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
| Jan 6, 2015
Snøhetta unveils design proposal of the Barack Obama Presidential Center Library for the University of Hawaii
The plan by Snøhetta and WCIT Architecture features a building that appears square from the outside, but opens at one corner into a rounded courtyard with a pool, Dezeen reports.
| Jan 5, 2015
Another billionaire sports club owner plans to build a football stadium in Los Angeles
Kroenke Group is the latest in a series of high-profile investors that want to bring back pro football to the City of Lights.
| Jan 5, 2015
Beyond training: How locker rooms are becoming more like living rooms
Despite having common elements—lockers for personal gear and high-quality sound systems—the real challenge when designing locker rooms is creating a space that reflects the attitude of the team, writes SRG Partnership's Aaron Pleskac.
| Jan 2, 2015
Construction put in place enjoyed healthy gains in 2014
Construction consultant FMI foresees—with some caveats—continuing growth in the office, lodging, and manufacturing sectors. But funding uncertainties raise red flags in education and healthcare.
| Dec 30, 2014
A simplified arena concept for NBA’s Warriors creates interest
The Golden State Warriors, currently the team with the best record in the National Basketball Association, looks like it could finally get a new arena.
| Dec 29, 2014
High-strength aluminum footbridge designed to withstand deep-ocean movement, high wind speeds [BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report]
The metal’s flexibility makes the difference in an oil rig footbridge connecting platforms in the West Philippine Sea. The design solution was named a 2014 Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
| Dec 29, 2014
HDR and Hill International to turn three floors of a jail into a modern, secure healthcare center [BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report]
By bringing healthcare services in house, Dallas County Jail will greatly minimize the security risk and added cost of transferring ill or injured prisoners to a nearby hospital. The project was named a 2014 Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
| Dec 29, 2014
New mobile unit takes the worry out of equipment sterilization during healthcare construction [BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report]
Infection control, a constant worry for hospital administrators and clinical staffs, is heightened when the hospital is undergoing a major construction project. Mobile Sterilization Solutions, a mobile sterile-processing department, is designed to simplify the task. The technology was named a 2014 Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
| Dec 29, 2014
Startup Solarbox London turns phone booths into quick-charge stations [BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report]
About 8,000 of London’s famous red telephone boxes sit unused in warehouses, orphans of the digital age. Two entrepreneurs plan to convert them into charging stations for mobile devices. Their invention was named a 2014 Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
| Dec 29, 2014
Spherical reflectors help spread daylight throughout a college library in Portland, Ore. [BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report]
The 40,000-sf library is equipped with four “cones of light,” spherical reflectors made from extruded aluminum that distribute daylight from the library’s third floor to illuminate the second. The innovation was named a 2014 Great Solution by the editors of Building Design+Construction.
