Project Description
Curving, sloped forms echo the sinuous shape of the racetrack and the essential quality of speed, which is at the heart of the NASCAR spectacle.
Beginning as a curved, sloping exterior wall enclosing the building, a free spanning ribbon twists over the main entry to form a welcoming canopy. The long, thin incisions in this metal skin are analogous to the blur of a car racing past the spectator at tremendous speed. A large glazed oval forms the Great Hall, the symbolic core of the Hall of Fame, and the primary visitor entrance. In this hall, a curved, banked ramp leads the visitor from the main floor to the exhibit levels above. The ramp contains a display of race cars frozen mid-race, once again capturing the speed and spectacle that is the essence of the sport.
SITE: Corner of Caldwell and Stonewall streets
COMPONENTS: Great Hall, visitor services including entry and exhibit space, Hall of Honor, broadcast studio 175,000 s/f Hall of Fame and Museum; 100,000 s/f ballroom; 425,000 s/f NASCAR Tower; 1,000-space parking garage
CLIENT: City of Charlotte; Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority; Charlotte Convention Center; Lauth Property Group; NASCAR
PCF&P SERVICES: Site planning, architecture; exterior envelope; interior design
SUSTAINABILITY: Designed for LEED Silver certification
AWARDS:
American Architecture Award
Chicago Athenaeum / European Centre, 2012
Design Award of Merit
Society of American Registered Architects, 2012
Ideas2 Awards: National Award
American Institute of Steel Construction, 2013
Best of 2010 Awards: Award of Excellence for Architectural Design
McGraw Hill, 2010
CISCA Construction Excellence Silver Award
Ceilings & Interior Systems Construction Association, 2010
PROJECT CREDITS
Associate Architect for Hall of Fame/ballroom/parking: Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Charlotte, NC
Associate Architect for office tower: LS3P Associates Ltd., Charlotte, North Carolina
Site Observations Architect: Tobin Dudley Starr, Charlotte, NC
Structural: Leslie E. Roberston Associates, New York
Mechanical / Electrical / Plumbing: Jaros Baum & Bolles, New York, NY
Exhibit Design: Ralph Appelbaum Associates, Inc., New York
Images: Paul Warchol, Peter Brentlinger