CompositesWorld
Issue link: https://cw.epubxp.com/i/697353
45 CompositesWorld.com LTU Taubman Stairwell Shroud Holding the line on design Humphries reports that the shroud's aesthetic requirements — the combination of its compound curvature and solvent-free surface fnish — clearly favored selection of a composite over steel or other materials. Additionally, the architectural drawings allotted only a narrow 63.5-mm-wide "build envelope" (the allotted space between the stairway components and the shroud attachment points) in which to accommodate the exterior wall and sound and thermal insulation. Given the wall's curvature, erecting a supporting steel framework (the conventional method of providing structural support for a curvilinear, composite façade) would be difcult, if not impossible. Accordingly, in the early stages Humphries and his design team decided, for logistical reasons, to build the shroud in pieces and assemble them on site. To comply with the build envelope dimensions and meet load specifcations, its laminate would be designed with aesthetics and structural performance in mind. "We've seen it, historically, where an architect will design beautiful, organic, fowing shapes, but when push comes to shove, whether it's from capability or cost, the design gets watered down," Humphries says. "Our goal is to keep the original design intent intact by integrating the structure with the aesthetics, so you don't need to build it twice." Humphries notes that one of the aesthetic questions during the design stage was how to manage visibility of the seams. "It's Illustration / Karl Reque CONSTRUCT/LTU Taubman Complex Stairway Shroud › This 13.4m/44-ft tall, glass-reinforced, egg- shaped shroud has a smooth surface fnish and serves as both a functional entrance and central, architectural focal point between the building's north and south wings. › The shroud's curvature and tight build envelope preclude a structural steel support skeleton, but its heavily axially oriented, non-crimp woven E-glass/phenolic laminate meets fre, wind and all other load requirements. › The shroud's dome-like shape distributes loads evenly in the plane of the shell, allowing design of a lighter, thinner structure than could be achieved with other architectural shapes. Five-piece shroud molded on single tool Building complex entrance Skylight STAIRWAY SHROUD (EXTERIOR VIEW) 13.4m 6.1m Polycarbonate foor over pond 90º side fanges (51 mm wide) SHROUD (EXPLODED VIEW, INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE) Stairwell opening (1.5m wide by 11m high) Skylight mounting fange (305 mm wide) L T U T a u b m a n S t a i r w e l l S h r o u d C O N S T R U C T / L T U T a u b m a n C o m p l e x S t a i r w a y S h r o u d › T h i s 1 3 . 4 m / 4 4 - f t t a l l , g l a s s - r e i n f o r c e d , e g g - s h a p e d s h r o u d h a s a s m o o t h s u r f a c e f n i s h a n d s e r v e s a s b o t h a f u n c t i o n a l e n t r a n c e a n d c e n t r a l , › T h e s h r o u d ' s c u r v a t u r e a n d t i g h t b u i l d e n v e l o p e p r e c l u d e a s t r u c t u r a l s t e e l s u p p o r t s k e l e t o n , b u t i t s h e a v i l y a x i a l l y o r i e n t e d , n o n - c r i m p w o v e n › T h e s h r o u d ' s d o m e - l i k e s h a p e d i s t r i b u t e s l o a d s e v e n l y i n t h e p l a n e o f t h e s h e l l , a l l o w i n g d e s i g n o f a l i g h t e r , t h i n n e r s t r u c t u r e t h a n c o u l d b e a c h i e v e d F i v e - p i e c e s h r o u d m o l d e d o n s i n g l e t o o l B u i l d i n g c o m p l e x e n t r a n c e S k y l i g h t S T A I R W A Y S H R O U D ( E X T E R I O R V I E W ) 1 3 . 4 m 6 . 1 m P o l y c a r b o n a t e f o o r o v e r p o n d 9 0 º s i d e f a n g e s ( 5 1 m m w i d e ) S H R O U D ( E X P L O D E D V I E W , I N T E R I O R P E R S P E C T I V E ) S t a i r w e l l o p e n i n g ( 1 . 5 m w i d e b y 1 1 m h i g h ) S k y l i g h t m o u n t i n g f a n g e ( 3 0 5 m m w i d e )