This greenfield data center is situated on a 42-acre campus centrally located within the SH 190/Campbell Mixed Use Center in Garland, Texas. The client is a subsidiary of an international telecommunications giant that commissioned the technologically advanced mega-scale 1M sf data center as part of a global project to achieve a network of comparable world-class, cost-efficient centers.
Although RagingWire has in-house design and construction teams, they lacked sufficient resources to design the planned facility in North Texas. Their collaboration with Page as design partner resulted in an innovative hybrid project delivery model since the client/owner participated in the process and served as construction general contractor. The facility was designed to be as attractive as it is efficient to serve as a showcase model for media, investors and other stakeholders. The design is fully integrated with RagingWire's brand identity.
The Master Plan included five buildings at 16 MW IT load each for a total 80MW IT load. Each data center was designed to be developed and built in phases allowing for expansion to be constructed with minimal interruption to prior phases. The first building phase construction includes site improvements, the first 16 MW, and an integrated two-story office. Each 16 MW white space consists of approximately 126,000 square feet of raised floor area subdivided into 1MW Vaults within a roughly 201,000 square foot total data center building shell. The LEED-certified project is located in "Tornado Alley" so the building is designed to withstand an EF3 tornado moving at speeds up to 165 mph.
The more public-facing office is a unique component of the program and allowed the Page team to integrate not only workplace strategy but also the company's identity into the design. The building is a two-story, approximately 40,000 square-foot glass and steel frame structure that houses offices for both RagingWire Data Center operations and client use. The design allows the co-existence of the high security purpose of the facility and a welcoming workplace. All RagingWire facilities incorporate elements of the culture and or geography of their locations.
For this Texas facility, the design team chose to work with the idea of a cloud and focused on the bringing this clearly into the lobby. Visitors enter through the vault of the secure space into the open lobby, which is a soaring space flooded with natural light from above. A cylindrical volume of yellow fritted glass clads the elevator and is the centerpiece of the room. The delicate custom light fixture hanging from the ceiling and details throughout the office space reinforce the idea of a cloud. Amenities such a community conference room, a lounge, break room, fitness center, and hotel-like rooms all represent workplace strategies expected in today's tech industry. The design easily weaves a series of private and semi-public spaces of varying size and accessible by controlled levels of security enhancing the identity of the company and its mission.
