▲
PROJECT
windows
A square, metal-clad terminal prototype design uses a Tubelite curtainwall to set apart a suburban-Chicago Audi dealership. Photo credit: Leopardo Companies
Developed as a modular system, the facility’s structural and spatial concept is flexible and scalable and features a customer-service center. Photo credit: Leopardo Companies
Curtainwall Encases Auto Showroom Aluminum-and-glass front is an integral part of a new modular system for Audi dealerships.
T
he Audi Hoffman Estates facility, Hoffman Estates, IL, showcases Walk-
mance, reducing the need for steel reinforcement. “Tubelite helped engineer the cur-
er, MI-based Tubelite’s 400-series curtainwall, an exterior that reflects the
tainwall, letting us know what size steel reinforcement was needed,” noted Eric Mar-
efficiency, performance, luxury, and environmental themes of its vehicles.
tinson, project manager with Northern Glass. “They also helped with some very
The $9 million, 47,000-sq.-ft. facility is one of the fi rst in the Midwest to feature a square, metal-clad terminal prototype design by Munich-based Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten.
difficult bends, located in the opposite top and bottom corners.” The aluminum used to produce the curtainwall is extruded by Tubelite using EcoLuminum, a high-recycled-content aluminum billet with eco-friendly finishes.
In 1990, Audi Hoffman Estates became the first exclusive, stand-alone Audi dealer-
Enhancing the project’s environmental attributes, longevity, and metallic appear-
ship in the United States. In 2013, it also became one of the first dealerships in the U.S.
ance, the aluminum framing was finished by Linetec, Wausau, WI, using clear anod-
to use Allmann Sattler Wappner’s design. The Dobbins Group’s Chicago-based archi-
izing that contains no volatile organic compounds.
tectural team helped the Illinois dealership move the prototype from concept to reality.
Because anodizing is an integral part of the substrate, it delivers excellent wear and
The design gives Audi a new identity throughout the world. It also increases deal-
abrasion resistance with minimal maintenance, and meets or exceeds all AAMA 611
ers’ space to showcase a growing range of cars. Developed as a modular system, the
specifications. The eco-friendly etch process creates an aesthetically appealing frosty
facility’s structural and spatial concept is flexible and scalable.
matte appearance that helps hide small imperfections, such as die lines, flow lines,
The Hoffman Estates dealership features a 12-car showroom, service workshop,
minor corrosion, and scratches that may occur on the surface. “It’s got a lot of metal
and customer-service center. “It’s a very unique look,” observed Brian Hall, Audi
on the exterior for a very specific look,” added Hall. “Everyone seems to love it. …
Hoffman Estates’ general manager.
and as for customers, they are all very impressed.” CBP
Well suited to the precise design, scale, and metallic aesthetic of the Audi facility, Tubelite’s 400-series curtainwall is engineered for low- and mid-rise applications. Leopardo Companies Inc., Hoffman Estates, served as the project’s general contractor. Glazing contractor Northern Glass Inc., Elk Grove Village, IL, specified and installed the curtainwall system on time and within budget. The curtainwall provides 2 1/2-in. sightlines and the strength of 8-in.-deep backmembers with an overall 10-in. system depth. Every other vertical was butt-glazed.
DATA CACHE Want more information? The resources below are linked in our digital magazine at cbpmagazine.com/digital/oct2014.
Circle 7 on the Reader Service Card.
Low-e insulating glass reduces solar heat gain in the summer and heat loss in win-
Download information on Tubelite’s curtainwall.
ter, important in the Chicago climate. An exterior screw-applied pressure bar se-
Download specifications for the Series 400.
cures the glass.
Download additional technical data.
The curtainwall’s durable framework provides exceptional structural perfor42
COMMERCI A L BUIL DING P RODUC T S
OCTOBER 2014
www.cbpmagazine.com
