High gallery
The project team consisted of Electrical Subcontractor, E Light Electric Services, Inc.; General Contractor, Saunders Construction;
Temporary Power
From the beginning of construction, temporary power was crucial. In a typical construction project, walls are poured, then the floors. For this complex plan, the cast-in-place concrete structure included up to 50 workers building each wall and/or floor in separate sections and sequences. Through this process, E Light electricians were on standby to ensure reliable temporary power at all times. Without power, the all-concrete structure would have come to a standstill, as multiple vibrators settled the concrete into their forms.
Highlighting the Art
Ultra-violet filters and motorized skylight shades provided safe, uniform light for exhibiting the artwork in the galleries. In the larger, 18-foot-high galleries, solar sensors were installed to detect the amount of natural light coming through the 19 skylights. When natural light increases, the lighting is automatically adjusted and shades on the skylights are automatically drawn.
Natural light enters the galleries through the skylights and then through a perforated-concrete drop ceiling. Extensive pre-planning was used to conceal all the electrical conduits for the lighting, shade mechanisms, and fire suppression systems that were located above the design of this unique ceiling.
At the center of the first floor, display cabinets highlight Still’s artistic tools and personal letters. The interactive displays include motion sensor detectors for each individual exhibit. The artifacts date from the 1950s and are preserved with special UV filters on the lighting.
A master control touchscreen display connects all the lighting throughout the building and is located on the second floor near the main electrical room. To control the state-of-the-
Tight Quarters
The design of the two-story museum included the use of interstitial ceilings between the first and second floors. Above the first floor, a limited 3’-0” head clearance was designated for all electrical, mechanical and plumbing installations. This maze of systems was synchronized using extensive Building Information Modeling (BIM) for precise coordination with all trades.
The track lighting installation presented a challenge in five of the galleries. First, each ceiling was coordinated in CAD for precise placement of the blocking necessary for the lighting. E Light electricians had one chance to get the detailed dimensions correct before the 12” concrete ceiling was poured. Next, each vertical stem of the track was installed through the ceiling within a ¼” clearance drilled hole. Precise and accurate installation was key to hanging the track lighting level and secure.
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E Light Electric specializes in constructing large-scale electrical systems. We utilize cutting-edge technology with 3D CADD/BIM coordination and thorough prefabrication to support our Lean Construction practices. In 2008, E Light Electric completed the Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This LEED® Gold project won an “Award of Merit Silver” for Project of the Year from the Associated General Contractor’s of Colorado. For further information, visit our website www.elightelectric.com.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
