Architectural Record 2015-04

144 WHAT’S NEW IN RETAIL AND HOSPITALITY DESIGN EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
Photo courtesy of NanaWall Systems
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Operable exterior walls allow hospitality
and retail locations to connect indoor
and outdoor spaces when the weather is
favorable and securely close up the wall
again when needed.
Some straight sliding top-hung systems can
accommodate door panels over 1,000 pounds
and still be fairly easy to install. A variation on
straight sliding hardware systems is one that
employs a belt system to allow the operation of
one panel which simultaneously moves additional
panels. This type of telescopic system maintains a
leading panel and when that panel is moved, the
additional panel(s) also follow along. Similar to
the telescopic approach, a symmetric system is
available which consists of two bi-parting panels
that meet in the middle. With a belted symmetric
system it only takes movement of one panel to
move the opposite panel into place.
Instead of sliding, the door panels can fold
using panels that are hinged together. They
still rely on top hung hardware to guide their
movement so that once folded, they can slide
to one or both sides of an opening. The bottom
guide hardware may be optional dependent on
the system. There is also a sliding and stacking
option with panels that move independently
of each other. When opened fully, the folding
panels can be slid so that they are stacked up or
can be hidden behind a wall or in a niche.
Operable Exterior Walls
Beyond moveable doors, it is possible to consider
making entire walls operable. When fully
glazed panels are used, this approach offers
designers the ability to create flexible spaces
that are able to seamlessly bring the outdoors
in, provide daylighting and natural ventilation,
and capitalize on beautiful views. It also allows
indoor spaces to expand to the outdoors when the
weather is inviting and the use patterns require
it. Operable glass walls are available that, when
closed, provide the needed high levels of energy
performance, weather tightness, and security in
addition to welcome daylight and regulated solar
gains. In the open position, they provide natural
ventilation and flexibility of spaces by creating
seamless flows between indoor and outdoor
spaces. Either way, opening glass walls have
been shown to stand up to the daily commercial
building demands, as well as the challenges of
wind, water, extreme temperatures, forced entry,
impact, and structural load. Commonly, operable
glass walls are full height or match standard door
heights, although they can also be used in shorter
heights for large continuous window applications
as well. They range in overall size from as small as
9 feet wide up to as large as 300 feet wide.
Operable glass walls use door-sized glass
panels that can be readily opened or closed on
demand, making them part of the building
envelope. Like any other type of building
fenestration, this system does not carry any
structural load from the building, but is reliant
on being appropriately attached to the building
and operates within a structurally supported
opening. In design situations where large operable
window or glazed door areas are desirable for
both green building and occupant reasons, the
performance of these systems is clearly critical.
Large opening glass walls with thermally broken
frames and low U-factor glazing eliminate the
high solar heat gain or heat loss that may come
with increased opening size. Because of the
large opening sizes, the corresponding large
perimeter area, and multiple joints between panel
sections, the manufacture and production of
these systems requires considerable diligence and
attention to detail in order achieve performance
levels that are required for green buildings.
Hence, it is incumbent on manufacturers to
provide independent testing on their products to
determine the results for thermal performance,
penetration of wind or water, security, and
acoustical characteristics. This combination
of large-format operable glazing coupled with
high-performance construction offers architects
a design alternative that is not available through
other fenestration options.
2. NATURAL, DURABLE SURFACES
Hospitality and retail buildings are intended
to attract a lot of people to them. With all
of those people come demands on the walls,
floors, and other surfaces related to foot traffic,
activities, cleaning, and ease of maintenance.
In institutional or industrial settings, the
appearance of these materials is sometimes less
important, but in retail and hospitality settings
the functional demands and the appearance need
to work hand in hand to be successful. The longer
these materials last, the more sustainable and
green the building can be. We will focus on two
specific material options that can be considered,
manufactured stone veneer and terrazzo.
Manufactured Stone Veneer
Stone has been a preferred building material for
centuries. It not only speaks to environmental
awareness, it evokes a sense of connectivity
to nature. The problem today with full-depth
stone work is that it can be very expensive
to incorporate and difficult to find skilled