Construction is underway on a new gymnasium for Hansen School District 415 in Hansen, Idaho.
Dome Technology was contracted to build the auxiliary gym, a $1 million structure located outside Twin Falls, Idaho, on the District 415 campus. The dome gym will feature a roof 120 feet in diameter built upon a 14-foot insulated-concrete-form stem wall. Total square footage is 11,310.
According to superintendent David Carson, the new gymnasium will make it easier for students and locals to schedule practice time and community events. “We were able to get a good facility at the price point we were looking at,” Carson said. “This will be used as a community center as well. Anytime you can have a second gym, it helps in a lot of ways.”
Construction began Sept. 4, and completion is set for early 2019. Features will include a regulation basketball court, an exercise room, a walking track, ADA-compliant bathrooms and locker rooms.
District officials expect lower utility costs with the dome versus traditional construction, Carson said. According to Dome Technology sales manager Daren Wheeler, the gym will not need to be conditioned because the dome’s concrete shell will absorb the energy during the day and discharge it back into the building during the night.
According to Dome Technology, the dome’s indefinite lifespan makes it a wise investment for the long term.
“It’s highly sustainable in that it’s never going to have to be replaced as far as the building envelope goes,” Wheeler said, adding that when complete, the gymnasium will significantly exceed current building codes for seismic and wind loading.
