Project: University of San Francisco, John Lo Schiavo, S.J. Center for Science and Innovation
Location: San Francisco
Architect: NBBJ
Glass: Pilkington Profilit™ translucent channel glass system with Lumira® aerogel insulation
Glass Supplier: Technical Glass Products
The University of San Francisco’s new John Lo Schiavo Center for Science and Innovation (CSI) brings science to the forefront of academic life. Its glossy, three-story exterior invites students into the facility, and then flows sleekly down into the hillside where below-grade laboratories and classrooms make efficient use of space on the landlocked campus.
For NBBJ architects, the inspiration for the new building came from the faculty’s desire to bring passion to the study of science within the USF academic curriculum. “A key driver behind the CSI was to put science on display and create buzz within the student body,” says Lilian Asperin-Clyman, principal at NBBJ.
To meet functional demands and generate the desired interest in the science facility, the design team looked to high-performance materials. A curtain wall with fritted glass and flexible shades provides students with views to informal learning areas and outdoor spaces to encourage scientific discovery.
Skylights and glazed teaching walls with a writable surface and visual connectivity help bathe lower, “garden level” education areas in sunlight to blur the boundary between above- and below-grade. Sloped walkways promote seamless circulation between the building’s main campus and garden-level spaces.
Glazed channel glass corridor uses borrowed light. Photo: Technical Glass Products/NBBJ
In implementing the design vision, one challenge was to create an attention-grabbing, garden-level façade that satisfies acoustic and thermal performance demands. NBBJ found their solution with Pilkington Profilit™ channel glass from Technical Glass Products (TGP).
The linear, “U”-shaped, cast-glass channels are self-supporting and mounted in an extruded metal perimeter frame. In the case of CSI, they were installed vertically, forming tight radii as they animate and follow the curve of the building’s adjacent walkway. The combination of raked and curved channel glass heads and sills make the size and positioning of each channel glass piece unique, and allow the façade to transition between curved and straight sections. The lighting strategy where channel glass is used creates a dramatic “lantern” effect that contributes to the character of the exterior spaces after dark.
At the CSI’s main-level entrance, a second layer of channel glass mirrors a portion of the exterior channel glass façade to create a glazed corridor. Its clear channel glass interior and translucent channel glass exterior combine to create what San Francisco Chronicle architecture critic John King hailed as the building’s “most potent architectural treat.”
“The glazed hallway adds dynamism to the building by highlighting the silhouette of students walking inside,” adds Asperin-Clyman. “It also improves safety on campus by allowing borrowed light to spill out from the building on to an area frequently traversed by students, faculty and visitors.” The sloped walkway complies with ADA accessibility requirements and connects the entrance lobby to the entry to the main lecture hall.
Both the exterior façade and glazed channel glass hallway help the design team meet thermal and acoustic performance goals. The design incorporates clear channel glass with a low-emissivity coating in a custom painted thermally improved frame with head receptor. In select locations, the use of Lumira® aerogel in the enclosed space between the channels helps enhance energy performance and reduce sound transmission.
“By using unique, structurally sound and high-performing materials like Pilkington Profilit channel glass, we were able to experiment with geometry, layering and lighting to create spaces that not only attract students, but also satisfy the facility’s highest functional requirements,” concludes Asperin-Clyman.
Today, the innovative CSI building embodies the university’s mission to bring science and discovery into the everyday lives of students. It is designed to LEED Gold standards.
For more information on Pilkington Profilit, along with TGP’s other specialty architectural glass and framing products, visit tgpamerica.com.
Technical Glass Products
800.426.0279
800.451.9857 – fax
sales@tgpamerica.com
tgpamerica.com
Related Stories
| Nov 21, 2014
Nonresidential Construction Index rises in fourth quarter
There are a number of reasons for optimism among respondents of FMI's quarterly Nonresidential Construction Index survey, including healthier backlogs and low inflation.
| Nov 21, 2014
NCARB: Number of architects in U.S. grows 1.6% in 2014, surpasses 107,500
The architecture profession continues to grow along with a gradually recovering economy, based on the results of the 2014 Survey of Architectural Registration Boards, conducted by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.
| Nov 20, 2014
Lean Led Design: How Building Teams can cut costs, reduce waste in healthcare construction projects
Healthcare organizations are under extreme pressure to reduce costs, writes CBRE Healthcare's Lora Schwartz. Tools like Lean Led Design are helping them cope.
| Nov 19, 2014
The evolution of airport design and construction [infographic]
Safety, consumer demand, and the new economics of flight are three of the major factors shaping how airlines and airport officials are approaching the need for upgrades and renovations, writes Skanska USA's MacAdam Glinn.
| Nov 19, 2014
Construction unemployment hits eight-year low, some states struggle to find qualified labor
The construction industry, whose workforce was decimated during the last recession, is slowly getting back on its feet. However, in certain markets—especially those where oil drilling and production have been prospering—construction workers can still be scarce.
Sponsored | | Nov 19, 2014
3 technology trends on the horizon
As technology continues to evolve exponentially, construction firms have ongoing opportunities to enhance the quality, speed, and efficiency of building projects and processes. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Nov 19, 2014
Long-life coatings vs. long-life screws
Are you concerned with the long-life protection of your metal building project? SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Nov 19, 2014
Fire resistive, blast-resistant glazing: Where security, safety, and transparency converge
Security, safety and transparency don’t have to be mutually exclusive thanks to new glazing technology designed to support blast and fire-resistant secure buildings. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Nov 19, 2014
Must see: Arup, Damian Rogers propose urban surf park in Melbourne
The surfing pool would offer 98-foot-wide waves that would run the length of the 500-foot-long enclave.
| Nov 18, 2014
Architecture Billings Index dips in October, still shows positive outlook design services
Headed by the continued strength in the multifamily residential market and the emerging growth for institutional projects, demand for design services continues to be healthy, as exhibited in the latest Architecture Billings Index.
