Readiness Center Addition and Renovation

Co-architects, Boer Architects and Bailey Edward, have come together as architect-of-record and design architect, respectively, to create a new and refreshed Readiness Center for the State of Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs. Authorized to almost double the existing footprint to 53,085 sf, the nearly fifty-year old facility had a restrictive structural system making re-purposing challenging. Non-compliant anti-terrorism/force protection (AT/FP) setbacks, settlement issues at portions of the building, and wetlands preservation were addressed to ensure the Appleton Readiness Center is a renewed symbol of Wisconsin’s storied citizen-soldier. 

Through an integrative design charrette, key priorities came to light: pride in the soldier, an integrated ‘red arrow’ historic symbolism alongside functional and efficient operations complemented by natural light and views. Taking center stage, the Red Arrow Brigade is honored by a transformative vaulting red roof whose clerestory opens the interior to the outdoors. History continues to parade around and within the building with historic displays of stonework, stories, and moments of pride throughout the public areas. 

The design created a new identity, improved AT / FP measures, and protected the delicate wetlands, allowing the National Guard to better serve its mission of recruitment and retention while honoring the soldier. 

History & Iconography

Through an integrative design charette and collaboration with organization historians, Bailey Edward worked closely with the National Guard to understand its history and iconography to create a design reflecting their values, past, and mission. With more than 3,400 Soldiers and units based in 36 Wisconsin communities, the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) is the largest unit in the Wisconsin Army National Guard. Brigade combat teams are the basic deployable combat maneuver units in the U.S. Army today. The 32nd IBCT resembles a small-scale combat division, with infantry, cavalry, field artillery, and special troops units for intelligence, signal, military police, and combat engineers. 

This unit traces its lineage back to the Iron Brigade of the Civil War, and took part in the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II, the Berlin Crisis and the Global War on Terror.  Formed in 1967 from the inactivated 32nd Infantry Division, the Red Arrow Brigade adopted the 32nd’s shoulder patch, a line shot through with a red arrow.  The symbol originated in the division’s tenacity in piercing German lines during World War I, and still reflects the soldiers’ determination, dedication, and desire to protect the country’s freedom. 

Through both the exterior and interior design, the Red Arrow iconography directs attention in the entry and hallway to the storied history of the Red Arrow Brigade from World War I through present-day conflicts in Iraq and Ukraine. Photographs and murals on the main corridor walls convey the battalion’s history, and carved stones from the 1904 Collage Avenue armory are displayed beneath glass under the entryway floor. A custom-designed and lighted photo of the unit in formation from 1897 is displayed in the hallway leading to the drill floor. 

Sustainability

Per both the State of Wisconsin and Bailey Edward’s standards, the Wisconsin National Guard Readiness Center is designed to meet an equivalency of LEED Silver. By utilizing a solid wood timber construction made up of cross-laminated timber roof deck and glu-laminated wood beams, the building’s construction minimizes its carbon impact. Reclaimed wood was also used at the main lobby to bring the exposed wood feature to the floor.