Gaines Group Blog

27. Kennedy Space Center #105architecturalinspiration

It is an impressive facility and the scale is hard to fathom until you get there. The challenge that was accepted shows that a country that comes together can do anything. This facility is beyond inspirational.

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” ~ John F. Kennedy

The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA facility that has been used to launch every NASA human space flight. It was built to accommodate the Saturn V, the largest and most powerful operational launch vehicle in history for the Apollo moon landing program. Located on Merritt Island, Florida near Daytona Beach, this facility has hosted 24 successful shuttle flights.

The Vehicle Assembly Building is the tallest one-story building in the world at 526′ tall. The building has 125 ventilators on the roof supported by 4 large air handlers. The interior volume of the building is so big, it actually has its own weather patterns inside.

The transporter runs on 8′ deep concrete and Alabama stone roads that are equal in size to 8 lanes of interstate. The launch pads are being modernized for the future space program. They have highly sophisticated systems to funnel water and fire to safe areas during launches.

If you want to be inspired by what determination and design can achieve, visit this facility. If we ever come back together as a nation, we will be able to move mountains, solve all the issues we face, and overcome any obstacles along the way.

#105architecturalinspirations is a collection of architectural details, buildings, and spaces that inspire me. I am taking on the challenge of finding two projects to spotlight each week in 2015. Hopefully I will be able to keep up and this process of discovery will push me to create better design solutions for my clients as I research and learn more about those projects I enjoy most. I challenge you to add your comments below about this project and to post your own inspirations for all to enjoy.  Full List of previous #105architecturalinspiration posts 1 – 20. First 20 architectural inspirations here 21. Michael Graves 22. St. Augustine 23. Guggenheim Museum24. Ocho House 25. Bjarke Ingels 26. WG Clark 27. John F. Kennedy Space Center 28. Akademie Mont-Cenis