A unique private-public cooperation allowed the city of Charleston, S.C. to build the new $142-million neo-classical Gaillard Center. Plans included a performance hall not unlike old European opera houses, a user-friendly convention center and various municipal offices, as well.
A massive undertaking of new construction and renovation “stripped” the then-prevailing Gaillard Auditorium and subsequently built the new center on its former framework. The “new construction” surrounds three sides of the original building, offering both a classic public structure and exquisite outdoor spaces—totally in synch with Charleston's heralded architectural tradition. Clearly, one of the focal points of this signature project was the selection of cladding, designed to wrap around the building’s exterior façade.
A decision was made to incorporate Thermocromex™ on the building’s exterior. A unique, ultra-high-performance limestone plaster cladding, Thermocromex is an advanced technical re-formulation that can be applied to virtually any substrate, including CMU, frame/sheathing, tilt wall, poured-in -place concrete and lightweight blocks/cement.
According to Steve Knight, Design Architect from Washington DC’s David Schwarz/Architectural Services, Inc. “It was of vital importance for the City of Charleston to make this building fit into the fabric of the City, and this meant a more traditionally-inspired aesthetic. That’s why we absolutely needed the right cladding material.
“The City wanted to make the building bigger, expanding it with a music hall, city offices, administration and hospitality/banquet facilities,” continued Knight. “Turning the Gaillard into a state-of-the-art, multiuse building, while making it compatible with the surrounding neighborhood was a major mandate. Some features of the original building were grandfathered, including the stage house, which exceeded the height limit allowed by current zoning. Charleston has a lot of buildings covered in stucco. Why? Because in 1886, there was an earthquake and stucco was used to cover all cracks in the brick buildings. So, that stucco aesthetic was a major inspiration. Control joints are okay for maintenance,” continued Knight, “but not for aesthetics. They would produce an undesirable, negative impact on the design. That’s one main reason we selected Thermocromex!
“Thermocromex is limestone-based versus Portland cement-based stucco. Because limestone is softer than Portland cement, it allows for more movement without cracking… and, no need for control joints! Additionally, Thermocromex’s integral color offers slight variation, which is great for the coverage of such a large building, offering a slightly mottled appearance adding warm visual interest. And, ‘limestone-based’ plaster is both new/old at the same time,” Knight continued. “It’s a material although used in Europe for hundreds of years, the spray-on application of Thermocromex is modern and efficient. ”Thermocromex addresses movement, vapor and moisture barrier issues, as well. It provides clean, smooth and uninterrupted monolithic masonry look.”
Thermocromex’s highly professional technical staff traveled to Charleston and trained applicators from Horus Construction regarding best possible installation techniques. These speak for themselves.
“When it comes to delivering a professional application, we won’t cut corners,” stated James Reed, Thermocromex sales manager. “A main goal for the Gaillard, was that it was to last and be enjoyed for ‘more than a century.’ We were confident that lofty demand would be met, as Thermocromex will basically, last forever,” he exclaimed. “It requires no other coloring or top coat. The alkali- and UV-resistant pigments will not fade over time, and the finish is both weatherproof and breathable. Almost no maintenance is required to keep the original appearance, year after year after year. We are very confident that Charleston’s investment in the application of Thermocromex for the ‘new’ Gaillard will pay major dividends moving forward!”
Related Stories
| Mar 22, 2012
Hawaiian architecture firm chooses FRP trellis system over traditional materials
MGA Architecture plans to add five more trellis systems on the neighboring building.
| Mar 22, 2012
Moline Public Library uses copper as an exterior building material
Architects incorporate decorative copper panels to create the look of a heavy plate copper shingle.
| Mar 13, 2012
Commercial glazer Harmon expanding into Texas
Company expanding into the Texas market with a new office in Dallas and a satellite facility in Austin.
| Mar 12, 2012
Improving the performance of existing commercial buildings: the chemistry of sustainable construction
Retrofitting our existing commercial buildings is one of the key steps to overcoming the economic and environmental challenges we face.
| Feb 2, 2012
Call for Entries: 2012 Building Team Awards. Deadline March 2, 2012
Winning projects will be featured in the May issue of BD+C.
| Feb 1, 2012
Replacement windows eliminate weak link in the building envelope
Replacement or retrofit can help keep energy costs from going out the window.
| Jan 31, 2012
28th Annual Reconstruction Awards: Modern day reconstruction plays out
A savvy Building Team reconstructs a Boston landmark into a multiuse masterpiece for Suffolk University.
| Jan 3, 2012
New Chicago hospital prepared for pandemic, CBR terror threat
At a cost of $654 million, the 14-story, 830,000-sf medical center, designed by a Perkins+Will team led by design principal Ralph Johnson, FAIA, LEED AP, is distinguished in its ability to handle disasters.
| Jan 3, 2012
BIM: not just for new buildings
Ohio State University Medical Center is converting 55 Medical Center buildings from AutoCAD to BIM to improve quality and speed of decision making related to facility use, renovations, maintenance, and more.