Anaheim’s soaring intermodal hub

When HOK took on the role of primary design consultant for the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), the firm knew that the existing soil conditions would make it virtually impossible to building a conventional structure on the site. Doing so would have required extensive foundation and site work that would have busted the budget.

With its partner Parsons Brinckerhoff, the design team prime consultant for the city of Anaheim, HOK came up with a “pillow” system based on ETFE, a copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene, to create a lightweight arching diagrid structure. First, however, the team had to supply extensive information and analysis of the material to local fire, building code, and safety authorities to gain approval for the use of ETFE.

ARTIC is now the largest ETFE project in North American. It uses more than 200,000 sf of the membrane system in its primary shell. Specifying ETFE also created the added benefit of providing UV protection within a column-free, extensively daylit environment to travelers and visitors to the transit hub.

The 67,880-sf, LEED Platinum facility brings together 10 modes of transportation, among them the Orange County Transportation Authority, Metrolink, Amtrak, local shuttles and bus systems, and tour buses, not to mention the cyclists and pedestrians.

The Building Team made sure the facility could eventually be connected with California’s planned high-speed rail system.

The city of Anaheim’s bold commitment to this project has made this intermodal facility the new “Gateway to Orange County.”

PROJECT SUMMARY
HONORABLE MENTION
Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center
Anaheim, Calif.

BUILDING TEAM
Submitting firm: HOK (primary project designer)
Owner: City of Anaheim
Design team prime consultant: Parsons Brinckerhoff
Structural engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
MEP engineer: Buro Happold
Construction manager STV Group
General contractor: Clark Construction Group

GENERAL INFORMATION
Project size: 67,880 sf
Construction cost: $185 million
Construction time: September 2012 to December 2014
Delivery method: Design-bid-build