exteriors
PROJECT
The Holiday Inn on the campus of the Cleveland Clinic uses SlenderWall panels that combine multiple building elements into a single system at a lighter weight than traditional precast panels. Photo ©Terry Wieckert
Alternative-Cladding Value Is More Than Skin Deep Precast panels in a lighter-weight assembly are winning converts.
A
rchitectural precast panels have been a go-to
The need for nearby lodging to serve those visitors be-
requirements–as architects for several other recent proj-
cladding material for decades in the hospital-
came obvious when the clinic chose to demolish a former
ects on the campus, they were very familiar with their
ity industry. With their design versatility and
guesthouse to make way for a new medical-education
client’s fit-and-finish priorities.
modularity, the panels offer advantages for architects and
complex.
“White everything,” is the shorthand Dave Kaplan,
contractors. However, precast also can pose some chal-
The local firm of Kaczmar Architects Inc. (KAI) land-
project manager for work on the hotel’s exterior façade
lenges–notably in its weight. SlenderWall, from Easi-Set
ed the design contract for the 276-room hotel, operated
and detailing, used to describe the guidelines. He added
Worldwide, Midland, VA, is an alternative that incor-
under the Holiday Inn brand, that was intended to take
that modernist touches, such as incorporating glass cur-
porates precast design flexibility into a lighter-weight as-
the place of the guesthouse. The firm’s first task was ensur-
tainwall and wood interior-trim detailing, could be used.
sembly that also includes a vapor barrier, insulation, and
ing its plans meshed with Cleveland Clinic’s well-defined
“They have a very simple color palette that we have to
interior-framing studs. The product’s installation advan-
architectural guidelines. KAI was not a newcomer to the
adhere to.”
tages are winning new converts among hotel developers,
KAI architects have used traditional architectural pre-
including the team behind the recently
cast panels as exterior cladding for other
completed Holiday Inn located on the
hospitality projects, as well as other proj-
campus of Cleveland Clinic in Cleve-
ects on the clinic’s grounds. Initially,
land, OH.
Kaplan and his team focused on tradi-
Cleveland Clinic is a world-class
tional material for the nine-story hotel.
research and clinical-care institu-
When the building team, which also
tion, with more than 40 buildings
included contractor Walsh Construc-
(including a hospital with more
tion, Chicago, began pricing installa-
than 1,400 beds) across its 165-
tion, including the large cranes re-
acre grounds. Patients and their families come to the facility from across the United States and around the world for treatment. 28
COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE
JAN/FEB 2017
quired to lift the precast panels to SlenderWall is a precast-panel alternative that incorporates precast design flexibility into a lighter-weight assembly that also includes a vapor barrier, insulation, and interior-framing studs.
commercialarchitecturemagazine.com
eight-story heights, it became clear an alternative solution was needed. Representatives
from
Walsh
