Project summary provided by submitting company.
The new Tandy Leather store is an award-winning retail property located on the corporate headquarters property for Tandy Leather in south Fort Worth.
The building features a 100% glass front wall with a silicon surface glazed (SSG) window system to provide an open feel to the interior. The open front allows motorists to see the store's interior from nearby Interstate-20, and provides a large, transparent canvas to display the company's cowhides and other products. A 130-foot decorative wing clad in metal skin spans the front of the building to accentuate the modernistic look. Surrounding the front entrance are two concentric angular entrance features that match the metal wing stylistically.
The interior showcases 20,000 SF of retail space in a single-bay open configuration, where uniquely-shaped shelving units and low flat tables present the store's huge inventory of leather and leathercraft supplies. The floor is covered with a durable, barnwood-embossed rubber planking and the ceiling features an exposed industrial look. Video screens mounted around the space feature products and instructional demonstrations of leather-working techniques. Accent lighting throughout the interior highlights product displays.
Catwalks on either side of the entrance are engineered into the interior side of the glass wall's steel framework to provide access for employees to hang products at the second story level on the front windows. A large, circular kiosk near the front entrance hosts cashier stations where customer service representatives can complete customer purchases and answer questions. On either side of the front entrance customers can relax in spacious waiting areas. To the rear of the store is a loading bay that allows forklift access to the adjacent product staging area and into the showroom.
A 3,000 SF mezzanine over the back right corner of the sales space hosts a classroom, employee break room and business offices. An elevator and staircase connect the mezzanine to the first floor.
Tilt-up construction played a critical role in meeting the client's aggressive timetable, which targeted an opening date in June 2013. Combining the speed and cost-efficiencies of tilt-up for three walls of the building with the creative opportunities provided by the glass and steel front wall resulted in a finished project that was visually stunning while remaining in budget.
This project showcases how tilt-up construction can be used to create a modern, creative design. This particular project is an example of a smaller tilt-up project that provides an economically viable alternative to other types of construction. Additionally, this new tilt up building will be the prototype for a company's future buildings as part of its aggressive rebranding and re-imaging program.
Fort Worth, TX
United States