flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

SAFTI FIRST Now Offers GPX Framing with Sunshade Connectors

Sponsored Content

SAFTI FIRST Now Offers GPX Framing with Sunshade Connectors

SAFTI FIRST engineered a connection that allows the structural elements of the GPX Framing System to support an integral sunshade system, instead of being hung in front of it. 


By SAFTI FIRST | June 27, 2014
For the Doolittle Maintenance Facility, SAFTI FIRST provided 60 minute, fire res
For the Doolittle Maintenance Facility, SAFTI FIRST provided 60 minute, fire resistive wall openings in the exterior using Super

Project: Oakland Airport Connector - Doolittle BART Station in Oakland, Calif.
Architect: ED2 International
Glazing Contractor: Bagatelos Glass
Products: SuperLite II-XL 60 IGU in GPX Framing with Sunshade Connection
Why it’s unique: Sunshade connections are not typical with fire rated assemblies

 

For the Doolittle Maintenance Facility, SAFTI FIRST provided 60 minute, fire resistive wall openings in the exterior using SuperLite II-XL 60 insulated with low-e glazing in GPX Framing with a clear anodized finish.  SAFTI FIRST engineered a connection that allows the structural elements of the GPX Framing System to support an integral sunshade system, instead of being hung in front of it. 

The framing covers were notched around the brackets to create a seamless connection.  The connection was also kept in front of the waterline to avoid a potential breach, keeping the system air and water tight.  Other manufacturers would have to go through and behind the glazing pocket to get to the structure, creating a challenge during the fabrication and installation phases.  

The potential for water penetration increases significantly once you punch a hole in your framing and glazing pocket.   By using the SuperLite II-XL 60 IGU in GPX Framing, the architect was able to achieve the aesthetic and code requirements of the application while keeping the whole system air and water tight. 

The Doolittle Bart Station is one of the first installations of the GPX System with sunshade connections, which also include SLCC New Instruction and Administrative Building in Salt Lake City, UT.  While it is a fairly new offering, it is quickly gaining attention and interest in the building community.  Sunshades are commonly used in building to control the amount of direct sunlight through exterior windows.  

When the location of the exterior windows also need to meet fire rated requirements due to property lines, etc., it is good for designers to know that they have an option that combines both. 

Related Stories

Engineers | Sep 15, 2023

NIST investigation of Champlain Towers South collapse indicates no sinkhole

Investigators from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) say they have found no evidence of underground voids on the site of the Champlain Towers South collapse, according to a new NIST report. The team of investigators have studied the site’s subsurface conditions to determine if sinkholes or excessive settling of the pile foundations might have caused the collapse. 

Office Buildings | Sep 14, 2023

New York office revamp by Kohn Pedersen Fox features new façade raising occupant comfort, reducing energy use

The modernization of a mid-century Midtown Manhattan office tower features a new façade intended to improve occupant comfort and reduce energy consumption. The building, at 666 Fifth Avenue, was originally designed by Carson & Lundin. First opened in November 1957 when it was considered cutting-edge, the original façade of the 500-foot-tall modernist skyscraper was highly inefficient by today’s energy efficiency standards.

Healthcare Facilities | Sep 13, 2023

Florida’s first freestanding academic medical behavioral health hospital breaks ground in Tampa Bay

Construction kicked off recently on TGH Behavioral Health Hospital, Florida’s first freestanding academic medical behavioral health hospital. The joint venture partnership between Tampa General (a 1,040-bed facility) and Lifepoint Behavioral Health will provide a full range of inpatient and outpatient care in specialized units for pediatrics, adolescents, adults, and geriatrics, and fills a glaring medical need in the area.

Adaptive Reuse | Sep 13, 2023

Houston's first innovation district is established using adaptive reuse

Gensler's Vince Flickinger shares the firm's adaptive reuse of a Houston, Texas, department store-turned innovation hub.

Giants 400 | Sep 12, 2023

Top 75 Retail Sector Engineering and Engineering Architecture (EA) Firms for 2023

Kimley-Horn, Henderson Engineers, Jacobs, and EXP head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest retail building engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking factors revenue for all retail buildings work, including big box stores, cineplexes, entertainment centers, malls, restaurants, strip centers, and theme parks. 

Giants 400 | Sep 11, 2023

Top 140 Retail Sector Architecture and Architecture Engineering (AE) Firms for 2023

Gensler, Arcadis, Core States Group, WD Partners, and NORR top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest retail sector architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking factors revenue for all retail buildings work, including big box stores, cineplexes, entertainment centers, malls, restaurants, strip centers, and theme parks.

Resiliency | Sep 11, 2023

FEMA names first communities for targeted assistance on hazards resilience

FEMA recently unveiled the initial designation of 483 census tracts that will be eligible for increased federal support to boost resilience to natural hazards and extreme weather. The action was the result of bipartisan legislation, the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 2022. The law aims to help localities most at risk from the impacts of climate change to build resilience to natural hazards.

MFPRO+ Research | Sep 11, 2023

Conversions of multifamily dwellings to ‘mansions’ leading to dwindling affordable stock

Small multifamily homes have historically provided inexpensive housing for renters and buyers, but developers have converted many of them in recent decades into larger, single-family units. This has worsened the affordable housing crisis, say researchers.

Engineers | Sep 8, 2023

Secrets of a structural engineer

Walter P Moore's Scott Martin, PE, LEED AP, DBIA, offers tips and takeaways for young—and veteran—structural engineers in the AEC industry. 

Healthcare Facilities | Sep 8, 2023

Modern healthcare interiors: Healing and care from the outside in

CO Architects shares design tips for healthcare interiors, from front desk to patient rooms.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021