Rendering courtesy of ALSC Architects
Work

Doris Morrison Learning Center

Advocating for the Environment: Facility protects the wetlands and informs the public

The Doris Morrison Learning Center will be a space for folks in Spokane county to enjoy for years to come and cements the legacy of a family that help preserve and protect the land it sits on. The center was made possible thanks to the donation from the Morrison family, who had used the site as their family farm for nearly a century. To commemorate the Morrison family, Spokane County Environmental Services agreed to name the new center after the donor’s mother, Doris.

The visitor center is a one-story, 4,000-sf, indoor-outdoor, wood framed building with outdoor sitting areas. DCI engineers provided civil and structural services to turn the site from old farmland into a visitor information center that informs guests of the Saltese Flats wetlands. This included making new trails so guests could explore the area around the center without putting the natural environment at risk, creating a new access road to the center that connected to the public ROW, a bus and car drop-off/pick-up area, and a 14-stall parking lot with accommodations for future expansions.

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Location:
Spokane Valley, Washington
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Square Feet:
4,000
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Stories:
1
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Service:
Structural, Civil
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Industries:
Government & Municipal, Recreation & Entertainment
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Primary Material:
Concrete, Steel, Wood

Project Highlights

  • The south wall of the building is mostly glass so visitors can get beautiful views of the Saltese Flats.
  • The structural team came up with a design that would allow for easy air circulation and ventilation through the building’s roof and glass south wall.
  • Designed a custom wood and metal truss system that optimizes the building’s roof for maximum sun exposure.
  • Created new walking trails around the perimeter of the building, connected the site to the Henry Road via a new concrete access road, added a roundabout in front of the building to serve as a bus and car pick up area.
Dave Giordano Spokane web
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David Giordano

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Wade Gelhausen

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Justin Cook

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