Architects show updated AJ Farm event center design with indoor-outdoor layout and expanded parking

Architects from Shape Architecture presented updated designs for an event center at the AJ Farm during the Gladstone City Council meeting, describing a vaulted, light-filled “great hall” intended for weddings and other gatherings and a south patio that opens to the property’s eastern landscape.

The architects said the design centers the new building on the existing barn site, emphasizes an indoor‑outdoor connection to the east, and groups service spaces—kitchen, storage, restrooms, and administrative office—toward the north and west to keep event space uncluttered. They told council members the main hall is flexible and was designed to accommodate more than 200 people, with a bridal suite and groom’s room tucked off the event floor and tri‑folding doors linking the hall to the patio.

Why it matters: council and staff have been planning the AJ Farm event center as a municipal project that will host public and private events; the layout, material palette and circulation details shown to the council shape future construction, operational needs and maintenance costs.

Key elements and supporting details presented - Orientation and site: The architects said they located the new center on the footprint of the existing barn, oriented to face the meadow and the eastern yard so the entry sequence and “bridal aisle” appear from the approach. - Event capacity and layout: The main space was described as a voluminous “great hall” with high ceilings and exposed post-and-beam structure; presenters said it could be arranged in multiple seating configurations and would accommodate more than 200 occupants in many layouts. - Back-of-house program: Designers identified a catering kitchen at the north end, a public bar/buffet area, a groom’s room, a bridal suite, janitorial and storage spaces, and an administrative office. Restrooms are positioned near the bride and groom suites for close access. - Indoor-outdoor connection: A south patio and an east‑facing patio were shown to create seamless circulation to the lawn and tree‑lined meadow; presenters described tri‑folding doors and shaded porch areas to reduce solar heat gain on glass walls facing south. - Materials and character: The team proposed an industrial‑barn palette—exposed concrete floors, warm wood tones, black metal accents and simple white tile—intended to be durable and photogenic for event photography. - Site and utilities: Presenters said the building is proposed slightly raised from existing grade so it reads from the road rather than feeling sunk; they also noted an overflow parking area to the west and described the ability to run electrical service eastward to support future outdoor lighting or a ceremony pad if desired.

Questions raised and responses - HVAC and cooling: Council members asked about HVAC routing and cooling for large events; presenters said they planned high return ducts and ceiling fans for air circulation and would locate mechanicals so they do not intrude on the visual volume of the hall. - Outdoor ceremony space and power: Several council members asked whether a dedicated ceremony pad could be added in the east yard; architects said the existing east patio is generous and a future ceremony pad is achievable and would be easier to install if power were placed during initial concrete work. - Bar and finishes: Council discussion clarified that the bar is designed as a flexible, primarily counter-based serving area with under-counter storage rather than permanent shelving for displayed liquor; the architects said the floor would be burnished concrete, not tile, and described options for backlighting a metal‑mesh bar face to reference the property’s agricultural character.

What the presentation did not include - Final construction cost estimates, a construction schedule, or a formal funding request were not provided during the presentation. The architects said the design was “not fully baked” and that further detail would follow as the project progresses.

Next steps and follow-up The architects invited additional questions through the city’s project contacts (John or Bob) and offered to return with further refinements. Council members asked staff to continue to consider accessible circulation, parking capacity and power provision if outdoor ceremony infrastructure is added later.

Ending: The presentation concluded with the architects offering to return with updated materials and the council indicating general support for continuing design development.