Strongwell’s products were used by Plas-Tech Ltd., a Honolulu, Hawaii fabricator, for an architectural trellis overlooking Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii. The trellis sits on top of the Waikiki Shopping Plaza located at the center of the city on world-famous Kalakaua Avenue. The retail center is home to over 50 tenants including national brands GUESS and LeSportSac and also a number of local favorites such as Local Motion, Ukulele House, and Higgins Harte International Galleries.
MGA Architecture, Honolulu, Hawaii, specified the design of the trellis to use Strongwell’s EXTREN 2 x 6-½-in. rectangular tubes. Plas-Tech fabricated the trellis components by molding the outrigger beams and assembling and painting. MGA’s design was inspired by the native Hawaiian culture to evoke sensory response and emotional experience while blending in with the overly urban character of modern-day Waikiki. The trellis system was easily installed and both MGA and Plas-Tech are very happy with the finished product. MGA Architecture was so pleased with Strongwell’s FRP structural shapes, they have plans to add five more trellis systems on the neighboring building. They will also use Strongwell components for another future project.
Project Summary: Waikiki Shopping Plaza, Waikiki, Hawaii
BUILDING TEAM
Architect: MGA Architectures
Fabricator: Plas-Tech Ltd.
Product: Strongwell EXTREN 2 x 6-½-in. rectangular tubes
EXTREN is a proprietary combination of fiberglass reinforcements and thermosetting polyester or vinyl ester resin systems. It is produced in more than 100 standard shapes and has a surface veil to protect against glass fibers penetrating the resin surface in service and to increase corrosion and UV resistance. The features of EXTREN include: corrosion resistant, Low Conductivity – thermally and electrically, non-magnetic – electromagnetic transparency, lightweight, high strength, dimensional stability, and low maintenance.
The features of EXTREN include: corrosion resistant, low conductivity – thermally and electrically, non-magnetic – electromagnetic transparency, lightweight, high strength, dimensional stability, and low maintenance.
EXTREN is offered in three series designed for different environments and applications:
- Series 500 – an all-purpose series utilizing an isophthalic polyester resin system with a UV inhibitor. Series 500 color is Olive Green
- Series 525 – An all-purpose series utilizing a fire retardant isophthalic polyester resin system with a UV inhibitor. Series 525 color is Slate Gray (plus certain handrail and fixed ladder components in yellow)
- Series 625 - A premium series both fire retardant and highly corrosion resistant utilizing a vinyl ester resin system with a UV inhibitor. Series 625 color is Beige
For more information, contact Strongwell at 276-645-8000, webmaster@strongwell.com or visit www.strongwell.com. BD+C
Related Stories
| Nov 2, 2010
Energy Analysis No Longer a Luxury
Back in the halcyon days of 2006, energy analysis of building design and performance was a luxury. Sure, many forward-thinking AEC firms ran their designs through services such as Autodesk’s Green Building Studio and IES’s Virtual Environment, and some facility managers used Honeywell’s Energy Manager and other monitoring software. Today, however, knowing exactly how much energy your building will produce and use is survival of the fittest as energy costs and green design requirements demand precision.
| Nov 2, 2010
Yudelson: ‘If It Doesn’t Perform, It Can’t Be Green’
Jerry Yudelson, prolific author and veteran green building expert, challenges Building Teams to think big when it comes to controlling energy use and reducing carbon emissions in buildings.
| Nov 2, 2010
Historic changes to commercial building energy codes drive energy efficiency, emissions reductions
Revisions to the commercial section of the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) represent the largest single-step efficiency increase in the history of the national, model energy. The changes mean that new and renovated buildings constructed in jurisdictions that follow the 2012 IECC will use 30% less energy than those built to current standards.
| Nov 1, 2010
Sustainable, mixed-income housing to revitalize community
The $41 million Arlington Grove mixed-use development in St. Louis is viewed as a major step in revitalizing the community. Developed by McCormack Baron Salazar with KAI Design & Build (architect, MEP, GC), the project will add 112 new and renovated mixed-income rental units (market rate, low-income, and public housing) totaling 162,000 sf, plus 5,000 sf of commercial/retail space.
| Nov 1, 2010
John Pearce: First thing I tell designers: Do your homework!
John Pearce, FAIA, University Architect at Duke University, Durham, N.C., tells BD+C’s Robert Cassidy about the school’s construction plans and sustainability efforts, how to land work at Duke, and why he’s proceeding with caution when it comes to BIM.
| Nov 1, 2010
Vancouver’s former Olympic Village shoots for Gold
The first tenants of the Millennium Water development in Vancouver, B.C., were Olympic athletes competing in the 2010 Winter Games. Now the former Olympic Village, located on a 17-acre brownfield site, is being transformed into a residential neighborhood targeting LEED ND Gold. The buildings are expected to consume 30-70% less energy than comparable structures.
| Oct 27, 2010
Grid-neutral education complex to serve students, community
MVE Institutional designed the Downtown Educational Complex in Oakland, Calif., to serve as an educational facility, community center, and grid-neutral green building. The 123,000-sf complex, now under construction on a 5.5-acre site in the city’s Lake Merritt neighborhood, will be built in two phases, the first expected to be completed in spring 2012 and the second in fall 2014.
| Oct 21, 2010
GSA confirms new LEED Gold requirement
The General Services Administration has increased its sustainability requirements and now mandates LEED Gold for its projects.
| Oct 18, 2010
World’s first zero-carbon city on track in Abu Dhabi
Masdar City, the world’s only zero-carbon city, is on track to be built in Abu Dhabi, with completion expected as early as 2020. Foster + Partners developed the $22 billion city’s master plan, with Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Aedas, and Lava Architects designing buildings for the project’s first phase, which is on track to be ready for occupancy by 2015.