24 minute read
Specifiers’ Solutions
from Architectural Products - July/August 2021
by Buildings & Construction Group
CASE STUDY | Structural Metal
Building a Meaningful Connection With a Community
Steel building systems create a hotel and community space for cultural events, artist showcases, and forums on race and social issues in Oklahoma City.
CATEGORY:
» Structural Metal » Hospitality » Public & Cultural
COMPANY:
New Millennium Building Systems
PROJECT:
The Ellison Hotel
LOCATION:
Oklahoma City
DESIGN TEAM:
GSB, Inc. Architects & Planners
PRODUCT SPECS:
» Standard steel joists » Deep-Dek Composite 6.0 floor deck
» Versa-Dek 2.0
Composite floor deck » 1.5-inch type B roof deck » Standard composite floor deck www.newmill.com
PHOTO CREDIT:
Rendering: GSB, Inc. Architects & Planners; Photos: New Millennium Building Systems
CHALLENGE:
The Ellison Hotel in Oklahoma City is more than a place for guests to relax or do business for a few days. It’s also a space for the community to come together. Part of Marriot International’s line of Tribute Portfolio Hotels, The Ellison honors the legacy of author Ralph Ellison. The Oklahoma City native earned international acclaim with his book “Invisible Man,” a novel addressing social issues confronting African Americans in the early 20th century. Those themes will be explored further throughout the hotel.
A 75,000-square-foot boutique hotel, The Ellison features community spaces for showcasing local artists, hosting forums on race and social issues, and a library of local literature. It also includes a restaurant, 7,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and a rooftop pool and bar. The eclectic mix of uses required an equally eclectic combination of steel building systems to support the hotel’s various functions.
INFLUENCE:
Marriot’s Tribute Portfolio Hotels are designed to provide “spaces that bring people together and experiences that connect you to the surrounding community.” The design of the hotel facilitates its greater mission.
With a striking address at street elevation, the hotel cantilevers in an angled façade. The contemporary aesthetic captures the spirit of the unique series of hotels. The distinctive surface skins a progressive approach to the structural system as well. Steel building systems replace traditional wood framing and its inherent flaws. Composite design is less susceptible to damage caused by fire, water and insects. Dually, design in steel leads to larger spans with thinner floor plates without compromising acoustics.
SOLUTION:
New Millennium Building Systems supplied standard joists, standard composite deck, Deep-Dek Composite 6.0 floor deck, Versa-Dek 2.0 Composite floor deck and 1.5-inch type B roof deck for the project.
Specified for the six stories of guest rooms, the Deep-Dek panelized system assembles quickly, offers superior safety features and increases cost efficiency. The panelized system was assembled quickly and safely on the ground, then hoisted onto the steel beam frame. After all the deck panels are in place, the concrete pour can be completed to create the composite floor system.
The roof over the guest rooms features 1.5-inch type B roof deck on standard steel joists supported by the steel framing system.
The corridors feature Versa-Dek, a thin-slab composite that optimizes space.
For the rooftop lounge area, standard composite floor deck on steel beams is used for the swimming pool and adjacent terrace. The design of this area has extensive framing and concrete to address the substantial loads of a water-filled pool and hotel patrons.
Flooring Takes Training Center to the Next Level
The COPA Soccer Training Center was designed to analyze athletes from every angle to improve cognitive, physical and technical abilities.
CHALLENGE
Retrofitting a multipurpose athletic facility into a building constructed more than four decades ago can be extremely daunting. The design challenges were compounded by the fact that COPA (Comprehensive Objective Performance Assessment) required numerous types of surfaces to support a variety of fitness spaces in the 110,000-sq.-ft. facility.
INFLUENCE
AndyMcDermott, COPA’s director of culture, was tasked with overseeing many aspects of design and development of this state-of-the-art training center.
SOLUTION
McDermott chose Ecore for all surface installations in the training center except for polished concrete, which was preserved from the original building.
The Double SpeedCourt provides coaching and training on foundational running and movement techniques. PlyoTurf offers a durable, textured polyethylene wear layer, fusion bonded to a vulcanized composition rubber-base layer using patented its TRU Technology.
Ecore’s TurfX was used in multiple areas of the COPA training center, which offers 25,000 sq. ft. of futsal courts. Typically constructed from wood, COPA chose to use the more forgiving Bounce 2. This surface was also installed in the spin room and retail spaces.
Covering the indoor Turf Arena, A-Turf offers a high pile that is quick and highly playable. This multipurpose field has the softness of grass in an indoor setting. Speed & Agility Turf was installed in the weight room between the circuit and sports performance areas.
Used for the COPA’s outdoor track, Surface America EverTop was specified in the weightlifting area and COPA Kids SpeedZone, Ecore Monster flooring is both cushioning and sound absorbing. It was installed in five lifting rack areas with five lifting inlay platforms that seamlessly sport the COPA logo on the surface.
Ecore Rally was used in the Speed Lab, which was designed to teach and enhance running techniques and movement skills. Also specified in the cardio area and indoor track, Rally is tailored for heavy conditioning to absorb the impact force related to aggressive functional training.
The COPA shower area required a slip-resistant, waterproof surface. Aqueous checked all the boxes with flooring that is engineered with slip-resistant particles and a raised emboss for added stability.
COPA Soccer Training Center Walnut Creek, Calif.
Developer: Mark Hall
PRODUCT SPECS:
TurfX, Bounce 2, Monster, Rally, Aqueous, Frictional
Ecore www.ecoreintl.com
CIRCLE 331 ATHLETIC SUPPORT The COPA Soccer Training Center is a ground-breaking athletic performance center designed to take athletes to the next level. The Ecore surfaces that were specified for COPA will have a significant impact on the success of the athletes who train there.
Lambeau Leaps for Integrated Lighting Solution
Using disparate lighting control systems, Lambeau Field sought a solution from one single lighting platform.
CHALLENGE
In operation since 1957, Lambeau Field is one of the most legendary and longstanding sporting venues in the United States. The stadium underwent a significant renovation in 2001 and has added several upgrades and expansions since then. As a result of these two decades of changes, there were over 12 disparate lighting control systems from different manufacturers that were not fully integrated. This sparked the search for a single technology provider that could unify and standardize solutions into one ecosystem.
SOLUTION
Lambeau Field transitioned the vast majority of lighting in the stadium to Crestron, which now controls concourses, suites, club seats, event spaces, parking lots and façade lighting from a single platform. The stadium also implemented robust information security standards that Crestron built into the makeup of its solutions using Active Directory Credential Management, which integrates the authentication on a Crestron device with the stadium's enterprise-wide IT infrastructure. Through this monitoring, facilities personnel can proactively keep track of their system instead of having to react to situations, ensuring that on gameday, they know the system will work as intended.
“The decision to standardize on Crestron was an easy one,” said Anne Larson, facilities office coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. “It was evident that it could handle every aspect of the project, including meeting required IT security standards using Active Directory. We now have one vendor and one system that is easy to use and update.”
ONE-STOP SHOP The Crestron installation is a cohesive lighting automation system that allows stadium management to easily upgrade lighting preferences and closely monitor and control energy expenditures for the facility.
Lambeau Field Green Bay, Wisc.
PRODUCT SPECS:
Crestron Commercial Lighting Solutions
Crestron www.crestronlighting.com
CIRCLE 330
Wind-driven Wall Panels Create Welcoming Casino Entrance
At California’s Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, wind-driven, flapper-panel walls line the drive to the main entrance and greet guests with movement and illumination.
CHALLENGE
Owned by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the AAA Four Diamond resort and casino’s grand entry was envisioned by Lifescapes International. A landscape architectural firm specializing in destination resorts, Lifescapes’ concept included multiple freestanding columns of LED screens displaying changing visual patterns set in front of a dynamic curtain of flapper-panel walls.
SOLUTION
Revealed in September 2020 as part of Morongo’s renovation and expansion, the new, dramatic entry elements combine color, light, sound and motion. Helping bring this sensory experience to reality for Morongo Casino, EXTECH designed, engineered and fabricated the KINETICWALL system in collaboration with MediaWorks’ installation team.
These sculptural feature walls showcase more than 4,500 metal flappers within EXTECH/Exterior Technologies, Inc.’s KINETICWALL façade system. “Our KINETICWALL system responds to wind currents, creating the look of rolling waves across the flapperpanel wall system,” says Jim Leslie, EXTECH’s general manager. Each wall spans approximately 60 ft., ranges up to 15-ft. high and curves in two directions. Viewed from the side, the walls undulate from concave to convex, and across the top the heights rise and dip to accentuate the waveform.
Within the wall’s structural framework, more than 4,500 clear anodized, 6-in. × 6-in., aluminum flappers are horizontally suspended on a pin-mount system. EXTECH’s KINETICWALL Pin-Mount suspension system allows the flapper elements to seemingly float in front of the support rungs and side rails as a veil. Finished in black anodize, the framework fades into the background to emphasize the dynamic flappers and their movement.
The Pin-Mount system also helps save time and labor during the KINETICWALL system’s long lifespan. If repair or maintenance operations are necessary, the flappers can be removed and replaced without any specialized tools. After its useful life on the at Morongo Casino, the metal is 100% recyclable.
To ensure the specified longevity, appearance and performance, EXTECH engineered and fabricated the KINETICWALL wall system in its Pittsburgh factory. The flappers were mounted on their horizontal rungs and then preassembled into 40 sections for convenient shipping and easy installation.
RISE AND DIP Viewed from the side, the walls undulate from concave to convex, and across the top heights rise and dip to accentuate the waveform.
DYNAMIC CURTAIN The design concept included multiple free-standing columns of LED screens displaying changing visual patterns set in front of a dynamic curtain of flapperpanel walls.
Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa Cabazon, Calif.
Design Team: Lifescapes Intl.
PRODUCT SPECS:
KINETICWALL
EXTECH/Exterior Technologies, Inc. www.extechinc.com
CIRCLE 329
© Mark Kempf Photography courtesy of 3A Composites USA A MIRROR EFFECT The building reflects its riverfront location with a design that emulated the flow of water with undulating fins.
C.H. Robinson Office Chicago
Design Team: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
PRODUCT SPECS:
ALUCOBOND Plus ACM
3A Composites USA www.alucobondusa.com www.3acompositesusa.com
CIRCLE 328
PROJECT SPECS
Chicago Building Mirrors Surrounding Water
Undulating aluminum panel “fins” reflect water movement, reduce glare in energy-efficient riverfront office building.
CHALLENGE
The new Chicago flagship operation of logistics provider C.H. Robinson opened its doors to employees in August 2018 as the first anchor tenant in the new Lincoln Yards revitalization development near the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago.
Designed by the Chicago office of architecture and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the new four-story office building accommodates more than 1,000 employees of C.H. Robinson, a leading global third-party logistics provider. At 207,000 sq. ft., the new building is more than double the size of C.H. Robinson’s previous office space and features both above- and below-grade parking as well as a 5,000-sq.-ft. roof terrace.
INFLUENCE
“We were presented with a challenging and exciting opportunity that we tried to resolve with a sophisticated but simple design concept,” said Jorge Rovira, , associate, SOM architects. “They asked us to create a design that would integrate the building with the river and that could be built efficiently. We investigated a mix of high-performance building materials to achieve LEED certification. When we looked at the big picture for this design, we knew we wanted to bring light deep inside the space—while maximizing sustainability by controlling daylight—to create a better workplace. We introduced the idea of large ‘fins’ that would be shaped to reduce glare inside and offer an opportunity to reduce the window-to-wall ratio and incorporate more surface for insulation. Behind the fins, a well-proven unitized curtainwall would provide the enclosure.”
SOLUTION
This modern office building reflects its riverfront location with a design that emulates the flow of water with undulating fins fabricated from ALUCOBOND Plus aluminum composite material (ACM) by 3A Composites USA. The undulating fins were created with approximately 28,240 sq. ft. of 4mm ALUCOBOND Plus ACM in the Custom BMB Sunlight Silver Mica color. These fins would be designed with profiles that would move in and out from the building to meet changing glare control requirements, according to Rovira, who said the fins would also create the perception of long waves and reflect the movement of the river. “We wanted the brightness of silver and its reflection,” said Rovira. “When light hits the silver ALUCOBOND, it looks even brighter and almost gleams in the sun. As light hits the Chicago River, it bounces back so that you can see the river reflected on all floors of the building. The sparkling reflections and water movement are very beautiful.”
Texas Campus’ Traditional Palette Updated
CHALLENGE
The architects at SmithGroup, Dallas, recognized the significance of the STEM and business building for the University of Texas at Tyler campus and the need for a façade with a bold statement.
INFLUENCE
The building is a 140,000-sq.-ft., four-story facility for the university’s science, technology, engineering, math and business programs. It houses the Soules College of Business and has a 135-seat auditorium, classrooms, labs, faculty offices, dean’s suites and study areas.
The University of Texas at Tyler created plans to add a STEM and business building to its expanding campus to attract students from across the country. The original specification called for aluminum composite material (ACM) to match metal wall panels on the College of Pharmacy Building.
SOLUTION
Cost savings, design options and speed of installation were brought to the table by changing to Shadow Series wall panels from Dri-Design. Baker Triangle installed 44,990 sq. ft. of 0.80-in. Shadow Series panels in a Dark Bronze Mica color along with an Inspire wood grain pattern for the soffit. The Wood Grain print mimics the aesthetic of wood but with the durability of metal.
Shadow Series panels add depth and definition to any architectural design. Individual panels can be manufactured at varying depths to create texture or a dynamic variation in patterns while keeping the substrate and weather barrier in the same plane. All Dri-Design wall panels have true dry joints with no gaskets or sealants. The panels are single-skin and are not composites. They are available in any color, with Fluoropolymer-based paints for long-lasting finish durability. Finishers use a 100% air capture system to destroy the VOCs produced, so there is no adverse environmental impact.
The architect selected metal to accent the existing College of Pharmacy building, while also complementing the masonry buildings on campus. “Metal was used to create some of the most iconic moments of the building. The panels add texture and a subtle play of light and shadow to the façade, which are significant components of the overall design,” says Randall Daniel, design architect with SmithGroup.
TOWARD THE FUTURE The metal panels stand out on the traditional campus, reflecting the investment being made in students’ futures.
University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, Texas
Design Team: SmithGroup
PRODUCT SPECS:
Shadow Series Wall Panels
Dri-Design www.dri-design.com
CIRCLE 327
Ceilings Elevate Iconic Community Focal Point
The Edmonton Public Library celebrated the grand opening of its renewed Stanley A. Milner Library last September and will become a focal point for the community and culture in downtown Edmonton.
CHALLENGE
The new library not only reinvented its former boxshaped structure into a flowing, angular, modern icon, but also reimagined its interior as a brighter, quieter, more inviting and innovative public space.
INFLUENCE
Anchoring an emerging cultural district around Sir Winston Churchill Square, the Milner Library helps create a thriving and vibrant downtown Edmonton. Meeting the growing and changing needs of the Milner Library’s 1.2 million annual visitors, Teeple Architects reshaped the interior to better respond and connect with its community and customers.
The $84.5-million Milner Library expansion encompasses 230,000 sq. ft. At its center, a multi-story atrium ascends within the building’s stacked floorplates, interspersed with exterior window views, and interconnected by light and openness.
SOLUTION
Supporting Edmonton Public Library and Milner Library’s design goals, Teeple Architects selected Rockfon’s acoustic stone wool ceiling panels to contribute to the welcoming, comfortable, energyefficient space. Rockfon Artic, Cinema Black, Colorall and Tropic were specified to meet the aesthetic, functional and acoustical needs of each area. In total, QSI Interiors Ltd. installed more than 71,000 sq. ft. of Rockfon’s ceiling panels in the six-story library.
The revitalized Milner Library’s design optimizes acoustics, categorizing each functional space or zone by its acoustic goals and utilizing a Rockfon acoustic ceiling panel with the appropriate amount of sound absorption. Where high noise levels are expected or critical listening is required, the highest Noise Reduction Coefficient of NRC 0.90+ was specified. Where quiet concentration is needed or where a bit more excitement is desired, ceiling panels with NRC 0.80 performance are installed. In areas where less acoustic control is required, such as private rooms or circulation paths, lower performing panels of NRC 0.70 were used.
Helping manage noise and optimize acoustics to match each area’s function, Rockfon Tropic, Cinema Black, Color-All and Artic ceiling panels provide the necessary range of sound absorption throughout the project with NRCs of 0.75 to 0.95.
IN THE TROPICS The majority of the library’s acoustic ceiling systems feature Rockfon’s Tropic with a mid-range NRC of 0.85. A total of 52,192 sq. ft. of Tropic was installed on five of the six floors. These include the staff’s offices and amenities room, the server room and computer labs, and reading rooms.
Stanley A. Milner Library Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Design Team: Teeple Architects
PRODUCT SPECS:
Rockfon Tropic, Cinema Black, Color-All, Artic Ceiling Panels
Rockfon www.rockfon.com
CIRCLE 323
Budapest Hotel ‘Pulls Out Stops’ with Interior Design
The Marriott Hotel in Budapest wanted to wow guests as soon as they enter the establishment.
CHALLENGE
Budapest is a historic city with a unique culture, and some of the world’s most refined and exquisite architecture; it overflows with powerful visual statements, inspiring awe wherever one looks. In such an eclectic destination, globally renowned hotel group Marriott knew it would have to pull out all the stops to create a space which would wow guests and visitors as soon as they entered.
INFLUENCE
Working with Twenty2Degrees, the operator was keen to incorporate materials into the design which could perform as well as they looked. Further, the group has a robust sustainability strategy, so anything specified has to have low carbon credentials, embodying its aim to achieve Net Zero 2050.
SOLUTION
Recently, two of Sintered Stone brand Neolith’s most popular surfaces, Calacatta Polished and Iron Frost, were specified in the newly refurbished Marriott Hotel, Budapest.
Marriott Budapest’s Morning Room certainly lifts the spirit and senses. Central to this space is an expansive breakfast bar topped with cool, crisp and gleaming Neolith Calacatta Polished, which is also used to partially clad the base. In a room dedicated to dining, cleanliness and hygiene are a crucial factor.
Creating the perfect environment for doing business is a delicate balancing act. First, you need to establish a formal setting in which to work, yet also make the setting comfortable, welcoming and conducive to collaboration.
The overall interior design should not be too busy and make plenty of provision for natural daylight to maintain attention and motivation. In keeping with the rest of the hotel, Marriott decided less is definitely more for its main meeting room.
Dark wood paneling and muted gray walls are punctuated by two statement shelving units in Calacatta Polished, helping to create an all-business look. Central to this communal area is a white-tiled bar, which stands out against a varnished parquet floor. However, the most striking feature is a countertop specified in one of Neolith’s most interesting surfaces, Iron Frost, which combines shiny, metallic details on a sheer white background.
Marriott Budapest Budapest, Hungary
Design Team: Twenty2Degrees
PRODUCT SPECS:
Calacatta Polished Iron Frost
Neolith www.neolith.com
CIRCLE 326 THE NATURAL CHOICE Neolith’s inherent waterproof properties, scratch resistance and ability to be fitted with seamless joints meant it was a natural choice in a setting where food and drink were to be prepared, displayed and consumed on a daily basis.
CHALLENGE
Built in 1921, the Old Chicago Post Office was once the largest of its kind in the world, capable of handling 19 million pieces of mail each day. But after sitting vacant for nearly two decades, the historic building underwent the largest historic redevelopment in the nation in 2019 to serve as one of Chicago’s business hubs.
INFLUENCE
Tasked with specifying products for the extensive retrofit, Gensler wanted attractive, hygiene-friendly and sustainable building products throughout the building—and the restroom was no exception. Sloan products in each of the architectural icon’s restrooms spanning 13 floors and 2.5 million sq. ft.
From the minute guests enter the main lobby they are met with a beautiful golden bronze aesthetic— from gold turnstiles to gold mosaic tile and more— an aesthetic that has been a hallmark of the building since its inception in the 1920s. Gensler wanted that same design theme to carry over into the restroom as well, specifying Sloan’s Polished Brass special finish on all Optima EAF-275 Faucets and Sloan ESD2000 Soap Dispensers throughout the building. Luxurious and eye-catching with a touch of gold, Sloan’s Polished Brass delivers the golden bronze design that has become synonymous with the Old Post Office and extends it into the restroom to add an element of high design to the handwashing experience.
While the project was completed before the COVID19 pandemic, the Old Chicago Post Office wanted to provide users with a touch-free restroom environment. Royal 152 ESS (non-TMO) Flushometers— installed in the building’s office area for employees— and EAF-275 Faucets in the public restrooms deliver the hygienic benefits across all aspects of the iconic facility that tenants have come to expect in today’s commercial environment.
In addition to their hygienic benefits, each Sloan fixture also provides a water-saving element that contributes to the Old Post Office achieving both LEED Gold and WELL building certification.
SCRUB TIME Sloan’s sensor-operated faucets help conserve water with programmed shut-offs during the scrubbing portion of the handwashing process, which is 20 seconds as per CDC guidelines.
Old Chicago Post Office
Design Team: Gensler
PRODUCT SPECS:
Optima EAF-275 Faucets, ESD-2000 Soap Dispensers, Royal 152 ESS (non-TMO) Flushometers
Sloan www.sloan.com
CIRCLE 325
© hortonphotoinc.com
First Federal Bank of Florida Wildlight, Fla.
Design Team: Dasher Hurst Architects
PRODUCT SPECS: Snap-Clad Panels
Petersen, a Carlisle Company www.pac-clad.com
CIRCLE 324 RIGHT AT HOME With the bank now open, it has become right at home in a community being developed on the principles of friendliness and neighborliness.
Bank Helps Planned Development Build Community Ties
A new branch for First Federal Bank of Florida puts an industrial twist on basic gabled designs to create a quirky, inviting building that is highlighted with standing-seam metal panels used for both the roof and walls.
CHALLENGE
Developers of the new 2,900-acre community of Wildlight in northeast Florida, about 20 miles north of Jacksonville, are emphasizing historic styles for buyers’ homes and townhomes. The new bank branch is sited within the community’s burgeoning village center, which also includes a supermarket along with a number of restaurants and retailers.
INFLUENCE
Designers with the Jacksonville office of Dasher Hurst Architects were given a few guidelines from the community, which included emphasizing walkability and bike-friendliness in the commercial area, according to firm principal Tom Hurst, . These included siting the building close to the front property line. Elements like front porches that spur personal interactions and provide some relief from the Florida sun also are encouraged.
However, Hurst says First Federal gave his team a pretty open hand when it came to their own corporate requirements, since they didn’t have their own prototype style for local branches, and were hoping for something a bit more modern than previous facilities. “It was important to them that the architecture fit into the new neighborhood, which included other commercial buildings with a decidedly ‘industrial’ aesthetic,” he says, adding that there was a bit of tension to also ensure ‘industrial’ didn’t equate to unwelcoming.
SOLUTION
The most dramatic element in that palette are the standing-seam panels, which run vertically up the top half of the walls and gable ends and continue up the roof in an effort to accentuate the gabled volume, Hurst says. “We wanted the building to feel like a solid, extruded object, rather than separate walls and roof—to achieve this, we needed a material that would work equally well for both,” he says. “Standing-seam metal is one of the few materials that fit this situation. The dark color was selected to create a strong visual anchor to the building and to complement the other lighter and warmer materials.”
The architects turned to Petersen and its Snap-Clad panels in their specifications, with a total of 5,000 sq. ft. of 24-gauge panels in the company’s Graphite finish used in the project.
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