By: JF Couturier, CEO Unicel Architectural As a longtime manufacturer of vision and daylight control solutions for the construction industry, we have been part of many unique and stunning new building projects that deserve attention – be it either for their esthetics, their functionality or their sustainability. Every once in a while, we get to participate in a project that scores on all three fronts. Such is the case with Morgan State University’s...
No one looks forward to a hospital stay. First and foremost, it means you are sick or injured. Secondly, the utilitarian design of most healthcare facilities is not likely to be restful or calming. Lack of privacy. Noise. Fluorescent lighting. These are hardly healing conditions. Healthcare facilities boom There is currently a global hospital-construction boom. In the US alone, over $200 billion is expected to be spent on healthcare construction by 2015....
No longer the domain of interior designers – shading and privacy are now key architectural design elements From commercial to residential to institutional design, architects are increasingly looking beyond traditional interior shading and privacy solutions – like venetian blinds, curtains and retractable shades – to incorporate vision and daylight control as part of a building’s architectural envelope. Shading and privacy solutions...
Creating a safe, hygienic and private patient environment Privacy is a patient’s right as much as it is a courtesy. While much has been made of protecting a patient’s medical information and files, a patient’s physical privacy during exams, consultations and hospital stays is also of utmost importance. Physical privacy provides the comfort of dignity at a time when those in medical need can be at their most vulnerable. Curtains and blinds come to...
What is daylighting? Daylighting design leverages visible light from the sun to enhance a building’s interior illumination through direct, diffused and reflected lighting approaches. It can be used to complement electrical lighting, create more visually stimulating environments and significantly reduce energy costs. Why is it important? Daylighting provides compelling benefits for human activities. The effective use of daylighting can improve...
Architectural Insights for Visions & Daylight Control
by Unicel Architectural
In May 2011, the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine unveiled its new $72 million companion animal medical center. The Randall B. Terry, Jr. Companion Animal Veterinary Medical Center (Terry Center) more than doubles the current size of NC State’s Small Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) with this new 110,000-square-foot complex that boasts 30 examination rooms, 10 surgical suites, three dedicated emergency examination rooms, an expanded intensive care unit with a patient visitation area and a specialized pharmacy. The VTH and Terry Center are now one of the largest, most technologically advanced veterinary facilities in the US.
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Banner Thunderbird Medical Center is one of the leading healthcare providers in the state of Arizona. To pursue growth opportunities and reinforce its leading position in the region, Banner undertook the development of a new facility in Glendale and commissioned NTD Architects to design the new bed tower and expansion project. Walters & Wolf Construction Specialties were selected as glazing contractors.
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The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) in Raleigh, NC, recently undertook a major expansion project to transform the existing building into an exhibition center with administrative and educational offices, and combine these with gardens and outdoor galleries to create the nation’s largest art museum park.
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