IAA was hired by Kansas City, MO in a joint venture with fellow architects, HNTB and BNIM, to expand its downtown convention center. The new facility was to be attached to the existing conference center, an iconic structure. The program included a 45,000 sq. ft. ballroom surrounded by 15,000 sq. ft. of lobby space, meeting areas, two catering kitchens and loading docks.
IAA’s primary role was the design and documentation of the ballroom and lobby spaces. The design provides maximum flexibility, as the ballroom can be divided into three smaller meeting rooms, or opened up to include the large, south lobby. The ballroom makes use of several sustainable lighting technologies including LED, adaptive day lighting and computer-controlled color filters that allow the mood of the space to subtly shift during an event. Bartle Hall's expanded facilities give Kansas City a competitive edge in attracting visitors to its revitalized urban core.
