Omaha police precinct recognized for design excellence

LEO A DALY design for the City of Omaha Police Department’s West Precinct has been named the recipient of the Architecture Citation Award in the 2022 AIA Nebraska Excellence in Design Awards. The annual award program recognizes outstanding architecture in Nebraska. 

“This award validates a design approach that places the human experience at the very center. Our design for the new Omaha Police Department precinct attends to the physical safety of officers while maintaining a welcoming civic expression to the community. This duality guided every element of the design, from its expressive shape and warm materials to the many layers of security that help keep officers safe. We’re proud to be recognized,” said Chris Johnson, AIA, managing principal of the Omaha studio.  

The Omaha Police Department’s philosophy of community policing drove the design of its new West Precinct, a facility that exudes warmth and invites civic engagement while remaining secure and functional. The building is divided into two functional zones– an extroverted public face, and a more introverted secure zone – differentiated through material choices and forms. Surfaces oriented towards the street express transparency and cooperation, core ideals of community policing. Ribbons of wood sweep grandly from exterior to interior, guiding members of the public to a service desk, community meeting room, and workstations. An outdoor pocket-park doubles as a security feature, integrating protective barriers, benches, site walls and shade trees.   

Jury members commented: “This project has a very strong civic identity. The subdued palette of glass, brick, metal and wood are nicely detailed and work together to create both a sense of hospitality and of security.”