Nature Shapes Design
Austin Cary Conference Center
Utilized for various conferences, classes, weddings, and other events, the Austin Cary Conference Center is located on a wooded site adjacent to Lake Mize. Ample daylighting and a series of wooden decks allow users to gather while enjoying the natural beauty of the site. The new facility is fully accessible and easy to maintain while respecting the heritage of its predecessor by incorporating natural cypress elements, and also houses a catering kitchen with a concession window opening to an expansive lakefront deck.
Utilized for various conferences, classes, weddings, and other events, the Austin Cary Conference Center is located on a wooded site adjacent to Lake Mize. Ample daylighting and a series of wooden decks allow users to gather while enjoying the natural beauty of the site. The new facility is fully accessible and easy to maintain while respecting the heritage of its predecessor by incorporating natural cypress elements, and also houses a catering kitchen with a concession window opening to an expansive lakefront deck.
Project Owner
University of Florida IFAS
Location
Gainesville, FL
Completion Date
April 2014
Project Size
5,000 SF
Cost
$1.29M
Contractor
The Brentwood Company
Delivery Method
Construction Management
Partners
MEPF: Moses & Associates; Structural: Structural Engineers Group; Civil: Causseaux, Hewett, & Walpole
The community's physical and emotional ties to the site are strong and enduring. After a 2011 fire claimed the conference center built by donors and volunteers in 1986 to replace the original building (also lost to fire), the University of Florida School of Forest Resources and Conservation set out to create a new conference building reflecting the enhanced needs of current and future faculty, staff, students, and visitors.
The new conference center needed to continue to serve not only SFRC students and faculty; the broader community in Gainesville and North Florida also has a history and a future with the building. Every year, thousands of people from numerous local organizations utilize the building for events ranging from lectures, symposia, and retreats to award banquets and weddings.
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Austin Cary Conference CenterNature Shapes Design
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