Project: Cincinnati Art Museum in Cincinnati, OH
Architect: Emersion Design
Glazier: H&H Glass
Products: SuperLite II-XL 60 in GPX Framing (walls), SuperLite II-XL 60 in HMTR Framing (full-vision doors), SuperLite X-90 (door vision kits).
When the Cincinnati Art Museum embarked on an $11M renovation, the architects at Emersion Design wanted the entrance and main stair to be as inviting as possible. “The stairwell is the link between the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Longworth Hall Wing,” says Mark Stedtefeld, the project architect from Emersion Design. “An opaque material would not have enhanced the quality of the entry space like glass would.”
Adam Olson, SAFTI FIRST’s architectural representative for Ohio, worked with the architects in choosing a competitively priced clear solution that would meet the design, budget and fire rated requirements for the stairwell application. SAFTI FIRST supplied SuperLite II-XL 60 in GPX Framing for the sidelites and transoms for the 1 hour stair enclosure.
To maximize the vision area in door itself, SuperLite II-XL 60 in HMTR Framing full-lite doors. In some of the stairwell doors in less prominent locations, SAFTI FIRST provided SuperLite X-90 for the vision panels under 100 sq. inches, providing further savings compared to ceramics used in the same application.
Hardware selection was also a consideration. “The hardware needed to secure Longworth Hall from the Museum when the situation required it,” says Mark.
SAFTI FIRST’s in-house engineering team worked with the design team to provide the desired level of security without compromising the appearance of the system.
Last but not least, sustainable characteristics were also important. The “construction waste management, recycled content, visual access deeper into the building and low VOC emitting materials were important in selecting SAFTI FIRST as the basis of design,” says Mark. In the end, the project achieved a LEED Gold Rating.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Jan 31, 2015
Production builders are still shying away from rental housing
Toll Brothers, Lennar, and Trumark are among a small group of production builders to engage in construction for rental customers.
Energy Efficiency | Jan 28, 2015
An urban wind and solar energy system that may actually work
The system was designed to take advantage of a building's air flow and generate energy even if its in the middle of a city.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 27, 2015
Multifamily construction, focused on rentals, expected to slow in the coming years
New-home purchases, which recovered strongly in 2014, indicate that homeownership might finally be making a comeback.
Office Buildings | Jan 27, 2015
London plans to build Foggo Associates' 'can of ham' building
The much delayed high-rise development at London’s 60-70 St. Mary Axe resembles a can of ham, and the project's architects are embracing the playful sobriquet.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 22, 2015
Sales of apartment buildings hit record high in 2014
Investors bet big time on demand for rental properties over homeownership in 2014, when sales of apartment buildings hit a record $110.1 billion, or nearly 15% higher than the previous year.
Modular Building | Jan 21, 2015
Chinese company 3D prints six-story multifamily building
The building components were prefabricated piece by piece using a printer that is 7 meters tall, 10 meters wide, and 40 meters long.
| Jan 21, 2015
Tesla Motors starts construction on $5 billion battery plant in Nevada
Tesla Motors’ “gigafactory,” a $5 billion project on 980 acres in Sparks, Nev., could annually produce enough power for 500,000 electric cars.
| Jan 20, 2015
Daring hotel design scheme takes the shape of cut amethyst stone
The Dutch practice NL Architects designed a proposal for a chain of hotels shaped like a rock cut in half to reveal a gemstone inside.
| Jan 20, 2015
Avery Associates unveils plans for London's second-tallest tower
The 270-meter tower, dubbed the No. 1 Undershaft, will stand next to the city's "Cheesegrater" building.
| Jan 19, 2015
HAO unveils designs for a 3D movie museum in China
New York-based HAO has released designs for the proposed Bolong 3D Movie Museum & Mediatek in Tianjin.
