Phone: 412-571-1600 E-mail: nick@larsonobrien.com
Date: October 27, 2009
Photos: http://larsonobrien.com/
CAMBRIDGE, MD… Curved, intersecting woven metal fabric panels from Cambridge Architectural uniquely and securely adorn the exterior of a new parking garage serving Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, OH.
CCH Medical Center is one of only ten pediatric hospitals in the United States to be ranked on the Honor Roll of U.S. News and World Report’s 2009 edition of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals. The organization continues to grow and has recently constructed new medical office buildings that house its latest practices and also contribute to its ongoing site revitalization. To meet the needs of this growth, and to further match the quality of its facilities with the quality of its care, CCH has employed the most dynamic of architectural elements.
A Cambridge Parkade(TM) architectural mesh system clads a new parking garage in a revolutionary basket weave design to provide never-before-
The flowing mesh panels aren’t as soft and delicate as they appear. The stainless steel Parkade system was built to sustain the Cincinnati climate, unfazed by harsh winters and warm, humid summers. Additionally, the mesh system offers unparalleled safety by providing fall protection and transparency allowing views into the well-lit garage deck at night.
“The metal fabric by Cambridge offered flexibility, durability and ease of installation in addition to the necessary high openness ratio for the two types of exterior treatments used on our project,” says Raffi Tomassian, Designer, of DNK Architects, Inc., the architect of the project. “The combination of these factors with a contemporary, shimmering, diaphanous look locked us in on the product.”
“We love working with top architects like DNK and lending our material to their most inventive designs,” says Heather Collins, Director of Marketing for Cambridge Architectural. “This project is especially important to us because it presents a groundbreaking visual design without sacrificing performance, making it a truly complete solution.”
Cambridge is committed to assisting the design and construction team from initial concept to final installation on each and every project. For the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center parking garage, Cambridge developed an ideal system to address all the visual and functional needs of the architect. The system was then specifically engineered to the building’s exterior to assure a streamlined installation.
“The installation went very smoothly,” says Brad Hitzfield, President/CEO of ProCLAD, Inc., the installer of the project. “Cambridge’
“It was great working with Cambridge because they responded to our project confidently from the beginning and took a very proactive approach throughout to make sure that our vision was uncompromisingly realized,” says Raffi Tomassian.
The Parkade system was fabricated with mesh in Cambridge’s Stripe and MidBalance pattern, which features large-scaled, flexible open weaves that shade and screen structures including facades, parking garages and pavilions.
Cambridge’s Eclipse(TM) tension attachment hardware was used to install the Stripe and Midbalance 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.
Construction on the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center parking garage was completed in August 2009. The project team consists of architect DNK Architects, Inc., Cincinnati, OH, construction manager Al. Neyer, Inc., Cincinnati, OH and installer ProCLAD, Inc., Noblesville, IN.
“DNK’s design and Cambridge’s material delivers a cutting-edge design – there is nothing like it in the parking garage world,” says Hitzfield. “You’
Cambridge Architectural Parkade metal fabric solutions lend unique aesthetic appeal, functionality, affordability and sustainable benefits to parking structures. As exterior cladding for parking garages, Parkade applications provide ventilation, fall protection, visibility, headlight attenuation, safety, security and many additional functional benefits. Cambridge offers a wide range of metal fabric patterns and corresponding attachment hardware, and is always available for comprehensive design and engineering assistance. With every project, Cambridge provides turn-key installation.
