Innovative Project Favorites
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Warren E. Burger Federal Building
Location:
St. Paul, MN
Contractor: Ryan Companies Completed: September 2008 Empirehouse was very excited to be selected by Ryan Companies to provide the glass and glazing package at the Warren Burger Federal Building in downtown St. Paul, MN. Not only was this a GSA project but it was "Design Build" with Ryan Companies which made this a very challenging project. There were many elements to this project, an all-glass and stainless steel Grand Stairway, custom stainless steel and spandrel glass elevator enclosure, custom stainless steel and bullet resistant glass security station walls and office, all-glass walls with glass fins, custom fritted glass and custom etched government seals, new aluminum curtainwall entrance system and glass canopy's. This was by far the most complex project Empirehouse has been involved with because of the client, contractor and all the different custom elements on this project.
The elevator enclosure comprised of custom fabricated stainless steel bars that created the frame work for the spandrel glass, the architect and owner wanted the glass to appear as if it was floating in the frame. We created a system using 3M VHB glazing tape to hold the glass in place leaving a 1/2" space between the glass edge and the stainless steel bar framing. Using this technique we were able to achieve the architects' vision for this space. The security station walls and office were comprised of custom stainless steel posts with steel plates that were anchored to the concrete floor and covered with terrazzo, the posts needed to be lined up perfectly plumb and straight so that when the frameless custom fritted glass was installed it was in a straight line. This was especially challenging because of the all the different tolerances of materials, horizontal dashed frit pattern and security laminated glass. We then needed to design a door for the security station office that disappears into the glass wall which required custom fabricated hardware and engineering. After this area was complete it created the transparent yet secure entrance into the courts area the architect and owner envisioned. The all-glass walls had their own set of challenges, the openings were 30 feet wide by 14 feet tall and the architect wanted these opening to be all glass without any horizontal joints and minimal vertical joints. We also had custom frit patterned glass at the sidelights and 9 foot high glass doors with custom hardware. Because of limitations with the silk-screened frit patterns the openings required horizontal and vertical joints that needed to be supported structurally. The architect did not want exposed mullions so we designed the system to have glass fins only at the top of the opening so they were not visible to the everyday patron. This required a lot of coordination and custom design considerations but in the end we were able to achieve the vision. Empirehouse is very proud of this project, this project was 100% custom and because it was "design build" we were working to design and create a vision for the owner. Many of the elements are transparent which is what the GSA was looking for yet making it a very secure environment for the public and employees in this space. | |||||
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St. Cloud Public Library
Location:
St. Cloud, MN
Contractor: W. Gohman Construction Completed: October 2008 Empirehouse was very pleased when we were selected as the glazing contractor for the new St. Cloud Library project. By far, this was our most complex two story project to date. Features for this work included a multiple radii curtainwall, complex angle connections on all exterior walls, asymmetrical clerestory windows, multiple irregularly sloped roof to glass connections, and the delicate and tedious ties to the air barrier system details which created the critical humidity balance for the library. All of these details and points were married with a high performance glass that still maintained the transparency required for the library's lighting conditions. The interior glass systems were as complex as the exterior, with a budget that equaled the outside skin of the building. The internal walls were all glass rooms within rooms, glass elevator shafts, glass handrails, with structural silicone glazing to give a mullion-free appearance.
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