The Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) will bring the most contemporary art exhibits in the world to the VCU campus and the city of Richmond. Located in the striking new Markel Center and designed by renowned architect Steven Holl, the ICA offers 41,000 sq. ft. of flexible space including an inviting 33-ft. high central forum. It features a dynamic slate of changing exhibitions, performances, files and interdisciplinary programs. In keeping with VCU’s master sustainability plan, the ICA incorporates state-of-the-art technologies and environmentally conscious design elements and makes use of numerous natural resources. The exterior for the con

Advances

Lighting & Controls

Patient-Controlled Dimming

The Apollo 8 fixture incorporates a custom low-voltage controller that allows patients to dim lighting from their pillow speaker. The controller supports up to three separate loads, matching the fixture’s three configuration options—ambient only, ambient with exam, and ambient with exam and reading light. Additionally, healthcare professionals can operate the luminaire from a wall switch.

Case Study

Concrete

Getting Back on Track with Style

With a concentrated effort to revitalize the downtown of Cliffside Park, N.J., Park Town Centre—13 stories of rental apartments atop a two-story retail level—was eyed as a way to bring new energy into a tired business district. Find a more efficient and cost-effective structural façade system to complete a planned mixed-use development that ran into economic issues. Town officials in Cliffside Park, N.J., had big plans for revitalizing their downtown when they began assembling properties for a new, signature mixed-use development back in 2002. SlenderWall assemblies, which combine an exterior architectural precast concrete panel with vapor barrier, closed-cell foam insulation and

Advances

Metal Fabrications

A Fabric that Quiets the Crowd

These aluminum-based panels are designed to improve poor workplace and commercial acoustic environments. Acoustic Mesh Panels incorporate a sag-free, 1-in. thick honeycomb support plate, layered with an intermediate blanket of fiber-free acoustic fleece. This dampens noise to a sound absorption value of aw=0.9.

Case Study

Exterior Panels/Cladding

Soccer Stadium Boasts 'Lion Pride'

“Our new facility truly reflects the energy and intensity of the growing soccer market here in the United States,” says Orlando City Soccer Club CEO Alex Leitao. “From the start, Populous understood we were designing for soccer first, everything else came second. As a result, we’re extremely proud of the new home they have helped us create for the Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride.”The new Orlando City Stadium wanted to show off its “Lion Nation Pride” as it installed custom perforated panels with the trademark lion symbol of the Orlando City Soccer Club Orlando Pride National Women’s Soccer League team. Opening for the 2017 season, the 290,000

Case Study

Exterior Panels/Cladding

Customization and Cost Savings

Metal wall panels save money and add interest at the University of Texas. The University of Texas at Tyler created plans to add a STEM and business building to its expanding campus to attract students from across the country. The original specification called for aluminum composite material (ACM) to match metal wall panels on the College of Pharmacy Building. However, the construction team was looking for an alternative to save money and speed up installation. Additionally, the design team was not willing to compromise on design, so they wanted a system which could expand their creative possibilities. The team was also looking for alternatives for the wood soffit. They needed something

AP ProductWire

June 30, 2020 by Jim Crockett

Doesn’t Seem to be a Shadow in the City

The Lovin’ Spoonful once lamented this fact in their smash “Summer in the City” ‘70s hit, which still manages to make it onto many playlists about this time, as we’ve officially hit summer. Based on the events of the late spring, it’s going to be a hot one in more ways than just surface temperature. That said, in the May/June issue, we continued our ongoing exploration of the urban environment, which offered a number of suggestions architects proffered for managing cities. Following are a few products that will help deal with the heat.

Advances

Glass & Curtainwall

Fire-Protective Glazing joins NFRC's CMAST Database

Now approved as glazing components in the National Fenestration Rating Council’s Component Modeling Approach Software Tool database, users can simulate the U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient and visual light transmission of 45-minute exterior window assemblies that incorporate Safti’s SuperClear 45-HS-LI and SuperClear 45-HS, in addition to SuperLite II-XL and GPX framing. With an approximate VLT of 90%, compared to 88% for premium filmed ceramic and 85% for premium laminated ceramic, the SuperClear 45-HS-LI is the clearest 45 minute, fire-protective glazing product on the market today.

Case Study

Exterior Panels/Cladding

Articulation Curbs NYC "Dirt Factor"

433 Broadway walks a fine line between historic form and modern function, visually blending in to Manhattan’s historic SOHO district. Owned by Cubico, it is the first building entirely devoted to shared workspace constructed from the ground up. With this came a host of design challenges to allow varied companies to coexist—and thrive—within the same workspace. “Because it is being used by any number of different people, we wanted it to be as general and anonymous as possible,” says Nelson Vega, Associate Principal, AIA, RKTB Architects. RKTB also set out to avoid enclosed spaces that would block daylight from getting deep into each floor, with a lot of interior

Advances

Green Roofs

Ultimate Assembly

Specifically engineered for rooftop terraces, vegetated roofs and plazas, American Hydrotech’s Ultimate Assembly begins at the substrate with Monolithic Membrane 6125, the original rubberized asphalt membrane that has been entrusted for more than 50 years with keeping high-profile structures watertight. The Ultimate Assembly carries through to the overburden of the architectural pavers, which offer high compressive strength and low moisture absorption. The pavers can be installed in an open joint assembly and are supported at the four corners on spacer tabs or on fixed-height or adjustable pedestals. The pavers are available in a wide variety of colors and finishes.

Architectural Products

Forward-Thinking Design at VCU

Read the Digital Edition

May/Jun ’20

Patient-Controlled Dimming

Getting Back on Track with Style

A Fabric that Quiets the Crowd

Soccer Stadium Boasts 'Lion Pride'

Customization and Cost Savings

AP ProductWire

Doesn’t Seem to be a Shadow in the City

Fire-Protective Glazing joins NFRC's CMAST Database

Articulation Curbs NYC "Dirt Factor"

Ultimate Assembly