Garrett Schwier

The mechanical system of the site is centered around a HVAC control plant located in the basement of the Mosque. Here, a modular chiller/boiler unit regulates water temperature and pumps it throughout the site. The Parking Garage is used as a convenient raceway to connect the plumbing systems of each individual building. For the most part, the condensate water lines are thermally controlled by a geothermal well system located to the north of the garage. This well field contains 250 wells, drilled 450 feet deep. They are coordinated in circuits of 10 and are ultimately connected to an underground geothermal vault. This vault contains the necessary pumps and valves used to control water flow and is accessible via a ladder in case of maintenance requirements. The lines are connected from the vault to the control plant via two 8" diameter cast-iron pipes.

The domestic water supply feeds into the site from the east, connecting into the Turkish Bath before being distributed to the control plant in the Mosque basement. It is initially connected into an underground service vault where the water is metered and regulated, before being sent to the Bath. Sanitary service is sent into the site from the southeastern corner of the garage. It is connected to the utility line via connections run underneath the neighboring roadway. Natural gas lines connect to the site from the west end of the garage. They are distributed throughout the site and are used to fuel boilers, cabinet unit heaters, and hot water heaters.

Typically, building systems are Variable Air Volume HVAC systems and drain-waste-vent plumbing systems. Each building also has its own energy recovery ventilators to maximize efficiency. Each building has slight additions or modifications to the systems in order to accomodate their specific building usages. The Cultural Center has slightly larger sized roof top air handling units in order to provide enough air volume to the Conference and Lecture Halls. The Convent/Monastery utilizes two roof top air handling units: one to provide air for transient spaces and one to provide for living spaces. Each apartment also has its own cabinet unit heater and several fan coil units in order to provide additional user customization.

The Mosque utilizes underground air handling units to provide air flow to the enclosed worship area, which also includes a radiant floor system to further control user thermal comfort. The Fellowship Hall uses two rooftop air handling units: one controls the major areas of the building and one is dedicated to the kitchen. The system is carefully controlled in order to regulatel exhaust air from the kitchen. Intake louvers and dampers are programmed to close when exhaust is at 100% in order to prevent contaminated air from reentering the supply air system. The Turkish Bath features specially sized air handling units to handle the humidity produced by the underground swimming pool and basketball court. An additional unit services the above ground areas which are also regulated by an extensive radiant floor system. The above ground areas are kept at high temperatures in order to promote physical and spiritual cleansing practices.

Structural elements throughout the site vary by building. Foundations are typically cast-in-place concrete spread or continuous footings, unless otherwise noted. Excavation is supported with tieback walls and sheet piling as necessary. The ultimate compressive strength of the concrete varies by type, ranging from 3000 to 5000 psi. Lateral bracing and guy-wiring is employed to support the superstructure until full welds.

The entire Parking Garage is formed of cast-in-place reinforced concrete. In order to support the heavy loads of buildings, pedestrians, and vehicular traffic, the slabs are heavily reinforced. The well over 100 spread footings range in size from 4' x 4' to 15' x 15'. The largest footings reach a thickness of 50", needed to support the heavy loads of the Mosque. The slab on grade for the structure is 5" thick and the elevated slab at grade level is oversized to 12" thick in order to support increased loads from emergency vehicles as required by code.

The structure of the Cultural Center is comprised of reinforced concrete beams and columns. Columns, typically 24" x 10" in size, rest on spread footings ranging in size from 5' x 5' to 10'6" x 10'6". Post-tensioned concrete beams support the Exhibition Hall on the ground floor and the Library on the second floor. They are stressed with a highest force of 675 kips. Curved steel beams are used to support the roof above the Conference Hall, which changes in shape as the floor of the hall slopes. Beams are typically W8x10 or W30x90 with a largest span of 56'. The pointed central roof is made of HSS tubes. Eight unique C-shaped columns form the support of the octagonal area below the pointed roof. These are heavily reinforced and are approximately 6' in span.

The foundations and underground floors of the Convent/Monastery are cast-in-place reinforced concrete beams, columns, piers, and slabs. Spread footings range in size from 4'6" to four oversized footings in sizes of 18'6" x 16'9" and 18'7" x 7'2". These larger footings support two interior stairwalls, one elevator pit, and living spaces. Extending from the ground floor, the remaining structure is steel beams, columns, and metal floor decking. Columns are typically W8x31 or HSS 6x6x3/8 and beams range in size from W8x10 to W14x90. Layout is rather organized and consistent in order to acoomodate consistent apartment sizes.

The foundations and structure of the Mosque are nearly entirely constructed of cast-in-place reinforced concrete. Even the arches and domes are formed with concrete. The minarets are formed of 8" CMU walls with periodic concrete beams. At the top, the cones are made of HHS tube steel. Since it is located within the footprint of the underground Parking Garage, the structure rests on foundations designed with the garage. Underneath the minarets, the foundations are enlarged to 20' x 26' x 38" in order to support the heavy load.

The structure of the Fellowship Hall is primarily composed of steel beams and columns. Beams range in size from W8x10 to W18x86. Exterior columns vary between W10x33 and HSS 7x7x3/8. There are a reduced number of interior columns in order to maximize open floor space. These are typically sized at W12x40. This steel superstructure is supported by a network of CMU walls approximately 4' in height. These walls also support floor decking, raising up the entire building. The entire structure is supported on foundations developed in the underground parking garage.

The Turkish Bath is primarily constructed with reinforced concrete. Footings range in size from 4'6" x 4'6" to 10' x 21'. A 42' x 84' one foot thick heavily reinforced slab sits underneath the pool area in order to support the massive weight of water. Foundation walls are typically 1' to 2'6" thick and are tied into large retaining walls supporting the surrounding soil. These cantilevered retaining walls reach heights of 22' and thicknesses of approximately 2'. Seventeen post-tensioned reinforced concrete beams support the mezzanine and ground floor levels. They reach a largest size of 5' x 4.5' x 70' and a maximum tensile force of 2916 kips. Concrete columns are sized up to 3' x 3' and are formed from concrete of strengths 5000 and 6000 psi. At grade and above, floor slabs are heavily reinforced in order to span the large open area below. Some minor steel is used to form the roof structures.