Crown College approached MBI with a challenge - turn an 188,000 SF blue jean factory into a
state of the art college for their outreach and ministry programs. Located on an open 39 acre
site in Powell, Tennessee the existing building looked exactly what it was- an abandoned industrial
plant. Seeking an old world college feel to bring the community into the facility, the existing
brick on the building was torn off and replaced with a custom brick to match the existing Temple
Baptist Church campus. New openings were cut into the existing walls, existing storefront
windows were closed in and in-filled with masonry and wood clad windows to bring a residential
scale to the large facility. A mansard system of metal trusses with architectural shingles was
added around the perimeter of the building to further enhance the feel of the building and make
it look less like a factory and more like a college campus. The main entry of the facility is highlighted
with a domed cupola that is lit at night to provide a beacon to the surrounding areas. The
winding entry drive was allowed to flow with the natural landscape of the area to minimize the
impact of the work to the landscape. The large expanse of asphalt on the main entry side of the
building was taken up and replaced with landscaped parking areas broken up into small areas
to minimize the “sea of asphalt” effect usually seen with parking lots in facilities of this size. The
interior of the facility was developed around a central rotunda making use of an existing atrium.
A pyramid skylight is to be set over a portion of the atrium opening highlighting a recessed
fountain as well that mimics the exterior fountain on the same axis. A colonnade defines the
center of the rotunda and the sloping ceilings bring the lower ceilings in the surrounding areas
up to the scale of the rotunda and help draw the eye and the spirit to the center of the space
which not only serves as a gathering space, but also as a point of inspiration and outreach for
the college.
The two main hallways are arcaded with a mixture of square and round columns breaking the
large space into small niches that will feature prominent missionaries and historical figures to
the Baptist church and to Crown College. Secondary hallways are broken up by arches in the
ceilings in keeping with the main corridors. The large lecture halls are set up for video broadcast
to other facilities and all of the classrooms are wired for computer networks and sound.
Inside the building the existing building systems were evaluated for either re-use or recycling. All
of the existing duct-bus and air piping were removed and recycled. Most of the electrical conduit
was cleaned, straightened and re-used. The existing water piping was re-used where possible,
and the existing chillers and cold water piping were re-used as well. Where possible existing air
handlers and ductwork was cleaned and re-used.
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