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Metal Fabric Facade System from Cambridge Architectural Outfits Downtown Providence Mixed-Use Office Tower
CAMBRIDGE, MD… As the world’s most experienced and only full-service provider of architectural mesh systems, Cambridge Architectural’
A Cambridge metal fabric Facade system beautifully drapes the exterior lower floors of a newly constructed mixed-use office tower at GTECH Center in Providence, RI.
GTECH, the world’s number one provider of lottery systems and services, recently relocated from its former headquarters in West Greenwich, RI, to a newly built facility in Providence, RI. As an integral part of the construction, the building’s three-story parking garage required a distinctive exterior cladding material that would additionally provide sun shading. Cambridge Architectural’
“After researching different mesh suppliers, we found that Cambridge Architectural offered a wider selection of metal fabric options than its competitors,”
“Cambridge’
Cambridge was also able to effectively offer solutions for other challenges associated with the project.
“We had a design intent that only used four connection brackets per panel,” continues Finley. “Typically these supports occur horizontally every 30 inches, but Cambridge worked with us to find a solution that used a heavier bracket and greater spans, which was actually more economical to install than the typical detail.”
Stunning expanses of mesh in Cambridge’s Cubist pattern, which features 74% open area, were attached in tension with Cambridge’s Eclipse™ attachment hardware to create the Facade mesh system. The metal fabric fulfills the project’s visual requirements, lending a modern, sophisticated look to the finished structure.
“The mesh is very beautiful and catches the light in unexpected ways,” adds Finley.
The finished 10-story, 210,000 sq. ft. GTECH Center was operational as of October 2006, and houses a ground story featuring restaurant and retail space, along with six stories of office space.
The additional three stories of parking are open to both employees and the general public. The newly constructed tower is the first new office building to be built in Providence in 16 years, bringing a modern new aesthetic to the area that integrates well with the historic architecture of the city.
“We were definitely pleased with the final results,” says Finley. “In fact, we are proposing to use Cambridge Architectural’
The project team consists of Spagnolo Gisness & Associates, Inc., project architect, Boston, MA and Capco Steel Corporation, project manager and distributor, Providence, RI.
Cambridge’s Cubist metal fabric pattern features large-scaled, flexible open weaves that shade and screen structures including facades, parking garages and pavilions.
Eclipse tension attachment hardware was used to install the Cubist product. Tailored edges are provided for expanses of flexible metal fabric in tension. Elegant, custom cut apertures receive the metal fabric ends in tubing that is integrated into a bracket and structural support design. Tube sizes may vary to emphasize or de-emphasize the attachment. The Eclipse hardware is appropriate for lengths of metal fabric held in tension up to 100 feet.
Cambridge Architectural has fabricated architectural mesh systems for dozens of parking facilities and other structures, and maintains a fully-staffed engineering department to assist with installation details, framing design and load characteristics, as well as on-site installation supervision.
