1st Place, Exterior
Located 19 miles from downtown Kansas City, Mo., this gaming facility opened in 1996 on a manmade pond adjacent to the Missouri River waterfront. A new owner acquired the floating riverboat-style gaming facility in 2020 and decided to invest $40 million to undertake a dramatic transformation of the existing property. The site is located at Kansas City’s northern gateway and is overlooked by the city’s iconic Christopher Bond Bridge. The site is bordered on the west by the large-scale redevelopment of waterfront parcels that are transforming former industrial uses into a live-work-play destination and to the east by utility infrastructure and industrial uses.
JCJ Architecture was retained to change the visual appearance of the property—to design an expansion/addition of a new land-based commercial center with a river-facing entrance, as well as provide a much-needed transformation of the existing casino boat exterior.
PHOTOS: Matthew Anderson Photography unless otherwise noted
The design team was faced with several challenges:
- How to rebrand an orange casino steamboat the size of a football field—and more than 65-feet tall.
- How to connect the new land-based commercial center addition to a building floating on a barge in a moat fluctuating up to 12 inches in elevation.
- How to phase this complex project while the existing floating casino remained fully operational.
Inspired by Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s large-scale fabric-wrapped installations, the design concept involved concealing the riverboat. While the artists’ works are temporary, this project opted for a permanent transformation. The design team employed a polytetrafluoroethylene- (PTFE-) coated fiberglass membrane to conceal the boat and use as a blank canvas. The designers chose this material for its lightweight properties and easy maintenance, particularly facing the moat.
Moreover, the translucent nature of PTFE allows 40 percent of visual light transmission, enabling the canvas to be illuminated and transformed throughout the year. This feature would facilitate the expression of specific events and community themes relevant to Kansas City, enhancing the property’s dynamic presence and connection to the local culture.
The centerpiece of the project’s evolution is the new land-based commercial center expansion with an architectural expression that pays tribute to Kansas City’s history of embracing bold form-making. Drawing inspiration from the Christopher Bond Bridge, the entry façade artfully interprets and adapts these forms into audacious triangular flares that create a bold and memorable structural expression.
Integrating advanced programmable technology, the now artfully wrapped floating casino contributes significantly to the cityscape. Spanning an expansive façade of 300 feet by 65 feet, the lighting system can change colors to mark seasonal changes or celebrate events, such as breast cancer awareness, or victories by local sports teams, like the Chiefs and Royals. This design update not only enhances the property’s entrance but also strengthens its connection to Kansas City’s vibrant downtown.
I think the challenges for the design on this project were impressive. This façade by the river is beautiful.
Samantha Scimé, AIA, NCARB, architect, social media marketing director, KMF Architects
Retrofit Team
Architect and Interior Designer: JCJ Architecture
General Contractor: Whiting-Turner
Structural Engineer: Reigstad
Fire and Life Safety Engineer: Terp Consulting
Specification Consultant: Spec Consultants LLC
MEP Engineer: G2 Consulting Engineers Inc.
Materials
PTFE Fabric: Saint-Gobain
Corrugated Metal Panels: Berridge
ACM Panels: Alfrex
Curtainwall: YKK AP