By night, the University of Kansas (KU) Medical Center Health Education Building (HEB) illuminates its campus with an iconic, lantern-like presence. By day, the spotlight is on education and human connection. No matter which side of the glass you’re on, the building is a testament to how the ambitious use of glass can define a building façade in both form and function.
Solarban® 70 (formerly Solarban® 70XL) solar control, low-emissivity (low-e) glass and Solarban® 72 on Starphire® low-iron glass by Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) are key components of this multipurpose academic facility.
Designed through a partnership between Helix Architecture + Design and CO Architects, the five-story, 171,000-square-foot facility creates an “educational zone,” serving as the primary teaching facility to support interprofessional education for the schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions.
Balancing the use of glass, metal and brick to create an iconic presence on campus, the building features a four-story glass “lantern” box design glazed with high-performance Solarban® 70 glass fabricated by Insulite Glass, a member of the Vitro Certified™ Network. Flexible learning studios and state-of-the-art clinical skills labs “float” within the box to show off the core of the building’s curriculum to the public.
A 250-foot-long glass-enclosed bridge featuring ultra-transparent Solarban® 72 Starphire® glass passes through the center of the structure and connects it to adjacent buildings, providing 6,000 square-feet of lounge, meeting and student-activity space. The exceptional clarity of the glass met the architects’ design requirements for transparency, connectivity and identity.
A three-story skylight system that allows ventilation between floors is supplemented by the energy-efficient glass configuration featuring Solarban® 70 glass, which limits heat gain to enhance occupant comfort. A large cantilevered glass “cube” highlights the medical simulation and clinical skills floors as the “heart” of the building. Decorative wooden slats encase the inside of the third and fourth floors, folding in to form a “rib cage.”
The project design also accommodates a 25 percent increase in class sizes, enabling the KU School of Medicine, the only medical school in the state, to help meet the growing demand for health care professionals. Other technology-enhanced environments include active classrooms, mock exam rooms, a medical simulation center, study areas and spaces that enhance the social and collaborative aspects of learning.
With center-of-glass visible light transmittance (VLT) of 64 percent and a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.27 in a standard one-inch insulating glass unit (IGU), Solarban® 70 glass helped deliver the abundant natural daylight, provided ample exterior views and fostered a sense of openness around the education process that the architect was seeking.
Formulated with the industry’s most advanced triple-silver coating that is engineered for use on Starphire Ultra-Clear® glass, Solarban® 72 glass has visible light transmittance (VLT) of 71 percent with a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.30.
To learn more about Solarban® 70 or Solarban® 72 Starphire® glasses, or to locate a member of the Vitro Certified™ Network, visit www.vitroglazings.com or call 1-855-VTRO-GLS (887-6457).
Related Stories
| Jul 12, 2013
Statue of Liberty Monument bolstered by Vetrotech Saint-Gobain’s fire-rated glass
The Statue of Liberty National Monument reopened to the public featuring two new fire stairwells and an elevator that will allow visitors with reduced mobility to look into the Statue’s interior structure.
| May 17, 2013
5 things AEC pros need to know about low-e glass
Low-emissivity glasses are critical to making today’s buildings brighter, more energy-efficient, and more sustainable. Here are five tips to help AEC professionals understand the differences among low-e glasses and their impact on building performance.
| May 8, 2013
Preventable curtain wall failures - AIA/CES course
In many cases, curtain wall failures are caused by fairly simple errors that occur during the fabrication and installation process. This presentation will highlight common errors and when they typically occur.
| May 8, 2013
Guardian’s Scott Thomsen headlines Glass Performance Days Finland Conference, June 11-15
Scott Thomsen, president of Guardian Industries Global Flat Glass Group, will engage the global glass technorati in an opening speech at Glass Performance Days Finland June 11-15 in Tampere. In addition, Guardian technologists and scientists will present a wide variety of technical papers and glass industry innovations.
| May 6, 2013
SAFTI FIRST announces 3D Autodesk Revit models for fire rated wall, window, and door systems
SAFTI FIRST, leading USA-manufacturer of fire rated glass and faming systems, is proud to announce that Autodesk Revit models are now available for its fire rated walls, window and door systems via www.safti.com and Autodesk Seek.
| Apr 30, 2013
Tips for designing with fire rated glass - AIA/CES course
Kate Steel of Steel Consulting Services offers tips and advice for choosing the correct code-compliant glazing product for every fire-rated application. This BD+C University class is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Apr 10, 2013
23 things you need to know about charter schools
Charter schools are growing like Topsy. But don’t jump on board unless you know what you’re getting into.
| Apr 8, 2013
Oldcastle Architectural acquires Expocrete Concrete Products
Oldcastle® Architectural has acquired Expocrete Concrete Products Ltd., giving North America’s largest producer of concrete masonry and hardscape products an increased presence in the high-growth region of western Canada.
| Mar 27, 2013
Small but mighty: Berkeley public library’s net-zero gem
The Building Team for Berkeley, Calif.’s new 9,500-sf West Branch library aims to achieve net-zero—and possibly net-positive—energy performance with the help of clever passive design techniques.
| Mar 23, 2013
Fire resistive curtain wall helps mixed-use residential building meet property line requirements
The majority of fire rated glazing applications occur inside the building in order to allow occupants to exit the building safely or provide an area of refuge during a fire. But what happens when the threat of fire comes from the outside? This was the case for The Kensington, a mixed-use residential building in Boston.