Falls Pointe Shopping Center

Why Did the Owner Select Tilt-Up?

Village retail design works well with Tilt-Up due to construction methods and speed of construction. By breaking up the design of the building into 1 to 3 Tilt-Up panels, a village feel can be created with a variety of facades for each tenant. This variety is typically not cost effective with other methods.

What was the Overall Complexity of the project?

The central hip roof element required the use of a 40' x 8' by 20' concrete parapet beam to support the light gage metal trusses supporting the roof. The flat metal canopies and large window openings were achieved by inserting tube steel in the openings, allowing large windows without using curtain wall.

What was the Project Mission?

The client's goals were to create a main street 'village' retail atmosphere, with individual tenant façades, a variety of window types and a tight construction schedule.

What were the special architectural treatments?

Hip roofs, steel canopies, metal awnings, brick tiles and EIFS trim elements were used throughout project to provide visual interest. Colors alternated between tenants to create individual facades. White accents, green and blue awnings/canopies help to unify the overall project.

What were the outstanding features?

The most outstanding features of this project result from the integration of Tilt-Up with other materials. The use of a large window openings with tube steel and metal trim, as well as the detail created by the EIFS and awnings give the project an intricate look not usually associated with Tilt-Up.

What special materials were used?

The M Brick system of brick combined with elements such as color tile accents and EIFS which were added later.

What was the success of the project?

The project has been very successful with most of the tenant spaces leased prior to the completion of the building shell. The project has had a tremendous impact on the community, raising the bar for other developers trying to mimic it. The project won the 2001 Triangle CREW award for retail.

What additional features or comments should be made?

The challenge for Falls Pointe Shopping Center was to create visual variety and pedestrian scale in a traditional in-line retail project. The goal was to create a village with a variety of facades. This was made possible by the use of Tilt-Up construction. Working with Tilt-Up created many opportunities to give this retail center a fresh pedestrian-friendly look. With the front retail wall being column-less with load bearing panels, window openings could be located wherever they made the most sense for the retail spaces. Second-story frosted glass windows allowed merchants to use the high space without a ceiling if they preferred, making the most of the diffused natural daylight. Vibrant color was used along with canopies to invite the eye to scan the retailers’ storefronts and create a festive overall atmosphere.