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
| May 21, 2014
Evidence-based design practices for the palliative care environment
Palliative care strives to make patients comfortable as they are receiving treatment for a severe illness. As hospitals seek to avoid Affordable Care Act penalties for poor patient satisfaction, many expect this field to grow quickly.
| May 21, 2014
Gehry unveils plan for renovation, expansion of Philadelphia Museum of Art [slideshow]
Gehry's final design reorganizes and expands the building, adding more than 169,000 sf of space, much of it below the iconic structure.
| May 21, 2014
Architecture Billings Index in the negative for second consecutive month
The March ABI score was 49.6, up slightly from a mark of 48.8 in March, but still below the growth threshold of 50.
| May 20, 2014
Kinetic Architecture: New book explores innovations in active façades
The book, co-authored by Arup's Russell Fortmeyer, illustrates the various ways architects, consultants, and engineers approach energy and comfort by manipulating air, water, and light through the layers of passive and active building envelope systems.
| May 20, 2014
Using fire-rated glass in exterior applications
Fire-rated glazing and framing assemblies are just as beneficial on building exteriors as they are on the inside. But knowing how to select the correct fire-rated glass for exterior applications can be confusing. SPONSORED CONTENT
| May 20, 2014
World's best new skyscrapers: Renzo Piano's The Shard, China's 'doughnut hotel' voted to Emporis list
Eight other high-rise projects were named Emporis Skyscraper Award winners, including DC Tower 1 by Dominique Perrault Architecture and Tour Carpe Diem by Robert A.M. Stern.
| May 19, 2014
What can architects learn from nature’s 3.8 billion years of experience?
In a new report, HOK and Biomimicry 3.8 partnered to study how lessons from the temperate broadleaf forest biome, which houses many of the world’s largest population centers, can inform the design of the built environment.
| May 19, 2014
Why e-commerce won't kill 'bricks and mortar' retail sector
Despite emerging structural challenges and newly-announced store closings, such as those of Radio Shack and Office Depot, the U.S. retail sector has continued on its solid recovery.
| May 16, 2014
BoA, USGBC to offer $25,000 grants for green affordable housing projects
The Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program will offer 14 grants to developers of affordable housing in North America who are committed to building sustainable communities through the LEED for Neighborhood Development program.
| May 16, 2014
Toyo Ito leads petition to scrap Zaha Hadid's 2020 Olympic Stadium project
Ito and other Japanese architects cite excessive costs, massive size, and the project's potentially negative impact on surrounding public spaces as reasons for nixing Hadid's plan.