When Grant Thornton, LLP, moved its U.S. headquarters to the former Chicago Title & Trust Center in 2015, “its lease was saddled with a very dark, almost unusable area on their most important floor,” said Ken Novak, NCIDQ, Associate, Stantec Architecture.
The second floor of the now-named Grant Thornton Tower in Chicago’s Loop, would be the “town square” for the world’s sixth largest accounting firm. The space, which the firm hoped to use as a gathering place for employees and clients, had no access to daylight. It was essentially a long, dark corridor. Stantec’s design vision was to open up a gypsum covered, fire-resistive wall to allow copious light into the space, as well as provide visibility to the lobby below and out to the Thompson Center and City Hall across the street.
Introducing daylight, though, was “problematic due to the codes regarding separation of the lobby from the tenant space,” explained Novak. The architects had “given up on the idea of daylight flooding the space,” until they found their solution with Fireframes® Curtainwall Series frames and Pilkington Pyrostop® fire-resistive-rated glass from Technical Glass Products (TGP). “The system provided the fire rating needed, with an all-glass look,” said Sean McEneaney, President, Glass Concepts, LLC, the glazier for the project, who has used the TGP solution in several Chicago-area projects.
The project team replaced an 84-foot (25.6 m) long drywall partition with approximately 821 square feet (76.3 m2) of two-hour fire-resistive curtain wall frames and glass. By changing an opaque wall into a clear one, the result is a welcoming, light-filled space that is “very popular and one of the showstoppers in the building,” notes Novak. “The TGP system allows design ideas such as ours to become reality.”
In addition to the fire-rated system’s look and performance, Novak explained that working with TGP helped streamline the project in several ways. First, because the system has been used in other Chicago projects, “that goes a long way to getting city hall to sign off.” Second, one of the challenges with converting the drywall partition to glazing was the need to accomplish the work 20 feet (6 m) above an active office building lobby. “By working with Leopardo (general contractor), Glass Concepts and TGP, we came up with an innovative solution to install the system backwards, so all of the work could be done on the second floor instead of working in lifts for months and months on overtime at great expense.”
Fireframes Curtainwall Series frames are available with fire ratings up to 120 minutes, and feature narrow profiles to reduce sightlines. The UL classified and labeled steel frames enable large expanses of glass in interior and exterior applications. Also available with up to 120 minute fire ratings, Pilkington Pyrostop glazing is impact safety rated (CPSC 16CFR1201 Category I and/or Category II) and blocks the transfer of radiant and conductive heat.
For more information on Fireframes Curtainwall Series and Pilkington Pyrostop, along with TGP’s other fire-rated glass and framing, visit www.fireglass.com.
Project: Grant Thornton Tower
Location: Chicago, IL
Architect: Stantec Architecture
Glazier: Glass Concepts, LLC
Product: Fireframes® Curtainwall Series frames and Pilkington Pyrostop® fire-resistive-rated glass
Photography: Chris Barrett
Technical Glass Products
800.426.0279
800.451.9857 – fax
Related Stories
Sponsored | Metals | Sep 22, 2015
ALPOLIC® Makes the Impossible Possible: Ryerson University Student Learning Centre
It’s said that Ryerson University can be found at the intersection of Mind and Action. Ryerson’s new Student Learning Centre can certainly be found there, although the actual street address is the intersection of Yonge and Gould, in the busy heart of Toronto, one of the world’s most vibrant and diverse cities.
Sponsored | Fire-Rated Products | Aug 24, 2015
Of Sky Garages and Dezervators: Porsche Design Tower sets a new standard of cool with the help of fire rated glass
The 60-story, 132-residence luxury Porsche Design Tower designed by Sieger Suarez Architects promises to deliver a new standard of cool.
Codes and Standards | Jul 31, 2015
2015 gypsum fire resistance design manual released
The 2015 edition contains nearly 100 new systems that supplement existing assemblies for walls and partitions, floor-ceiling systems, area separation walls, and many others.
Sponsored | Fire-Rated Products | Jun 2, 2015
Is fire rated glass expensive?
Where product selection has the most impact on cost is also the area where the majority of fire rated glass is being used, which are 20 minute doors and 45 minute sidelites, transoms, and openings.
Sponsored | | May 11, 2015
Fire-rated glass separation helps merge new and old pools into a single connected aquatics center
Clear fire-rated glazing helps create a light-filled, safe space for student athletes and spectators in Niles, Illinois.
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
Sponsored | Fire and Life Safety | Apr 1, 2015
Radiant Heat: The Invisible Killer
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Where there’s fire, there’s the deadly threat of radiant heat.
Sponsored | | Mar 3, 2015
New York’s Fulton Center relies on TGP for light-flooded, underground transit hub
Fire-rated curtain wall systems filled this subterranean hub with natural light.
Sponsored | Fire-Rated Products | Feb 12, 2015
State of the fire rated glazing industry
Many years have passed since my days as the “Wired Warrior,” writes SAFTI FIRST's Bill O'Keeffe. Every year at this time I reflect on just how far the fire-rated glazing industry has come.
Fire-Rated Products | Feb 3, 2015
AIA course: Fire and life safety in large buildings
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
