Less STEEL, More GLASS!
Creative detailing is often the difference between heavy structural compromises and refined architectural intent.
Case Study #3 – I worked with the architect to minimize sightlines and maximize glass by refining the layout of window and door systems from two different manufacturers. The architect originally specified 2" x 8" horizontal steel beams above the doors in the pavilion, but the longer beam over the pocket sagged ¾".
The structural engineer proposed a vertical steel column to support it—but that would have destroyed the clean transom line. Instead, I proposed welding steel straps in front and behind the window mullion and covering them with brake metal for a concealed reinforcement.
During critical phases of shell construction, I was on site nearly every week. On the left side of the first floor, I caught a structural misalignment where the overhead beam was 4" too high for the door head height and had it re-engineered.
The final result: a clean ribbon of sliding glass walls aligned precisely with ceiling cladding, steel, and the floating pavilion transom.