2005 Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association award winners -- Seattle DJC.COM

Sustainable Merit

Exposed concrete was mixed with metal and glass as architectural
elements at the Kent Pullen Center.
Photo courtesy Miles Sand & Gravel

Kent Pullen Regional Community
& Emergency Coordination Center

Location: 3511 N.E. Second St., Renton

Owner/developer: King County

Project team: W.G. Clark Construction, general and concrete contractor; Hewitt Architects, architect; Magnusson Klemencic Associates, structural engineer; Miles Sand & Gravel, ready-mix supplier

The 35,000-square-foot facility houses the King County Sheriff’s 911 office and a regional emergency operations center. It was designed to withstand and function during man-made and natural disasters.

Concrete was used in walls to resist earthquakes and other forces.

Concrete was initially considered for its lateral-force resisting capabilities, but became an architectural design component, too. Exposed natural color concrete was used as a design element on the building’s sloping end walls and in the interior lobby and common spaces.

The project is up for LEED certification. Its concrete walls reduce cooling loads and help it use 25 percent less energy than specified by current state building code.