Perfect Harmony

Saint-Gobain’s latest innovation from its SageGlass division resulted in Harmony, an elegantly performing dynamic glass that was chosen as the preferred glazing of Switzerland’s new Millennium Center in Geneva. Unveiled at Glasstec last October, the solution enhances the visual and thermal comfort of occupants while maintaining views with a natural-looking, seamless connection to the outdoors.When transforming, Harmony delivers a gradual in-pane tint transition from fully clear to fully tinted. Everything, from conference rooms to concierge services, elevators and the Millennium Center glazing, will be connected to the Cloud and managed via smartphone apps, which are integrated i

Advances

Doors/Entry Systems

Door for all Seasons

The AA 3200M Thermal Sliding Door, complete with its IsoPour Thermal Break Technology, merges the pour and debridge thermal break with polymer isolator technologies. Features include interior and exterior dual finish capabilities, low and standard threshold options, stainless-steel casters, tracks and fasteners, and an insect screen.

Case Study

Glass & Curtainwall

The Heart of Campus

When students attending Tulane University walk into the heart of campus, they will be greeted by the recent completion of Tulane Commons, a 77,000-sq.-ft., three-story eatery, study area and event space. Open space and a floor-to-ceiling curtainwall is featured throughout the building to provide views of New Orleans, as well as the regal oak trees that line the lush quad on Tulane’s campus. The end result is a stunning addition to Tulane University that will attract the best and brightest students and faculty members from around the world. The vision behind the iconic building was to design a forward-thinking, multi-functional space that would reflect the three prominent university int

Advances

Exterior Panels/Cladding

Colorful Transformation

Formerly a well-worn plastics manufacturing facility, the new Technology Campus expansion for South Texas College in McCallen, Texas, features a standout façade clad in Alucobond aluminum composite material panels that highlight the school’s signature colors. The custom green, violet and silver-metallic hues specified by designers at Hidalgo, Texas-based EGV Architects offer a hard-to-miss counterpoint to neutral brick and split-face block. The panels’ durable finish promises to stand up to years of exposure to the Texas sun.

Case Study

Exterior Panels/Cladding

Winter-Proof Walls

Winters in Traverse City can be brutal, so when planning its proposed four-story, 47,000-sq.-ft. Trailside45 apartment building in the northern Michigan town, owner, developer, contractor and operator, Westwind Construction, knew it needed a durable, energy-efficient exterior wall system that would also be attractive and easy to maintain. At first, the company tried life-sized samples of a stenciled brick design for the exterior wall. That didn’t achieve the look the design team wanted, so it explored other options.“We envisioned a modern, contemporary design and wanted a versatile exterior appearance, using as many textures as possible to provide exterior character,” said

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

January 13, 2021 by Jim Crockett

A Federal Case

Later this year marks the 30th anniversary of ADA—landmark Federal legislation. Starting in the coming issue, we’ll begin a series on the subject. The inaugural installment focuses on efforts being made at historic facilities, including within San Francisco’s City hall, the site of a somewhat controversial curved ramp that split from the historic décor. That said, recent events, of course, have me thinking about access to governmental facilities, including one of the most historic, the Capitol Building—site to last week’s infamous breach of security and sanctity. As I watched invaders literally scale walls to gain entry, it shattered many illusions of safety. But given the ADA context, the building’s mighty staircase, so prominent in the news coverage, also sent home for me a realization that this nation not only has a long way to go in repairing the fabric of its citizenry, but also in truly realizing the legacy of ADA. Following are a handful of security and access products—some that were Product Innovation Award winners, and some that point to lighting as a means of wayfinding—the latter idea, perhaps, even more critical in this dark, national, time.

Recent Articles

Natural Look

Metal Adds Modern Look

Outstanding CRI

Get Creative

Downlight Palette

Advances

Storage Solutions

Free Your Space

+VENOVO from Poggenpohl is derived from an open layout concept. With cabinets no longer tethered to walls and floors, it sets the stage for people to break free from the conventions of defined workstations and spaces. Islands, lowboards and highboards can be combined and moved from one office to another.

Case Study

Windows/Skylights

Viva Vida

With its undulating façade and pops of color, the DLR Group/Kwan Henmi-designed Vida 8-story mixed-use building in San Francisco blends style and sustainable design. To support the design’s large openings with deep wall cavities, the architects specified Winco Windows’ 1450 Series 4-in. unitized window wall. In addition, 3.25-in. zero sightline vents provide natural ventilation and clean sightlines. Taken together, the façade reflects the color and texture of the neighborhood’s Latin-influenced murals, craft and culture, and is scaled with respect to the adjacent buildings’ varied heights and setbacks.

Case Study

Concrete

Racing Against the Canadian Winter

After a late August start, LA Fitness looks to Fabcon Precast to get a new location enclosed before winter sets in. LA Fitness is no stranger to structural precast. Building in Canada, however, is different in that structural precast is still a novel idea, and its load-bearing qualities are under-utilized compared to the United States. As a result, the project's structural engineers weren't entirely sure where their job would end and where the precaster's might begin. With an Ontario winter on the doorstep, it was imperative that the entire team got on the same page, and quickly—or run the risk of an extended timeline and additional costs. Structural precast panels ar

Architectural Products

Perfect Harmony

Read the Digital Edition

Nov/Dec ’20

Door for all Seasons

The Heart of Campus

Colorful Transformation

Winter-Proof Walls

Customization and Cost Savings

AP ProductWire

A Federal Case

Free Your Space

Viva Vida

Racing Against the Canadian Winter