November 2017 Monthly Meeting

When
-
Meeting Title
Transparent Systems - Detail Level Insight into High Performance Façades
Location

Aceh Community Room
Mercy Corps, 45 SW Ankeny St
Portland, OR 97204

Presenters
Chris O'Hara, PE
Description

The session is a Case Study driven review of façade details for transparent systems. Where many education provide a review of the basic stock details the critical design issues often occur at the atypical conditions. The basic "rules of thumb" do not apply when the geometry or material choice require more from the design. This session will review the atypical conditions that do not occur in the idealized conditions. The course is crucial to those designing the enclosure of buildings that do not fit the mold of a common box. The case studies will include both transparent and opaque façade systems. Most importantly the discussion will include the junction of the transparent and opaque assemblies, where most facade failures occur. Important topics will include continuous insulation, mitigation of thermal bridges, condensation, waterproofing and structure.

Studio NYL, a Boulder, Colorado-based structural engineering and facade design firm known for its exemplary skills, has earned the trust and respect of architects around the world for delivering truly innovative design-led solutions that exceed the conventional.

Founded in 2004 by Chris O'Hara, PE and Julian Lineham, PE, Studio NYL's vision is rooted in the founders' belief that all architectural design can be elevated through the inventive use of structures that enhance rather than limit design. It is this passion for raising design standards through the "artful use of structure" on every project—whether humble or grandiose in scope—that drives their distinctively poetic approach.

Chris launched his career in New York City where he worked on many unique structural engineering projects as well as signature architectural buildings. From theatrical rigging and amusement park rides, to floating structures, huge facades and challenging structural glazing projects, Chris' training is rooted in one-of-a-kind initiatives like the Rose Center for Earth and Space, the Rolling Stones 'Bridges to Babylon Tour' and the Starlight Theatre.

Over the last few years, Studio NYL has grown rapidly from a firm focused primarily on smaller scale Front Range residential and institutional projects, to being known more broadly for its higher education, law enforcement, arts and other sector work throughout the Western Mountain Region. Today, in addition to its extensive portfolio of conventional building types of all sizes and complexity, Studio NYL is overseeing an expanding number of ground breaking global projects which allows the principals to explore new structural and architectural technologies, skin applications, environmental solutions and more. Chris and Julian also continue to seek out opportunities to reinvent existing traditional systems on landmark buildings around the world.

1 LU/HSW