Green and Health-y

The Geisinger Center for Health Research (GCHR) in Danville, Pa., features unique curving walls and green design components which have helped it achieve LEED silver certification.

The 63,000-square-foot building serves as a hub for teams of researchers, clinician investigators and staff who work to identify, test, and validate new models of care delivery and quickly translate research findings into immediate medical solutions. Geisinger needed a large, state-of-the-art facility that would not only serve to house staff members, the Health Sciences Libraries, lecture, meeting and conference rooms, but whose unique and innovative design would reflect the cutting-edge work being conducted inside.

The curved shape of the building is unique and the deep mullion covers that follow the lines of the building work to give it an interesting aesthetic, making the project one-of-a-kind. In addition, the use and manipulation of natural daylight in the building design was a key component in helping generate LEED certification points by reducing the dependency on electrical lighting and providing window views for more than 90 percent of the office space. The glazed elements throughout the building created an exterior "skin" to maximize energy savings and interior light.

Challenges

The convex and concave walls and sloping roof were complex design elements, which required a great deal of expertise to achieve. The multiple compound angles throughout the project required the CAD drawings to be exact due to the intricacy of the design.

To accomplish the customized look in the design, Kawneer's 1600 Wall System1 and 2 were used throughout the building and combined to provide a greater visual impact. The downward curving lines of the curtainwall were achieved through convex and concave compound miter joints and cuts in radius and in plane. The concealed fastener joinery helped to create unbroken lines, achieving a clean, streamlined exterior appearance.

In addition to the close proximity of Kawneer's Bloomsburg plant, recycled LEED billet was requested and materials had to be manufactured regionally in order to help achieve the materials and resources LEED credits. Kawneer's Trifab VG 450 framing system and 350 Tuffline entrances were also utilized in the $21 million project.

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