa State Fair each year. The iconic Oklahoma Stage creates a distinct space to bring the community together under a common interest.

Ponca City Concert Hall | Architect: Winterrowd Talley Architects | Contractor: Kyler Construction Group

Photography by: Milt Mounts, Essential Images Photography 

The Ponca City Concert Hall is the new home for the award-winning chorale, band, and

orchestral programs of Ponca City’s Public Schools. It is the only true concert hall in the state built to exclusively serve K-12 students. An acoustician provided expertise in shaping the performance space to create unparalleled acoustical quality that showcases the young performers’ talents. Curtains aligning the walls can be adjusted to tune the room to meet the acoustical needs of various sizes and types of performance groups. The room acts as the perfect instrument for all performers. The three story, 48,000 square foot building accommodates 1,200 attendees and provides unobstructed sightlines from each seat to the large performance platform. This facility is truly set apart by its size, sophisticated electro-mechanical devices and technology that is needed to support an excellent performance. The Concert Hall is located within the beautiful War Memorial Park. The building was brought to the edge of the park to act as an extension of the Ponca City High School’s Campus and is placed on axis with the historic Howell building. Because of the important relationship with the campus, the exterior materials were selected to compliment and connect with the existing buildings.