Washington University’s (WashU’s) James M. McKelvey, Sr. Hall is completing the final stage for the East End Transformation of Danforth Campus in St. Louis, Missouri. Sustainability and occupant well-being were essential objectives for the university.
To meet the project’s numerous design goals and performance requirements, Tubelite Inc. and its representative, Doug Urich of ARCHON Fenestration Technologies worked closely with the design and building team. In addition to Tubelite, WashU’s 86,500-square-foot McKelvey Hall project was supported with products and services from Wausau Window and Wall Systems, Viracon and Linetec.
Products and systems used
To create the McKelvey Hall’s transparent and dramatic elements, ARCHON provided Tubelite’s Therml=Block 900RW Series Thermal Window Wall, and 400T Series Thermal Curtainwall and wide stile doors for the hall’s entrance area. Wausau supplied additional unitized curtainwall glazed with Viracon’s VNE24-63 glass.
Helping achieve the building’s energy-efficiency criteria, Tubelite’s and Wausau’s aluminum framing members were thermally broken. Tubelite’s 900RW single and dual thermal break options allow architects and specifiers to select appropriate thermal performance levels to meet the projects’ requirements.
Further enhancing performance and keeping occupants comfortable, Viracon’s ultra-clear glass was paired with Wausau’s vertical and horizontal sun shades plus custom shadowboxes. The exterior shading devices were engineered as integral components with the curtainwall, as were the interior 24-inch-deep light shelves that maximize daylight more deeply into the facility’s interior.
“With attention to solar orientation and shading, ample natural light, high-performance façade design, and energy efficiency, the building promotes student productivity and well-being campus-wide,” says Perkins Eastman.
More project info
Along with meeting WashU’s numerous sustainability and well-being requirements, McKelvey Hall fulfills the school's intellectual vision and academic plan. Named in honor of the dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science, James M. McKelvey Sr., the new facility was envisioned as a space for interdisciplinary collaboration and high-impact research.
Promoting openness and creating connections, the hall physically links the university’s schools and buildings, while fostering engagement between teachers and students. The new building includes 19,000 square feet of research space, a café, the Judith Hood McKelvey Commons, faculty and departmental offices, plus shell space for future classrooms and research.
The architect for this project was Perkins Eastman of New York, alongside associate architect Patterhn Ives, LLC of St. Louis, Missouri. The construction manager was McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. Glass fabricator was Viracon. Manufacturers were Wausau Window and Wall Systems and Tubelite Inc. The finishing service provider was Linetec.
