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
Airports | Apr 18, 2023
India's mammoth new airport terminal takes ‘back to nature’ seriously
On January 15, 2023, Phase 1 of the Kempegowda International Airport’s Terminal 2, in Bengaluru, India, began domestic operations. The 2.75 million-sf building, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), is projected to process 25 million passengers annually, while providing its travelers with a healthier environment, thanks to extensive indoor-outdoor landscaping that offers serenity to what is normally a frenzied experience.
Resiliency | Apr 18, 2023
AI-simulated hurricanes could aid in designing more resilient buildings
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have devised a new method of digitally simulating hurricanes in an effort to create more resilient buildings. A recent study asserts that the simulations can accurately represent the trajectory and wind speeds of a collection of actual storms.
Green | Apr 18, 2023
USGBC and IWBI unveil streamlined certification pathway for LEED and WELL green building programs
The U.S. Green Building Council, Green Business Certification Inc., and the International WELL Building Institute released a streamlined process for projects pursuing certifications for the LEED green building rating system and the WELL Building Standard. The new protocol simplifies documentation for projects that are pursuing both certifications at the same time or that have already earned one certification and are looking to add the other.
K-12 Schools | Apr 18, 2023
ASHRAE offers indoor air quality guide for schools
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released a guide for educators, administrators, and school districts on indoor air quality. The guide can be used as a tool to discuss options to improve indoor air quality based on existing HVAC equipment, regional objectives, and available funding.
Higher Education | Apr 13, 2023
Higher education construction costs for 2023
Fresh data from Gordian breaks down the average cost per square foot for a two-story college classroom building across 10 U.S. cities.
K-12 Schools | Apr 13, 2023
Creating a sense of place with multipurpose K-12 school buildings
Multipurpose buildings serve multiple program and functional requirements. The issue with many of these spaces is that they tend not to do any one thing well.
Office Buildings | Apr 13, 2023
L.A. headquarters for startup Califia Farms incorporates post-pandemic hybrid workplace design concepts
The new Los Angeles headquarters for fast-growing Califia Farms, a brand of dairy alternative products, was designed by SLAM with the post-Covid hybrid work environment in mind. Located in Maxwell Coffee House, a historic production facility built in 1924 that has become a vibrant mixed-use complex, the office features a café bordered by generous meeting rooms.
Market Data | Apr 11, 2023
Construction crane count reaches all-time high in Q1 2023
Toronto, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Denver top the list of U.S/Canadian cities with the greatest number of fixed cranes on construction sites, according to Rider Levett Bucknall's RLB Crane Index for North America for Q1 2023.
University Buildings | Apr 11, 2023
Supersizing higher education: Tracking the rise of mega buildings on university campuses
Mega buildings on higher education campuses aren’t unusual. But what has been different lately is the sheer number of supersized projects that have been in the works over the last 12–15 months.
Smart Buildings | Apr 7, 2023
Carnegie Mellon University's research on advanced building sensors provokes heated controversy
A research project to test next-generation building sensors at Carnegie Mellon University provoked intense debate over the privacy implications of widespread deployment of the devices in a new 90,000-sf building. The light-switch-size devices, capable of measuring 12 types of data including motion and sound, were mounted in more than 300 locations throughout the building.