By Shamona McClary

Kannapolis Citizen

When it came down to deciding on an architectural firm for the N.C. Research Campus, David Murdock and his team wanted more than someone who could design pretty buildings.

"They saw some of our work and felt it was compatible with the image and vision for this campus," said David Creech, partner and architect with Narmour Wright Creech Architecture.

Murdock's vision is one that will transform Kannapolis from a manufacturing- based economy to a knowledge-based economy.

Creech said his firm was contacted in June of last year to design the campus.

He said they envisioned a campus that was timeless and also modern.

Because of this, they chose to go with a classical design.

"It won't be a passing fad," he said.

The classical design entails order and organization, Creech explained.

"It's certainly much more than a portico and columns on front of the buildings."

Creech said their design involves a hierarchy, such as making the most important buildings on the campus taller and in the best location.

As an example, he used the four-story, 311,000- square-foot Core Laboratory — the campus' centerpiece and main facility for scientific research.

He added that the dome on the lab building mirrors the past in that it has often been associated with scientific buildings.

Besides the dome components, the Charlotte-based firm is using copper roofs as well as brick from Murdock's brick plant in California.

Because the Core Lab is the first to go up, Creech and half of his 40-man firm have worked vigorously to complete designs on the project.

He said design work for the building began in November and continued through April.

"We are moving at a tremendous pace," he said. "We have a client that's driven and very interested in having buildings open."

Narmour Wright Creech has hired more than 80 specialty consultants to help with the massive project.

He said these firms are necessary because the campus includes a variety of buildings — labs, a theater, a hotel, a civic building and town homes.

Of the bunch, most notable is HERA Inc., a nationally known laboratory planning and design firm. HERA is designing the interior of all the science buildings.

Others include McCracken & Lopez, which is handling mechanical and electrical components, and LandDesign, a civil engineering firm.

It will take about five years until the campus is complete, but Narmour Wright Creech's designs are already visible.

The firm is responsible for the colorful renderings displayed at each campus function. When they are not being showcased on special occasions, they are displayed at the Cannon Village Visitors Center.

"Thus far, we have done preliminary work on more than 20 to 30 buildings."

And Creech said, "the project changes every day."

As seen on the renderings, he said in the end, the project will have a sense of softness and warmth. The mixed-use aspect, as well as the placement of greenery and walkways, will add to this sense.

"We see this as a legacy project," Creech said. "It's going to be an extremely desirable place to live work and play."

Contact Shamona McClary at 704-933-3450 or smcclary@salisburypost.com.