The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 9 Chapter in University Park, IL had a vision to design a building to support their outdoor electrical labor union testing and training needs. The design team required a structure with expansive ceiling height to support large electrical equipment, boom trucks, cranes and electrical light poles.

Meeting IBEW’s design requirements while maintaining architectural integrity required a highly coordinated design and erection effort. To create a structure that fit the sky-high equipment testing and training needs, Wells’ team of designers engineered and prefabricated architectural wall panels more than 20 ft higher than the industry average. The final structure stood over 64 ft tall meeting height and load bearing requirements, eliminating the need for an additional steel structure that would have increased cost and construction time. The design also features a unique facade, utilizing architectural walls incorporating a custom grid pattern.