Entrance System Case Study

Photo courtesy of CRL; © Trent Bell

Project: Colby College Athletics and Recreation Center
Location: Waterville, Maine
Architects: Sasaki, Hopkins Architects

The Project: At approximately 350,000 square feet, the Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center at Colby College serves as the epicenter for athletics, recreation, health, and wellness on campus. The facility is home to a range of program types and venues, including a multi-purpose field house, ice rink, 50-meter pool, gymnasium, strength center, climbing wall, and sports medicine facilities.

The Design Concept: Designed by Hopkins Architects along with Boston-based Sasaki, the state-of-the-art facility is arranged and organized with an emphasis on daylight, openness, and transparency. These qualities help form a visual connection with surrounding campus life, maximize views, and energize athletic training spaces with natural light. The recreation center was also designed with an emphasis on sustainability and has achieved LEED Platinum certification, which is difficult to obtain in large-scale sports facilities. Architects took every opportunity to optimize resources, minimize carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce energy and water use.

The Fenestration: To enhance the building’s open concept, creating an inviting and visually transparent entrance was an important design priority. To achieve their goals, designers chose a high-performance glazed entrance door system. The specified entrance features ultra-narrow 1-1/8” vertical stiles that produce clean glass spans and striking all-glass visuals that perfectly complement the overall design. To help meet the architect’s sustainability goals, the doors feature thermally improved framing and 1” insulating glass that delivers U-factors as low as 0.43 to enhance thermal performance and meet the International Energy Conservation Code. The entrance system is also NFRC-rated, complies with California Title 24 requirements, and meets ASHRAE 90.1-2016 air infiltration requirements. The system is also unique in its ability to support panic handle hardware directly on 1” insulating glass units. Designers chose panic handles to create a floating, streamlined aesthetic that is installed with precision-engineered through-glass fittings. These handles meet safety objectives by allowing occupants to exit the building quickly and safely in case of an emergency.

The Result : In total, 24 glass doors were used in the main entrance vestibule: 12 on the exterior of the vestibule, and 12 on the interior of the vestibule. The result is a beautiful entrance that meets all the aesthetic and transparency goals that designers visualized without compromising any of their thermal performance or sustainability requirements.