Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Building

Title: Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Building

Award Category: Building Enclosure

Project Address/Location

305 4th Ave SW

Rochester, MN 55902
United States

Submitted By: Ryan Krug

Company Info

Lerch Bates

7625 Golden Triangle Dr
Suite T
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
United States

6518291041

[email protected]

Project Description and Background: The project architect, HDR, provided three ambitions renderings to Mayo Clinic for a new research facilifty to be aspirational, a catalyst for interdisciplinary innovation, and a symbol of hope much like the shields in Mayo Clinic’s logo. Lerch Bates was engaged direct to Mayo Clinic to work provide HDR the technical expertise to achieve building enclosure performance and design aesthetics. Lerch Bates scope included design meetings, design reviews at all major document milestones, shop drawing and submittal reviews, construction quality assurance observations, and field performance testing. The project consisted of 174,000 SF over 11-stories with below grade tunnels connecting to adjacent buildings and above grade integration with the Opus Imaging Research Building. Exterior enclosure assemblies included below grade waterproofing, unitized curtain wall, curtain wall, metal panel scrim system, veneer masonry, and single-ply roofing.

Scope: Lerch Bates was integrated into the project team due to the risk inherent into achiving aspirational aesthetic goals of the project and Lerch Bates proven experience with architecturally driven designs and ensuring functionality of the building as a research facility. During design Lerch Bates assisted HDR in translating their three renderings into constructible building enclosure systems and determining with the construction team enclosure budgets assigned to each concept. Upon final selection by Mayo Clinic of the project direction, Lerch Bates worked with HDR and Knutson Construction to develop the specification performance targets and performance mockup protocols, formulate the delegated design RFP, and provided technical feedback of potential trade partner approach through the selection process. After a delegated design trade partner was selected, Lerch Bates worked to integrate the partner facade systems with the design aesthetic by collaborating on assembly approaches while still achieving enclosure performance requirements. Through the process, Lerch Bates guided detail coordination between trade partners and enclosure assemblies with the unitized curtain wall assembly, which culminated in highly integrated shop drawings and submittals which addressed extreme cold weather conditions experienced in Minnesota. During construction Lerch Bates' site observations were critical in identifying non-compliant assemblies and through self-performing AAMA 501.2 and AAMA 503 testing, confidence was provided to the construction and Mayo Clinic team that the facade systems were integrated in accordance with Contract Documents, manufacturer requirements, and industry best practices.

Solution: By far the most unique and challenging aspect of the project was the over cladding of the unitized curtain wall assembly with a metal panel "scrim" system which had "occuli" that punched through the metal panel system to allow areas of the unitized curtain wall to be viewed. Lerch Bates provided critical feedback and guidance to the HDR and delegated design trade partner team, MG McGrath on the approach of crating scrim system "mega panels" which attached to structural steel penetrating the unitized curtain wall assembly. Through Lerch Bate's experience with penetrating of unitized curtain wall assemblies, structural thermal breaks within the spandrel area of the unitized curtain wall were incorporated to structurally support the scrim system off the face of floor slab thereby allowing for the architectural design of the building to be achieved. Outside of the unitized curtain wall system, more typical opaque wall and single-ply membrane assemblies were utilized. However due to differential movement and expansion requirements, careful consideration of transitional details were necessary to ensure the long term performance of all facade assemblies, as their interdependence plays into maintaining the building enclosure control layers. In addition, the planned vertical expansion of the adjacent Opus Imaging Research Building required designing the south facade of the building to be eventually removed and integrated into a building expansion project.

Value: Lerch Bates developed the foundation for project success by determining early approaches to achieve architectural design intent and enclosure performance. Once a final direction was selected, providing technical guidance in selection of the trade partner team who could develop and manufacturer assemblies to achieve the aesthetic intent for this project. Lerch Bates' past experience with successfully locating structural thermal breaks in unitized curtain wall for the Essentia Hospital in Duluth, MN was critical to achieving the aesthetics of the project through supporting the metal panel scrim system through penetrations of the unitized curtain wall assembly with the spandrel area of the glazing assembly. The Lerch Bates team expertise allowed for the use of a standard unitized curtain wall assembly, which helped with project budgets, and by locating stack joints strategically so that the thermally broken structural steel connections could be made within the glazing spandrel areas, maintained the unitized curtain wall system performance and control layers; seals were created between the glazing back pan and structural steel to maintain the glazing system air and vapor control layers at each penetration.

Project Images

Additional Info: Please note Pie Consulting & Engineering was acquired by Lerch Bates during the course of the project. So sample deliverables have Pie branding. Additional Information/Resources on the project: https://www.archpaper.com/2024/09/hdr-research-minnesota-mayo-clinic-aluminum/ https://knutsonconstruction.com/case-study/kellen-building/ https://mgmcgrath.com/portfolio/mayo-kellen/

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