Calder Gardens, an 18,000-square-foot exhibition space exhibiting a range of modernist sculptures made by renowned artist and native Philadelphian Alexander Calder, will be located amid the several art institutions along Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The creative project was chosen to be undertaken by LF Driscoll.
Although the intended structure appears small from the outside, visitors can descend through two additional floors of naturally lit galleries when they enter at ground level. As a result, the design delivers an exceptional art viewing experience.
“There is nothing like this building,” says Jack Garrett, senior superintendent of LF Driscoll. “Everything is personalized. To bring this kind of creative vision to life, we assembled a team of professionals.”
The design of Calder Gardens calls for walls up to seven feet thick and a structure made almost entirely of exposed concrete. Therefore, the team must plan and coordinate every element—including construction systems, walls, built-in benches, and art displays—well before pouring the concrete. In addition, LF Driscoll has earned a reputation for tackling complex construction projects. For example, on this project, they used STOBG’s virtual construction tools to align multiple models into a single, cohesive version that matched the contract documents and was ready for execution.
“It’s finished once we pour the concrete,” Garrett explains. Consequently, the team resolves every detail in advance to avoid costly changes later.
Meanwhile, LF Driscoll got a head start by collaborating with Layton Construction’s VDC team during preconstruction. This partnership allowed them to focus early on realizing the project’s intricate design.
“We excel at complexity,” Garrett explains. “Our goal is to figure out the best way to build this entirely original structure. We look forward to the task. That’s what we do.”
