Retrofit

Case Study
Windows/Skylights

Past to Present

Historic motorcycle factory converted into affordable housing features high-performance windows with insulating spacers. Originally built in 1890, the building is famously known as the Indian Motorcycle’s former manufacturing mill facility. The company is credited with producing one of the first motorized bikes, and is considered to be the premier manufacturer of motorcycles in the racing industry. The vehicles also provided agile transportation to U.S. troops in World Wars I and II. They were distributed nationwide until the 1950s, and in 2011, the brand was reintroduced.The Mason Square Apartments II at Indian Motorcycle project, located in the McKnight National Historic District of

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Winston-Salem Union Station
Case Study
Glass & Curtainwall

Preserving Union Station’s Metal Frames in Historical Restoration Project

Thanks to super-thin vacuum insulated glazing units, Walter Robbs Architecture was able to restore Winston-Salem’s Union Station brick and limestone façade to its original glory. Built in 1926, the historic Winston-Salem Union Station lent a more cosmopolitan feel to the growing tobacco industry in the area and was key to bringing travel to the region. Designed in a Beaux Arts style with Neoclassical details by Fellheimer and Wagner, a prominent New York architectural firm that designed train stations throughout the U.S., the station closed its doors in 1970. It was then converted into a vehicle-repair garage until the city repurchased the large structure and decided to resto

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Old Chicago Post Office
Case Study
Restrooms

Chicago Post Office Undergoes Historic Redevelopment

The historic building underwent the largest historic redevelopment in the nation in 2019 to serve as one of Chicago’s business hubs. Built in 1921, the Old Chicago Post Office was once the largest of its kind in the world, capable of handling 19 million pieces of mail each day. But after sitting vacant for nearly two decades, the historic building underwent the largest historic redevelopment in the nation in 2019 to serve as one of Chicago’s business hubs. Tasked with specifying products for the extensive retrofit, Gensler wanted attractive, hygiene-friendly and sustainable building products throughout the building—and the restroom was no exception.

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Former American Graphophone Co. now houses the Great Oaks Charter School and a residential space in Bridgeport, Conn.
Advances
Windows/Skylights

Historic Steel Replica Windows Fill Adaptive Reuse Needs

After the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office rejected a window manufacturer looking to replace the windows from an early 20th century machine shop, Crosskey Architects turned to Graham Windows. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the adaptive reuse of the former American Graphophone Co. now houses the Great Oaks Charter School and an adjacent residential space in Bridgeport, Conn.To replace the rather large existing windows, Graham provided 680 SR6700 Steel Replica windows in fixed and fixed/projected configurations to simulate the authentic look of the original steel factory windows. The windows met the structural performance needs and historic requirements

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Case Study
Windows/Skylights

Historic Windows Light Up Sioux Falls Fire Station and Library

The Sioux Falls East Side Fire Station and Branch Library was constructed in 1916 and co-occupied by the city’s first motorized fire truck crew and its first satellite branch library. Despite opposing requirements for loud vs. quiet, the public servants shared the space until the 1960s. Architect Todd Stone, ceo and principal for Stone Group Architects, had always considered the building, located in Sioux Falls’ Heritage Park, to be a diamond in the rough. Over the years, as it slowly faded into disrepair, he never abandoned his dream of restoring and reawakening its past character. Stone’s vision became reality in 2017 when a decision by city officials allowed him to purch

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Athens High School, Athens, Texas
Advances
Exterior Panels/Cladding

Metal Adds Modern Look

Façade retrofit is an effective option to consider as buildings are upgraded or converted to continue their service. Such was the case at Athens High School in Athens, Texas, which required a mix of renovation and new construction to bridge old and new buildings. To create a modern design, metal was chosen. Installed on the school were 10,800 sq. ft. of 24-gauge 12-in. PAC-CLAD Flush Panels in White and Silver finish, 17,500 sq. ft. of 24-gauge 12-in. Flush Soffit panels in White finish, and 5,500 sq. ft. of PAC-3000CS Composite Panel finished in a custom maroon school color. Cost was an issue, but ultimately the school felt the investment was made for the metal’s ability to create a d

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Advances
Glass Walls/Partitions

Defenses Up

Serving as a protective shield between customers and employees in retail and food service settings, Impact Security’s DefenseLite not only offers the hygienic protection sought in a new COVID-19 environment, but physical protection as well. 250 times stronger than glass, DefenseLite is a protective glazing that installs over existing windows and doors, and incorporates high-optic UV coated polycarbonate shields, multi-layer thin films and tough structural adhesives and anchors.

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Case Study
Lighting & Controls

Lighting Reformation

The Cathedral of Siena is one of Italy’s most important Gothic buildings. Inside, visitors are amazed by the unique mosaic floor consisting of more than 50 ornately decorated marble surfaces. In this new century, the church wished to highlight these treasures with more modern technology, specifically discreet, but powerful lighting fixtures that could throw light from distances more than 80 ft.—and be controlled in a more user-friendly fashion. Lighting designer Marco Nereo Rotelli was awarded the task and specified high-precision ERCO lighting tools for the purpose. The latter, in turn, employed Bluetooth Casambi technology to enable the lights to be simply controlled wirelessly

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1000 Sansome, San Francisco, Calif.
Case Study
Glass Walls/Partitions

California Office Gets Facelift

Located in a revitalized shipping district of San Francisco, a four-story warehouse-turned-office space underwent a massive update. At more than 60,000 sq. ft., the 1000 Sansome building was in stark contrast amid the historic personality of San Francisco homes and offices. Lundberg Design & MacCracken Architects were tasked with updating the outdated space with a modern design and increased daylighting. Prior to the renovation, the structure was a dimly lit, low-ceiling building with a second-floor entrance.

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