TVA Architects has received a 2019 Building and Roofing Award from Metal Construction News for its design of the Drivers Club – a metal clubhouse and automobile storage space in Redmond, Washington.

The project, delivered by general contractor Synergy Construction of Woodinville, Washington, in February 2019, was recognized in the metal buildings category. TVA Architects’ design was based largely on a popular retailer’s warehouses: prefabricated metal walls and roofs along with large, clear-span structural steel framework.

“I think what Costco does is they build their buildings in the same way they manage their products,” said Tim Wybenga, a principal at TVA Architects. “They get as much as possible for as little as possible. And the challenge, then, is how to take something that is a commodity and turn it into a piece of architecture.”

A steel framework and 40-foot-tall prefabricated metal building facade panels provide the Drivers Club a budget-conscious, yet elegant structure. The 66,235-square-foot building has large, steel, clear-span beams so that interior columns aren’t needed. Natural wood planking and other elements suggest luxury.

“I think just the idea of elevating the building typology is what we’re most proud of,” Wybenga said. “For the firm, the other thing that’s meaningful to us is that a lot of work is based on relationships with clients, and this was a client for whom we did apartments and retail and office buildings. So, it’s an awesome thing when they say, ‘Well, we’ve never tried this before; do you want to try a car club?’”

The Drivers Club, a limited-membership organization, refers to its new building as a showroom rather than a storage facility. The club has no business hours, and members come and go as they like.

“It wasn’t a tested concept – people are paying money to store their cars,” Wybenga said. “It’s a little more social – a cross between a warehouse and a gallery.”

The building was designed specifically to accommodate motor vehicles; however, it could be transformed with relative ease, Wybenga added.

“These types of buildings are perfectly suited for this,” he said. “The clear-span structure is nice because you’re not going to back your Ferrari into a column, but it’s also nice if you’re driving a forklift. This building is made for a specific use, but it can be designed to be really flexible for the long term.”

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