The building addition was designed to seamlessly blend with the existing medical office building, constructed circa 2009, utilizing consistent construction, details and exterior finishes. To the public, the composite building now appears to have been constructed in a single project, an important design and project objective.
The building is primarily wood-framed, except for the wall between the two building phases, which is constructed of masonry to satisfy fire code requirements. Except for the use of a common foundation at the interface between the new addition and the existing building, the two phases of the building are structurally independent. Because the two building phases are structurally independent, the structural design of the addition included a seismic separation between the existing building and the new addition to prevent “pounding” during an earthquake.
See the article featured in The Daily Journal of Commerce here:
http://djcoregon.com/news/2012/05/18/vancouver-dentist-office-expands/
