Township of Lower Moreland

Location: Township of Lower Moreland, PA
Description: New Public Works Facility

GKO Architects worked closely with the Township of Lower Moreland to design this new Public Works Facility. In its forty-year history as a municipal facility, the existing site had received only minor improvements; therefore the Township decided to commit the resources necessary for a comprehensive modernization of the entire facility. The new building includes private offices, open work stations, a break room, changing facilities, and high work bays to accommodate new automobile lifts, a gantry crane, machine shop, welding stations and ample storage space. The perimeter of the site was secured with a wall and sections of fencing. Additional parking was introduced to separate employee vehicles from Township equipment. Improvements were made to an existing metal building for additional storage space and a new high bay salt storage building was constructed. With the incorporation of pre-engineered structural framing and careful selection of materials and MEP systems, submitted bids were 5% under budget (with most alternates selected).

Warrington Township Police Building

Location: Warrington Township, PA
Description: New Police Building

GKO Architects and Redstone teamed together for this new 18,500 SF Police facility which is currently under construction. The planning team collaborated with the Police Chief and Departmental Staff, Township Administration, Township Planning and Supervisor Boards, Boyle Construction (CM) and several Citizen’s Advisory committees to design and help build community consensus for the project. Many innovative ideas have been incorporated into this State-of-the-Art facility such as a unique gathering /work /collaboration space which forms the “heart” of police operations area. The exterior of the building has been designed and crafted to be compatible with the existing Municipal buildings and the local community context.

Warrington Township

Location: Warrington Township, PA
Description: Concept Design Renderings

GKO Architects and Redstone Architects, a nationally recognized emergency services design consultant, joined forces for this conceptual design proposal for a New Police Station. The original design concept incorporated flexible Public Meeting Room to accommodate community-based programs. This shared resource was intended to help foster communication between the Township Police Department and the local Community. A “community lobby”, which forms the focal point of the building, was proposed as a separation zone between public space and police department operations.

After our team was selected for the project, the program for the facility was revised by the Township. The revised program requirements resulted in a new design concept being proposed by the team. The revised design concept was ultimately constructed.

Upper Providence Township Emergency Service Center

Location: Upper Providence Township, PA
Description: New Central Emergency Services Building

GKO Architects is currently completing Construction Documents for a New 21,300 SF Central Emergency Services Building for Upper Providence Township, PA. GKO Architects and Redstone, a nationally recognized emergency services design consultant, have collaborated on this State-of-the-Art facility which has been crafted to be compatible with the Township’s existing Municipal buildings and the local community context.

The building will feature: four drive-thru apparatus bays which will accommodate eight pieces of emergency and fire equipment; Training Room/Emergency Operations Center, drill tower; wellness and fitness rooms; vehicle exhaust extraction system; and Day Room with access to an outdoor courtyard. For the safety and health of personnel, the building has been designed with separate Hot/ Warm/ Cold environmental zones. This Emergency Services Center will be staffed by a combination of volunteer and professional Fire Fighters and EMS personnel.

Upper Dublin Township - Burn Brae Fire Station

Location: Upper Dublin Township, PA
Description: Building Addition and Renovations

In conjunction with Upper Dublin Township and the Fort Washington Fire Company, GKO Architects worked with D’Huy Engineering to plan the Additions and Renovations to the Burn Brae Fire Station.

Renovations include improvements to the interior of the original Fire Station and a new addition to the street-side of the building which provides an equipment bay with front and back garage-bay doors. A significant effort was made to stylistically tie-in the addition with the original firehouse built in the late 1970’s. Materials, colors, and proportional massing were all utilized to achieve the harmonious integration between old and new parts of the building, while also providing a refreshed image along Susquehanna Road.

New London Township

Location: New London Township, PA
Description: New Utility Building

New London Township engaged GKO Architects to develop a design concept for their proposed New Utility Building which would meet functional requirements but also be context-sensitive. In response to the Township’s goal to complement the rural character of the area, GKO Architects developed a scheme which reduced the Building’s mass by burying it partially below grade. This approach helped reduce the visual impact of a building while still providing an interior height of 26 feet. The Building’s “Barn” massing and material selections also added to its rural quality.

Whitpain Township

Location: Blue Bell, PA
Description: Improvements to Municipal Building and Township Properties Master Plan

GKO Architects has been working with Whitpain Township since 2006 on an array of improvements to the Township Building and its satellite properties. We started by preparing a feasibility study to expand the Township Building. Next we completed renovations on the Main Floor Level, including a reconfiguration of the Administrative Offices and security updates to the Police Area. The next step was to renovate the Police Department Area.

Municipal Building Proposal - Montgomery County, PA

Location: Montgomery County, PA
Description: Proposal for New Municipal Building

A Borough in Montgomery County invited GKO Architects to submit a proposal for a New Municipal Building to be built on the grounds of their existing facility. As part of our response, we offered a detailed proposal which included two alternative design concepts, both of which addressed the Borough’s functional needs and also considered how the new facility could fit appropriately into its small town community context.

New Public Works Facility Proposal, Bucks County, PA

Location: Bucks County, PA
Description: Proposal for a New Public Works Facility

A Township in rural Bucks County invited GKO Architects to submit a proposal for a New Public Works Facility to be built on the grounds of their existing Municipal Complex. As part of our response, we offered a detailed design proposal which addressed the Township’s functional needs, but also considered how the facility would fit appropriately into the local context. Given the nature of the noisy activities that commonly occur at a Public Works Facility, we proposed a solid masonry perimeter wall, which formed an inner “Working Courtyard,” and provided screening and acoustical isolation. As a visual connection with the existing Township Building, we proposed sloped standing seam metal roofing, stone and stucco wall materials, and ventilation cupolas on the roofs to give the Public Works Buildings a rural “barn-like” appearance.

Pocopson Township

Location: Pocopson Township, PA
Description: Re-purposing and rehabilitation of historic ‘Barnard’ House and site; including a new building for township administration

GKO Architects was engaged by Pocopson Township to provide a comprehensive review of their properties and facilities. The study concluded that a new Township Administration building was needed and that it should be built on a tract of land owned by the township, which is a historic 60 acre former farmstead. The design challenge was two-fold. First, placing the new building and parking so that it did not compromise the existing historic integrity of the site. Second, building with modern construction techniques and materials while respecting the historic surrounding structures.

GKO is currently working on Construction Documentation for the new 2-story Township Building. Offices are located on the main floor and meeting room on the lower level.