Riverfront Park U.S. Pavilion Project, Managed by Hill International, Receives DBIA National Award of Merit

PHILADELPHIA and SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hill International (NYSE:HIL), the global leader in managing construction risk, announced today that the U.S. Pavilion Project, part of the Riverfront Park Redevelopment Program in Spokane, WA, has been recognized with an award by the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA). The project earned DBIA’s National Award of Merit in the Civic/Assembly category. The award will be presented to the project team at DBIA’s 2020 Design-Build Conference & Expo on October 29. The project is also a nominee for the National Award of Excellence in the same category and one of three finalists for the Best in Architecture Award. The National Award of Excellence and Best Architecture winners will be announced at the conference. Hill provided owner’s representative services on the $24.7 million project.

“It was an exceptional experience managing the design-build process involved in this once-in-a-lifetime project,” says Hill Vice President Matthew Walker, AIA, CCM, DBIA, who served as project manager for Hill’s team on the U.S. Pavilion. “Our efforts to achieve the client’s reimagined goals for this iconic structure were only possible due to the collaborative and fluid nature inherent to the progressive design-build delivery method. Early contractor and specialty subcontractor involvement and a nimble design-build team that was able to accommodate numerous program changes during construction were keys to the project’s success.”

Director of the City of Spokane Parks and Recreation Department Garret Jones agreed with Matthew’s assessment of design-build, saying: “We were thrilled to have the opportunity for the park’s first design-build project on the Pavilion. This process not only afforded us valuable efficiencies, it produced a better final product.”

“The reimagined U.S. Pavilion project pays homage to the original structure, draws the public back into the park, and serves as a lantern to the community with its cutting edge LED light blades,” Matthew goes on. “The end result is a project that far exceeds the owner’s and community’s expectations. We at Hill are very honored to have played our part in this incredible project.”

The project scope included removing all structures added to the U.S. Pavilion grounds after the 1974 World’s Fair; renovating the 16,000 SF, two-story, concrete west building; remediating contaminated soils and industrial debris; and creating an amphitheater below the cable-net structure for events ranging from farmers markets to small musical events. The scope also included inspecting and performing necessary maintenance to the 46-year-old cable-net structure as well as repainting the mast and metal ring. The U.S. Pavilion program also included “wow” factors to draw people into the park and offer them unique experiences. These include bright, color-changing LED light blades attached to the cable structure with flexible mounting points; the Elevated Experience, which provides visitors a unique, high vantage point where they can survey Riverfront Park; and artistically designed, fabric shade sails.