The Agora at Fitchburg Town Center

The Agora at Fitchburg Town Center
The Agora at Fitchburg Town Center

Awards

American Society of Interior Design (ASID)

Office/Corporate over 25,000 s.f. - Silver

2008

Association of Licensed Architects (ALA)

Commercial

2008

International Interior Design Association (IIDA) WI Awards

Office over 25,000 s.f. First Place

2008

Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment Award

2005

OBJECTIVE:

Public Space, Community Commitment

The Agora at Fitchburg Center is an 84,000 SF mixed-use development—located in the heart of Fitchburg Center—surrounded by more than 400 acres of prairie, forest, and wetlands. The 84,000 square foot project is comprised of three buildings linked by skyways and includes an underground parking facility. The building houses administrative offices for a biopharmaceutical company, with retail spaces on the first floor of the two flanking buildings.

The overall goal of this project was to create a building that resonates with its surrounding nature and easily adapts to the passage of time. This project served as a commitment to enhancing the quality of the public realm, doing good for the community, and giving spaces and facilities over to the public.

SOLUTION:

Public Prairie

This project served to create an entire series of spaces—courtyards, amphitheaters, terraces—that come together to enhance human interaction within the prairie. As a public space, The Agora hosts events like a weekly farmer’s market, concerts, and parking which are predominantly located underground. This helps free up the design to truly relate to the landscape. A multi-use “piazza” functions both as a parking area as well as an outdoor gathering space.

The restored prairie is the true centerpiece of the entire project conceived as the “Town Green” for the City of Fitchburg. The Prairie Swale winds through the middle of the entire Agora development, integrating the surrounding nature into people’s experience.

The uniqueness of the site created a project with two fronts: an urban, retail front with a gallery on East Cheryl Parkway and an organic front on the prairie that takes advantage of the natural landscape. The three buildings—long in the east-west direction to maximize the benefits of solar orientation—are staggered with respect to one another and connected by stone arched bridges to create framed views of the landscape.

Classic materials including clay-tile roofs, cedar siding, expansive windows, copper elements, and extensive stone masonry were used to construct the buildings. Interior finishes were contained within a simple, natural pallet of materials and colors. Natural finish figured maple and walnut, stone, tile, glass, and just two shades of off-white paint were used to form the backdrop to the owner’s eclectic collection of furnishings and artwork. Careful attention to detail and material transitions transformed these very simple materials into extraordinary design elements. 

The Agora at Fitchburg Town Center

The Town Green

With this project’s emphasis on nature and the surrounding landscape, sustainability was a key element of Strang’s design. Green building applications used in this project include:

  • Public transportation access and bicycle storage
  • On-site walking trails
  • Underground parking to preserve open space
  • Stormwater reductions and treatment
  • Heat island and light pollution reductions
  • Native plants to eliminate the need for irrigation
  • Optimized energy performance
  • Measurement and verification of energy performance
  • 100-year exterior materials
  • Use of local/regional materials
  • Renewable materials
  • Low emitting materials (adhesives, paints, carpet, composite wood)
  • Daylighting and views
  • Solar shading overhangs

WEC Energy Group Chiller Replacement

electrical system
pipes

OBJECTIVE:

Operations Evaluation

Due to our extensive experience, Strang was asked to team with WEC Energy Group to evaluate their existing facilities and operations. These ongoing facility conditions assessments, focused primarily on renovating their mechanical and electrical systems. This included existing operational conditions, inspecting code compliance, health, safety, and life cycle stages. The recommendations from the assessments are to be used for long-term planning, maintenance, and replacement of systems and facilities.

Specific focus for WEC has been placed on the following: assessing existing engineered system conditions and maintainability for major utility facilities; assessing monitoring and controllability of mechanical systems; identifying recommendations for life-cycle performance retrofit opportunities; and prioritizing deficiencies and estimated repair costs. Lastly, due to an aging and inefficient chilled water plant serving WEC’s 428,000+ SF headquarters office building, Strang identified their cooling equipment was in desperate need of replacement.

SOLUTION:

Chiller Replacement

Strang engineered a solution to replace the chilled water plant which included two, 300-ton, water-cooled centrifugal chillers and an indoor cooling tower. A primary/secondary piping arrangement was modified to maximize energy efficiency.

The building automation system was also upgraded to allow for complete owner control. Control valves on the indoor air handling units provide for the minimum flow requirements of the chillers. The integration of two air-cooled chillers for the colder months (when the cooling demand is not as significant) reduced overall energy consumption for WEC. This also allowed for better temperature control and equipment life expectancy by more closely matching the required cooling loads.

Vortex Optics Shooting Range

Vortex Optics Shooting Range
Vortex Optics Shooting Range

OBJECTIVE:

Room to Grow

Vortex Optics manufactures optical equipment for hunting, bird watching, wildlife watching, outdoor recreational sports, and law enforcement. Their products include binoculars, spotting scopes, rifle scopes, and other optic accessories.
Strang worked directly with Hoff Construction and Vortex Optics on the addition to Vortex Optic’s shooting range located in their Barneveld, Wisconsin headquarters. When Vortex outgrew its previous headquarters in Middleton, they relocated to Barneveld which offered plenty of room for future expansion.

This project provided a particular opportunity to take advantage of this available space and add more functional shooting range space and new support spaces to their facility. The original indoor shooting range was home to a 14-lane, 50-yard indoor range, and a 100-yard indoor range with seven shooting lanes. The addition serves to create an even more expansive experience for Vortex to test, train, and sell their products.

SOLUTION:

Strategic Expansion

Vortex’s 23,000 SF addition now houses two new indoor shooting ranges, a shoot house, a simulator room, offices, a conference room, and retail spaces. The new addition includes a 25-yard, 12-lane indoor range, and another with four lanes. It also features a 2,400 SF shoot house that will allow law enforcement to complete more tactical training.

Acoustical consideration was an essential factor in this project as it was important to reduce noise levels heard from the shooting ranges to the adjacent spaces.

Tilt-up concrete wall panels were used for the exterior of the building. The south side of the facility overlooks the Nature Conservancy’s nearly 1,000-acre Barneveld Prairie—an area that provides an optimal testing ground for spotting scopes, binoculars, range finders, and other Vortex products.

Strang also designed Vortex Optic’s original 33,000 SF building in 2016. Our continued design efforts on this campus are helping them to grow strategically with the future in mind.

Ho-Chunk Gaming Master Plan

Ho-Chunk Gaming Master Plan Rendering
Ho-Chunk Gaming Master Plan Rendering

OBJECTIVE:

Entertainment Destination

The goal of this project was to create a casino/hotel/convention center campus that would serve as a cultural and entertainment destination. The design vision was decidedly modern and forward-looking. The design of this project reflects the historic importance of gaming in Ho-Chunk culture and celebrates the Ho-Chunk tradition of gracious hospitality. Outdoor dining and activity areas as well as a large outdoor event space extend the visitor experience to the surrounding natural landscape.

This site master plan for the 47-acre parcel surrounding the existing Ho-Chunk Gaming facility will serve as a destination entertainment district for the Greater Capital Region. The plan includes an expanded casino and a new hotel/conference center, heritage center, regional sports complex, restaurants, retail space, and other entertainment. The objective is to create a vibrant and unique place in which social and physical connectivity is strengthened, environmental sustainability is prioritized, and Ho-Chunk culture and heritage are celebrated.

SOLUTION:

Cultural Celebration

The proposed Heritage Center is designed to fulfill the goal of sharing, preserving, and celebrating the stories of the Ho-Chunk nation, who have made the Madison area, the “Four Lakes” region, their home for thousands of years. The architecture of the proposed Heritage Center was designed to create a timeless context for celebrating and honoring the culture and history of the Ho-Chunk people.

The site and landscape design involve deliberate sculpting of the land to define and create space. This includes defining the Great Circle, berming to screen the parking structures, creating view corridors, and referencing Ho-Chunk heritage through the tradition of mound-building. Circles are important in Ho-Chunk culture as the form of their gathering spaces, and this is reflected in the Great Circle and the Great Room of the Heritage Center. The Great Circle is a large circular lawn-covered green space that will be the venue for celebrations and performances. On axis with the Great Circle is a large overhead garage door that opens the Conference Center to the outside, creating a stage for performances and celebrations. The existing wetland on the site would be restored and a surrounding prairie and oak savanna would feature interpretive walking paths. The buildings—except the heritage center, which would be set off from other facilities—are designed to seem like one large structure with strong complementary architecture.

Ho-Chunk Gaming Master Plan Rendering

Specifically, the master plan includes:

  • An expansion and remodel of the tribe’s existing two-story, 60,000 SF casino
  • A four-story hotel with 150 to 250 rooms, including a 90-seat fine dining restaurant and 30,000 SF spa next to a three-story, 1,112-space parking garage
  • A 33,000 SF heritage center offering an in-depth history of the tribe
  • A 15,000 SF conference center that could also double as an entertainment venue
  • A 150-seat restaurant between the expanded casino and conference center
  • A three-story, 908-space parking garage next to the conference center in a second phase
  • A small food court and “fast-casual” restaurant
  • Over 25,000 SF of foodservice and dining operations

Ho-Chunk plans to build the district in phases, beginning with the expansion of the existing casino and the addition of a hotel with restaurants, a conference center, and structured parking. The second phase would include the development of the heritage center and sports complex.

The Sylvee

The Sylvee
The Sylvee during a concert

Awards

Best of Madison 2020 Readers Poll by Madison Magazine

Best Live Music Venue and Best Performance Venue

2020

InBusiness Commercial Design Awards

2019

American Society of Interior Design (ASID)

Silver Design Excellence Award for Contract – Entertainment/ Recreation

2019

InBusiness Commercial Design Awards

2018

OBJECTIVE:

World-Class Music

The Sylvee is owned by Frank Productions, a family business, and a cornerstone of the Madison community for more than 50 years. Strang designers worked closely with the family to assure The Sylvee accurately reflects the legacy of Herb and Sylvia Frank. The venue, which resides in the Gebhardt Building, is a 40,000-SF 2,500-person music hall designed to meet the strong and lasting demand for world-class live music in Madison by attracting the nation’s biggest acts.

SOLUTION:

Creating Exceptional Experiences

Designed for music from the ground-up, this theater has the amenities and robust, state-of-the-art infrastructure of a world-class live music venue. The open three-story space ensures that no patron is more than 85 feet from the stage and maximizes sight lines no matter where one is standing.

In order to attract the biggest acts to Madison, the design team placed a significant focus on creating the most positive experience for the artists and their crews through strategic space planning. The loading dock and stage are immediately adjacent to each other, and the straight shot facilitates easy set-up and tear-down. The lighting grid above the stage can support over 100,000lbs, easily accommodating even the most elaborate lighting trusses, which is unique for a theater of this size. Similarly, for the artists themselves, the green room and dressing rooms are immediately accessible from the loading dock.

Planning for convenience was not limited to the back-of-house. The main public entrance to the theater is located on the opposite side of the building from the stairs and restrooms, in order to encourage people to disperse upon entry rather than congregating immediately inside the doors. The venue can also be pre-loaded before the doors are officially open thanks to an integrated curtain that allows patrons to enter the venue and access merchandise, coat check, the bar, and restrooms.

Rendering I

Pablo Center at the Confluence

Pablo Center at the Confluence
This project was designed in partnership with Steinberg Hart
Pablo Center at the Confluence

Objective:

Project Partnership

This project was the result of a successful public private partnership, a “confluence” of stakeholders in the city, the arts community, and the University that came together to create an arts venue that was truly reflective of the community. The Pablo Center at the Confluence sought to offer a transformative training, learning, and creative space for actors, musicians, and artists of all ages and talents levels. The facility was to provide numerous amenities in addition to the two large performance venues, all of which combine to support the performing, literary, and visual arts in the community.

SOLUTION:

Space Showcase

This space not only showcases and embraces Eau Claire’s diverse performing arts community but is flexible enough to host a variety of events. This 130,000-SF performance center features a 1,129-seat main theater, a 397-seat mid-size theater, and a third floor gathering space that can be transformed for various types of performances. Strang’s designers included space for studios, art galleries, performance rehearsals, a scene shop, green room, and offices. The Visit Eau Claire visitors’ welcome center and the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center also both have space in the building

Looking Outside In

From the exterior, the building is represented as a monolithic stone mass strategically punctured to reveal colorful geode of spaces within. The dark hornblende stone, quarried less than 50 miles from Eau Claire, lends the surface a natural texture while also simultaneously setting off the large, colorful expanses of glass overlooking the river. It also provides contrast for the shimmering feature copper waves.

Pablo Center at the Confluence

Playing with Color

Within, the playful use of color building contrasts with the monolithic appearance of the exterior and helps each space retain a unique identity. The colors were inspired by the natural ebb and flow of colors found in nature throughout the day. The largest theater venue, the RCU theater, captures the unique colors of sunrise, contrasting muted blue with bright copper (echoing the use of copper on the exterior of the building).

Flexible Performance

At 1,200 seats, this theater provides the community with a state-of-the-art concert hall that is the ideal setting for everything from more traditional theater with elaborate sets, to choral and orchestral performances—a flexibility made possible by the customized acoustical stage shell and orchestra pit lift.

To contrast with the large performance hall, the 400-seat JAMF theater, which has colors inspired by the muted oranges and maroons of sunset, is a supremely flexible space meant to accommodate nearly limitless reconfiguration and experimentation—everything from black box theater or theatre in the round, to a more traditional thrust arrangement. It even offers a ballroom arrangement for cocktail hour or formal events. Dynamic architectural elements—light fixtures that raise and lower, repositionable acoustical ceiling reflectors, balcony rails that raise and lower or can be removed entirely from the room – all contribute to the flexibility of the space and allow the space to maintain an intimacy despite its varying functions and size.

Pablo Center at the Confluence

Confluence Crown Jewel

This project was made possible by a new economic development that recognizes the creative industries and has resulted in improved regional attractiveness and a positive business impact. Availability of cultural events and entertainment is just as important for the region’s artists, citizens, and visitors as it is for the venue. The Pablo Center at the Confluence is a true “confluence”—a convergence of region, community, performance, and the arts.
Rendering I

Northern Sky Theater

Northern Sky Theater
Northern Sky Theater interior

Awards

USGBC Sustainability Award Nomination

Award of Merit

2020

InBusiness Commercial Design Awards

Best New Development-Retail

2019

Objective:

A Central Creative Campus

A new creative campus – a place of serenity and solace, a place in nature to nourish the creative spirit, a place where original musical theater comes to life. This is Northern Sky Theater.

When Strang was approached to design a new creative home for them, the theater had recently gone through a rebranding process making this the perfect opportunity for Northern Sky to rethink and expand its visionary horizons.

Northern Sky Theater had operated for twenty-nine years without a permanent home. While its operations grew, the company continued to expand into more and more rental facilities, which were spread out in ways that made day-to-day operations logistically difficult.

The purpose of building the two-building campus was to give Northern Sky a central place to locate its operations, encompassing all aspects of its needs: storage, performance, administrative, rehearsals and events. One of the primary objectives of the new theater was to recapture a feeling of intimacy, personalize the performance venue, and make the new campus a fitting companion to the outdoor venue.

SOLUTION:

Natural Wonder

The Creative Center, located in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, features 23,600 SF of space, housing the theater, box office, storage, and rehearsal space all on one property. This project provides the company with a permanent home, enabling it to maintain daily operations and develop performances for the theater’s 35,000 annual visitors.

The design expression of the project is decidedly forward-looking and modern, at the same time it has been specifically designed to fit into its rural Door County context. Another unique characteristic of this project is the introduction of daylight into the theater through vertically proportioned 3-foot-wide by 20-foot-tall windows that mirror the vertical pines surrounding Northern Sky’s outdoor Park Theater. Daylight control is provided when needed, by tall, beautifully crafted shutters which can also be left open at dusk to afford patrons with a delightful outdoor-like experience of this theater nestled in the woods.

Preserving the natural surroundings of the property was an important consideration in the project’s design. The site survey identified trees of a certain size that were to be preserved, and the landscape design incorporated native plants and organic hardscaping to blend the buildings with the wooded landscape. In addition, a stone farm wall was preserved and repurposed to act as an effective border between the parking area and woods to the south of the facility.

This project won the 2020 US Green Building Council Leadership Awards in the “Outdoor Environments and “Most Successful Community Engagement” categories, and the 2020 InBusiness Magazine Commercial Design Award.

American Players Theatre

American Players Theatre Touchstone Theatre
American Players Theatre Touchstone Theatre interior

Awards

International Interior Design Association (IIDA) WI Awards

2010

Objective:

The Next Great Stage

In partnership with American Players Theater (APT), Strang sought to create a world-class theater facility within a limited budget by using ordinary off-the-shelf materials in innovative ways to create an experience that captured the essence and culture of APT’s outdoor, wooded aesthetic. With APT in it’s 36th season of use, their stage was approaching the end of its functional life. This launched their campaign to create “The Next Great Stage”.

SOLUTION:

Touchstone Theatre

Strang designed this project comprising a new theater and a production support building for American Players Theatre at their wooded campus in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

"The Touchstone, 12 years later, is a glorious theatre space which has been and continues to be central to the growth in our ever-evolving identity as an artistic organization. It has stood the test of time with a design aesthetic that perfectly honors our past and continues to speak to our future."

Brenda DeVita, Artistic Director, APT

The 11,000 square foot Touchstone Theatre houses a 200-seat theater, a lobby, concessions, will call, dressing rooms, and a green room for 16 actors. Strang collaborated with APT, theatrical, and acoustical consultants to create the infrastructure necessary to support repertory theatre and allow for its optimal functionality.

The lobby and patio are designed to provide for a seamless transition between interior and the landscape with a high degree of transparency, evoking the theme of the “Theatre in the Woods”. The spatial flow and continuity of the lobby and patio make them a particularly attractive venue for special events.

The transformation of the APT campus into a year-round facility presented unique design challenges. Site selection and design balanced the idea of an idyllic procession through woods with the practical aspects of accessibility. The design of the site seeks to capture the unique “experience” that is APT, beginning with an idyllic picnic dinner in the woods, followed by a walk up a gently lit path flanked by a wooded wetland and a restored prairie. Ultimately, patrons arrive at the engaging, natural surroundings of the theatre.

The 14,000 square foot Production Support Building is an economical, functional, and efficient facility which is compatible with the overall image and experience of APT. The building houses a paint/scene shop, offices, rehearsal hall, and storage. With a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of scene shop functions, our in-house mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers ensured seamless integration of the fume exhaust system in the facility.

Up-The-Hill Theatre

This project was a complete rebuild of the stage and backstage area while carefully preserving the rustic sophistication of this beloved “Theatre in the Woods”. The upstage backdrop was designed with hinged panels that open the view to the landscape beyond. The addition of a trap to the stage is a welcome improvement that has greatly enhanced APT’s productions.

The outdoor amphitheater’s upgrades improved acoustics and sight lines, handrails, and a loop system to improve assistive listening. A new catwalk over the stage provides much needed safety for the stagehands and significantly improved lighting positions. Extensive improvements to the backstage and support areas, include new rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms, scenery and prop storage and improved vehicular service access.

American Players Theatre Touchstone Theatre stage

Summit Credit Union Headquarters

Summit building
Summit Credit Union Headquarters lobby

Awards

InBusiness Madison

Coolest Office Designs

2020

American Society of Interior Design (ASID)

Silver Design Excellence Award for Contract – Office/Corporate 50,0000 and over

2019

LEED Silver

2020

Top Project Award from The Daily Reporter

2019

Objective:

Forward-Thinking Finance

This six-story, 152,000 square-foot new headquarters building sought to showcase Summit Credit Union’s values and reflect their forward-thinking vision to inspire and help members achieve their dreams through financial education and stewardship. The result of Strang and Summit’s fruitful collaboration is the creation of a state-of-the-art workplace that focuses on sustainability and wellness—of both mind and body—in addition to the financial wellness that is at the core of their mission.

SOLUTION:

Inspiration and Collaboration

Summit’s values were achieved through a variety of strategies integrated throughout the building: indoor and outdoor breakout areas, cafe spaces, and celebration spaces, as well as themed fun spaces and an Inspiration theme park credit union branch, all of which inspire staff and members alike towards creativity, collaboration, and celebration.

“Strang is very open to taking your ideas, taking your thought processes, taking your needs and combining that into the best possible solution that you can get.”

Kim Sponem, CEO/President, Summit Credit Union

Wellness in the Workplace

Summit’s commitment to wellness drove all aspects of the design from the very beginning, from site selection to programming, planning, and design. On approach to the building, the value of the outdoors is established through prominently featured outdoor seating areas, walking paths, volleyball courts, and a small amphitheater, all situated amongst native plants and landscaping. Employees are actively encouraged to make use of these spaces throughout the day. The outdoors is also incorporated into the building structure itself in the form of occupiable green roofs. Indoors, a fitness center and yoga studio further reinforce this commitment to health and wellness.

The dedication to the health and well-being of employees and members also recurs throughout the interior of the building. The Be Well Cafe, on the first floor, actively encourages employees to make healthy choices, but also serves the important role of building community and provides a space to gather to celebrate successes and recognize accomplishments. The inspiration branch, a living, breathing, fully functional credit union branch, is designed as a theme park, packed with elements that represent the aspirational goals that one might save for. Financial literacy, dreaming big, and planning for the future are all core values of financial wellness for this client.

Summit Credit Union’s Headquarters is LEED Silver Certified!

Alongside wellness, Summit’s focus on sustainability is also prominent through their LEED Silver certification, which verifies reduced use of water, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions. Among other features, the new building features enhanced air circulation and energy savings using underfloor air distribution, green-friendly flooring and lighting, and a 17,500-gallon rainwater harvest cistern to capture and reuse rainwater. Likewise, to support the goals of sustainability and stewardship, priority was placed on recycled and renewable resources and materials.

Bold Design

The design approach incorporates many strategies to accommodate multiple working and meeting styles, imitating a campus-like feeling. Throughout the building, bold colors create a striking interior where no spaces feel “standard”. Instead, all spaces are celebrated with a bold and varied use of materials and textures. By balancing these two strategies of color and variation, we’ve provided unconventional multi-use spaces, each with their own unique identity, that can serve equally well for both meeting and relaxation. The resulting spaces support the client’s goal of creating a fun and vibrant workplace that supports both physical and mental well-being.

Summit Credit Union Headquarters lounge area

Badgerland Financial Corporate Headquarters

Badgerland Financial
Badgerland Financial

Objective:

Regional Reflection

For traditional farmers, hobby farmers, homeowners, and businesses, Badgerland Financial FLCA offers a broad array of competitively priced financial products and services tailored specifically for rural Wisconsin. However, the most valuable offering from Badgerland is their knowledgeable people with values rooted in rural life such as integrity, a strong work ethic, simplicity, and love of the land.

Projected future growth at Badgerland necessitated a move into a new, larger facility. The number one priority was to build a corporate headquarters that would reflect their company values. Furthermore, our objective was to not only accommodate projected growth, but further empower employees to perform at their professional best. Being a member owned company meant the new headquarters had to reflect the mission of its owners.

Other goals for the project included:

  • Maximizing views to the outdoors, taking advantage of the site’s adjacency to the Wisconsin River.
  • Creating a building that reinforced the connection to the outdoors.
  • Utilizing natural materials and earth tones to reflect the surrounding landscape.
  • Improving operational efficiencies and proper recognition of operational adjacencies.
  • Creating adequate meeting and training space to enhance employee knowledge and customer collaboration.
  • Creating a data center that would support the entire company’s networking requirements.
  • Providing appropriate infrastructure to accommodate changing technological requirements.

SOLUTION:

Outdoor Access

This two-story building, used primarily for office space, is 25,000 SF in size comprised of two rectangular sections and set at angles to one another. The sections are connected by a glass atrium serving as the welcome entryway and lobby. The design will allow a view of the natural setting and Wisconsin River three seasons of the year, enhancing users’ interaction with the outdoors.

The main sections of the building are made of stone and burnt-orange cement board. High-quality metal panels in a warm color provide accents near the roof and windows. A feature of the space is the patio in the rear of the building which provides further easy access to the outdoors.

Overall, the project included development of a 4.6-acre site. In total, the facility houses a branch bank, corporate offices, a tier III data center, on-site storage, and meeting/training facilities that support the entire company including branch locations throughout southern and central Wisconsin.