South San Francisco, known as “The Birthplace of Biotechnology,” is home to one of the largest biotech clusters in the world. By Fall 2024, one of the leading Biotech giants in the world will be expanding its headquarters in South San Francisco with approximately 230,000 sq. ft. of new lab and office space. This project aims to accommodate the growing needs of biotech research and development by creating new interior spaces designed to offer collaborative and easily adaptable lab environments. This new building, designed by DGA, will be an all-electric life sciences facility prioritizing the use of sustainable materials and construction practices, with the potential to achieve LEED, WELL Building, and Fitwel certifications.
A key element to creating a successful collaborative space is by using transparent building materials like fire-rated glass to enhance visual connectivity. This was the case for the new lab and office space, where fire-rated glass was thoughtfully installed throughout the 7-story building, including lab observation areas, breakrooms and stairwells. Having an open, transparent lab design was crucial in these shared spaces in order to increase communication and teamwork, promote inclusivity and boost creativity and innovation. By incorporating fire-rated glass in these communal areas, it created a more collaborative atmosphere, offering maximum transparency and shared lighting while meeting all safety and fire requirements.
With health and wellness being a core value at this biotech company, creating an inviting and accessible stairwell was another important aspect of the design. Traditionally, stairwells have been located in the back of the building with minimal light and transparency. However, the designers at DGA incorporated clear fire-resistive glazing to highlight the stairwell instead. By making the stairwell visually accessible, well-lit and centrally located, occupants are more likely to use it when moving between floors. Not only does it promote occupant health and wellness, it contributes to LEED, WELL Building and Fitwel sustainability practices – all of which emphasize occupant well-being and encourage physical activity. Overall, the design supports both the company’s core values and broader sustainability goals, creating a healthier and more productive environment for occupants.
This project was first introduced to Walters & Wolf Interiors by the design team at DGA. Nate Marshall, Senior Project Manager at Walters & Wolf Interiors, worked closely with the designers and the SAFTI FIRST® team to see how they could create maximum views in the stairwell while meeting the ASTM E119 / UL 263 fire resistive wall standard. Since the stairwell's central placement was to encourage its use, they wanted large lites of glass throughout five floors of the 7-story laboratory space.
To meet both code requirements and design objectives, SAFTI FIRST®’s Senior Project Manager, Bruce Chow, proposed a 2-hour fire resistive wall assembly using SuperLite® II-XL 120 in GPX® Architectural Series Fire Resistive framing. While the proposed system met the ASTM E119 / UL 263 wall standard, the designers prioritized having larger lites of glass with the least amount of mullions. Since SuperLite® II-XL 120 has a maximum clear view area of 4,876 sq. in., the designers ultimately decided to switch to SuperLite® II-XLB 120 to exceed the size limitations.
The result is a beautiful 2-hour fire-resistive wall system using SuperLite® II-XLB 120 in GPX® Architectural Series Fire Resistive framing. Each lite is approximately 70-1/2 in. wide and 106-1/4 in. tall with 7,490 sq. in. of clear view. With the largest tested and approved clear view area of 7,980 sq. in. of any fire resistive glazing product up to 2 hours, Nate Marshall says this was “the largest fire-rated assembly we’ve installed.”
In addition to the 2-hour fire-rated assembly, SAFTI FIRST® also provided a 10 ft. tall, 90-minute temperature rise door using GPX® Builders Series Temperature Rise with SuperLite® II-XL 90 glazing. SAFTI FIRST® is the only manufacturer that can supply a 90-minute fire-rated door with full vision glazing up to 10 ft. tall.
All of the fire-rated glass, framing and doors used in this project were manufactured in SAFTI FIRST®’s manufacturing facilities in Merced, CA. As the only vertically-integrated, single-source, USA-manufacturer of advanced fire rated glass, frames, doors, walls and floors up to 2 hours, design teams can take advantage of SAFTI FIRST®’s fast lead times, competitive pricing and superior customer service.
As a company founded in the Bay Area, SAFTI FIRST® is proud to contribute innovative, safe and sustainable solutions that support South San Francisco’s growing biotech research and development.
Project Name: Confidential Biotech Company in South San Francisco, CA
Architect: DGA
General Contractor: XL Construction
Contract Glazier: Walters & Wolf Interiors
Products Used: SuperLite® II-XLB 120 in GPX® Architectural Series Fire Resistive Wall; SuperLite® II-XL 60 in GPX® Architectural Series Fire Resistive Wall; SuperLite® II-XL 90 in GPX® Builders Series Temperature Rise Door
