Olympia, Washington

In the early 1920s, the State of Washington built a magnificent new legislative building to serve as a practical and aesthetic civic focal point for the state capitol campus. The building - reminiscent of the U.S. Capitol - was designed in a mixture of Roman, Greek and neo-Classical styles. Following a magnitude 6.8 earthquake in 2001, the brick and stone structure was in danger of collapsing.

To extend the life of the building for another 50 years, the state undertook a renovation to update and reinforce the structure, and to install new heating, cooling, plumbing and fire protection systems. A key challenge faced by the architects - SRG Partnership and Einhorn Yaffee Prescott - was to accomplish the structural and safety upgrades in a way that preserved the historic elegance of the popular building.

Among the many design challenges inherent with the upgrade was a code requirement to provide fire-rated barriers in all stairwells. In many similar applications, heavy steel doors with small wired-glass windows are used to provide the necessary fire protection. While practical for helping stop or slow the spread of flames and smoke, such installations create an industrial or institutional feel, and limit viewing for security purposes. These products would not have met the project's goal to retain the character and styling of the classic building, especially since a number of the stairwells are in very visible locations.

To provide light and a sense of openness in the stairwells, while meeting the requirements for fire safety, the architects selected FireFrames® Heat Barrier Series glass doorframes and sidelights, with fire-resistant glass. FireFrames - available from Technical Glass Products (TGP) - are fire-rated for up to 2 hours, offer a narrow steel profile and can accommodate large individual panes of fire-resistant glass. In addition to their practicality, the bronze-clad FireFrames used in the legislative building are a natural extension of other furnishings and fixtures in the building and complement its historic architecture.

FireFrames can be finished to match virtually any desired color scheme. The durability of the frames also ensures low maintenance. Interlocking door profiles provide a tight seal against flames and smoke. FireFrames can be manufactured in a range of sizes and shapes - the legislative building installation includes both rectangular and arched doorways. "Fire-resistant framing and glass doesn't have to look bulky and unappealing," says Jerry Razwick, president of TGP. "Products like FireFrames allow architects great design flexibility, bringing visibility and natural light into spaces that were once required to be protected behind thick walls and doors."

For their overall approach to rehabilitating the legislative building and preserving its historic character, the architect team was presented a 2006 National Honor Award by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The selection jury commented that the project was "an ingenious approach to accommodate new systems."

For more information on Heat Barrier Series FireFrames, along with TGP's other specialty glass and framing, visit Technical Glass Products online at www.fireglass.com.

Bellevue, Washington City Hall

When the City of Bellevue, Washington opened its new city hall, it wanted to create a civic space that would become a key part of the life of the community. The new, centralized Eastside 911 Communications Center located in the building was no exception. Rather than placing the communications center in a bunker, plans called for a seventh-floor location, including interior windows to provide visibility to a public viewing area.

The open configuration of the call center provided the architects - Seattle-based SRG Partnership - with some unique challenges. Code requirements specify that emergency communication facilities that share a building used for other purposes must have a two-hour fire rating and that any window accessible to the public must also have a Level III bullet resistance rating (capable of stopping a .44 magnum bullet). Finding glazing that meets both fire and security needs can be a challenge.

To meet the dual code requirements, SRG Partnership chose Pilkington Pyrostop™ glass and FireFrames® Heat Barrier Frames, available from Technical Glass Products (TGP). The installed Pyrostop provides a two-hour fire resistance rating, creating a barrier to flames and smoke. In addition, it is able to block heat transfer, so if a fire is raging on one side of the glass, the other side is still cool to the touch. These characteristics provide critical protection to call center staff and heat-sensitive equipment. And, the Pyrostop and FireFrames® system also meet the requirement for Level III bullet-resistance. Unlike many other ballistic-rated glass products that use plastic, Pyrostop glass is non-flammable and does not create additional flames and deadly smoke. For applications requiring extra security, Pyrostop can be combined with other glazing materials to achieve up to a Level VIII bullet-resistance rating (7.62mm rifle).

Duncan Thieme, architect with SRG Partnership, says that the TGP products "were the best of several options we evaluated" for meeting the unique requirements of the mission-critical communications center. Adds Jerry Razwick, president of TGP, "Pyrostop and FireFrames are popular in many civic and public buildings, including schools, offices, shopping malls and any other place where both fire and impact resistance are needed."

For more information on Pilkington Pyrostop and Heat Barrier Series FireFrames, along with TGP's other specialty glass and framing, visit Technical Glass Products online at www.fireglass.com.