Madison Gas and Electric Co. East Campus Substation Screen Wall, Madison, Wis.

The East Campus Substation has delivered power to the University of Wisconsin and downtown Madison for more than 30 years.

The substation began to draw ridicule as an eyesore because of the completion of a pedestrian underpass to the east, volleyball and soccer fields to the north and the Kohl Center sports arena, which has the capacity for 17,200 people. The substation is also located near three dormitories that house more than 1,200 students, many of whom pass the site every day.

The suggestion was made that Madison Gas and Electric Co., the substation owner, conceal the facility because of the influx of pedestrians.

Hiding a Substation

Moving the substation was neither practical nor economical because it is a critical piece of infrastructure. A two-component solution was proposed.

A 10-ft.-tall concrete wall with 4-ft.-deep foundation was installed at the property line on the north, west and southwest sides to hide the vehicles and equipment in the yard.
The structure is composed of 284 cu. yds. of concrete, including the below-grade portion.

Also, a system of 1/8-in.-thick nonmagnetic, stainless steel perforated panels was placed close to the 34-ft.-tall substation grid. The transparent panels act as a veil giving visual mass to the substation while still expressing its function.

The custom-designed and -fabricated system comprises 138 4-by-12-ft. panels and three 2-by-12-ft. panels.

The panels are down lit to illuminate the substation yard. To deter vandalism, the concrete wall is splayed to create light coves with lamps washing the wall horizontally.
This eliminates the need for lights on the grounding shining up, a method that is undesirable for the standpoint of maintenance and light pollution. The lighting conforms with the Dark Sky Initiative and university's concern for light pollution.

On game nights at the Kohl Center, the screen wall is illuminated in the University of Wisconsin's Badger red with a flying white W.

Electricity Presents Hazard

Designing and building around high voltage was a top concern.

The design team and owner worked together for more than a year to place architectural elements and make subtle shifts to avoid below-grade transmission and service lines. The solution often came within minimum distances allowable by either the owner or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The use of unconventional materials, like the stainless-steel panels, was facilitated by the builder's and steel fabricator's involvement during design. This included providing technical advice on the means of construction and mock-ups of elements of the project as well.

The stainless steel screen wall and 34-ft.-tall, 24-ft.-long concrete wall on the east side are cantilevered out of the ground and achieve their stability from 4-ft.-dia., 20-ft.-deep concrete caissons delicately placed to avoid transmission lines, vaults and duct banks.

Further complicating subsurface work, the substation is sited on an abandoned rail yard with the foundations of a locomotive turntable hidden below grade, the location of which could only be guessed at.

After the foundations were complete, the hazards of high voltage were still present overhead.

Galvanized steel flange beams serve as the primary load-bearing and wind-resisting structural elements. These 34-ft.-tall members were carefully placed, in some cases within 16 ft. of the active substation grid. Next came placement of beams spanning the columns from which were hung horizontal channel girts that serve as the means to affix the stainless steel panels.

The final major element was the 34-ft.-tall concrete feature wall. It was cast in a single pour with custom-made forms to eliminate construction joints.

The jury said, "We wish they would do these screen walls everywhere. It's a very nice solution."

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