Cummins Engine Company Corporate Headquarters, Columbus, Indiana

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Authors
Thompson, Kevin E.
Advisor
Palmer, Alvin E., 1935-
Issue Date
1980
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (B. Arch.)
Department
College of Architecture and Planning
Other Identifiers
Abstract

IT IS IN THE EXPERIENCES OF TODAY... THAT WE LEARN TO COPE WITH THE CHALLENGES OF TOMORROW. And what an experience the last year has been! Columbus, Indiana being my hometown, I am quite familiar with the Cummins Engine Company and their commitment to excellence not only in the manufacture of the company's product-diesel engines, but also in their desire to make Columbus the very best community of its size in this country for its employees to live and work in. I chose as an exciting thesis challenge to design a new corporate headquarters for Cummins. The actual design for such a facility is currently in the hands of the firm--Kevin Roche/ John Dinkeloo and Associates of Hamden, Connecticut. This same firm also designed two existing buildings, a bank and a post office, adjacent to the headquarters site. The site chosen by Cummins consists of two parcels of land each three blocks long, located in downtown Columbus. One three block area will be used for the creation of the actual headquarters and a proposed downtown park; the other for corporate employees parking. It was hoped by company officials that placing the headquarters in the downtown area would further revitalize habits of downtown use by employees--including living, shopping and eating. One of the design criterias for the new building includes incorporation of an existing building--an old cereal mill--into the final design solution. The mill, being saved for nostalgic reasons, was part of an original complex of machine shops used to put together the first Cummins diesels. In order to maintain the scale of the other downtown buildings, the design program called for a low rise office structure with approximately 200,000 + square feet. The building will accommodate 1,000 full time employees. Mainly the company's top executives and their support staffs. A design decision was made to make use of an open plan office system providing enclosed offices for the company's top executives only (Vice President level and up). Energy conservation was a key issue. An effort was made to provide natural light and views of the outside for employees in the open office area and cafeteria while at the same time providing measures to guard against solar glare and heat build-up. Use of the giant atrium as a passive heat recycling source was also planned. In addition to providing for office needs, the building contains several corporate support. functions including a museum, auditorium, cafeteria/private dining, and an indoor recreation center. A special effort was made in developing the landscape for the site into a small downtown park/plaza area for outdoor recreation and as a place for providing a psychological break from the office. In addition to allowing for public use of the park, a provision was made in the program for possible night time use by the public of the auditorium, museum and cafeteria areas for special meetings, receptions or performances. I believe the final design solution definitely helps to establish a strong corporate image for Cummins. For in dealing with a company that is the world's largest independent manufacturer of diesel engines, the emphasis lies not only on the national and international market experiences of today, but also on the challenges which yet await us all tomorrow.