Two Ghafari projects were honored at the Association of Licensed Architects’ (ALA) 2022 Design Awards. The WACO Aircraft Corporation facility expansion and the Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant addition and remodel both received Merit awards at the ALA’s awards program on November 18. Learn more about these award-winning projects below and check out the full list of winners here.
WACO Aircraft Corporation Facility Expansion
WACO Aircraft Corporation, the world’s leading manufacturer of sport biplanes, was looking to expand their operations and provide a more modern, comfortable fixed-base operator (FBO) for their private aviation clientele in Battle Creek, Michigan. This addition became necessary in order to support a new aircraft and product line.
Our team designed an 80,000 SF expansion to their existing space, which includes two new large service hangars with “vintage look” facades, a fabrication shop, engine assembly shop, restaurant, FBO, and engineering office space to accommodate for future growth. Our design also provides a graphic wall depicting their engineering drawings, visible as customers enter from the street side and make their way up to the restaurant.
Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant Addition + Remodel
Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant, a long-time staple located on Lake Macatawa in Holland, Michigan, was in need of a refresh in order to attract customers and keep up with the demand for larger event spaces in the area. The owners engaged Ghafari to design its renovation and expansion.
The property features a restaurant, event center, banquet hall, conference room, and bride’s room. We designed a building addition to extend the bar, and renovations to the entry, bar, and dining rooms. Outside, we introduced a new sun canopy and patio, including a new tensile patio roof structure that will serve as a beacon to those on the lake.
The newly renovated banquet space can hold events for up to 300 people. Our material selections pay tribute to the boat building factories that once lined Lake Macatawa’s shores. In the restaurant, a concrete block wall is painted to evoke an abstract representation of beachy earth tones found in the area. The exterior evokes a “boat house” feel, and the bar is highlighted with pops of red, serving as a nod to Holland’s signature red lighthouse.
