During the development of the Clinical Services Pavilion at Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center, a point of emphasis for local GBBN Architects was to provide clinical researchers and hospital staff with visual connectivity between workspaces and access to natural light.
“The typical laboratory floor is designed around a concept of transparency, enabling views throughout the building as well as drawing natural light deep within the building,” said GBBN Architects in a firm write-up about the new research-focused, outpatient center. “Design features include collaborative spaces that are selectively placed to draw researchers out of their labs.”
Among the building elements that contributed to the success of the architects’ vision is a light and porous central fire-rated glass stairwell that facilitates opportunities for interaction among clinical researchers and hospital staff. Since the stairwell is designated by code to defend against the spread of flames, smoke and heat for up to two hours, the design team sought a slender, high-performance fire-rated glazing system to provide the necessary transparency and satisfy building codes. To achieve their desired openness and provide a pathway for safe egress, the firm used Technical Glass Products’ (TGP) Fireframes® Curtainwall Series fire-resistant frames with Pilkington Pyrostop® fire-resistant glass.
Fireframes Curtainwall Series fire-rated frames allow for large, multi-story expanses of fire-rated glass in interior and exterior applications. This design flexibility made it possible for GBBN Architects to incorporate expansive sections of fire-rated glazing within the stairwell, extending the line of sight for occupants and connecting them to the clinic’s various floors. The system’s slender profiles also help take the visual focus off the fire-rated frames and center it on the stairwell’s vibrant walls and warm wood treatments, which reflect the youthful energy of the pediatric clinic.
Pilkington Pyrostop is fire-tested as a wall assembly, allowing for unrestricted amounts of transparent glazing. In the medical center, the clear glazed lites help draw daylight deep into the stairwell core and improve visibility for researchers and clinicians as they move between floors. Pilkington Pyrostop also meets the impact requirements of CPSC 16CFR1201 Category I and/or Category II – a critical performance benefit for glass used in busy stairwells.
Together, the fire-rated glass and frames offer fire ratings of up to two hours and block the transfer of radiant heat. They provide essential protection should faculty or patients need to exit the building during a fire.
For more information on the Fireframes Curtainwall Series and Pilkington Pyrostop, along with TGP’s other fire-rated and specialty architectural glass and framing, visit www.fireglass.com.
Light-filled collaborative spaces provide views
Additional Information
Project: Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center, Clinical Services Pavilion
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Architect: GBBN Architects
Glazing Contractor: Pioneer Cladding & Glazing Systems
Product: Fireframes® Curtainwall Series frames with Pilkington Pyrostop® fire-rated transparent wall panels
Technical Glass Products
800.426.0279
800.451.9857 – fax
sales@fireglass.com
www.fireglass.com
Related Stories
75 Top Building Products | Dec 16, 2019
Top Glass and Glazing Products for 2019
SageGlass's Harmony dynamic glass and Vitro Architectural Glass's Acuity low-iron glass are among the nine new glass and glazing products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 12, 2019
Top Building Envelope Products for 2019
Sto's beetle-inspired exterior coating and Dörken Systems' UV-resistant vapor-permeable barrier are among the 28 new building envelope products to make Building Design+Construction's 2019 101 Top Products report.
BD+C University Course | Jul 8, 2019
Shadow box design: To vent or not to vent [AIA course]
A curtain wall shadow box is a spandrel assembly consisting of vision glass at the building exterior and an opaque infill at the interior side of the curtain wall system. This course is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
Glass Technology | Jun 13, 2019
Dynamic glass catches on at major airports
This sector accounts for one-fifth of View Glass’ portfolio.
Fire and Life Safety | Jun 22, 2017
After testing, seven tower blocks found to have similar cladding as Grenfell Tower
These blocks will undergo further testing to determine if they are safe.
Curtain Wall | Apr 11, 2017
Masters of geometry
Three firms that specialize in façades that curve, twist, and turn see themselves as artisans of the unthinkable.
Sponsored | Curtain Wall | Apr 25, 2016
Constructing an energy-efficient and secure global defense building
EFCO was approached during a search for highly durable and aesthetically appealing curtain wall and storefront products and used 3-D software technology to design the framing system and determine the size, radius and angle of the project building’s curved glass
Curtain Wall | Nov 4, 2015
Curved glass curtains will give Washington, D.C., office building more views and floor space
Around 900 fluted glass panes will cover 2050 M Street, which will contain television studios for CBS.
Sponsored | Curtain Wall | Jul 27, 2015
Steel Curtain Wall System is a Landmark for Justice in Butte County
The curtain wall and cupola mirror the shape of surrounding landforms
Sponsored | Fire-Rated Products | Apr 14, 2015
Fire resistive curtain wall brings maximum light, views and safety to Aspen Art Museum
The curtain wall used for the Shigeru Ban-designed museum provides maximum daylight while protecting the art from fire
