General Building Data
Name: The Gateway at MICA
Location & Site: The site is located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is on the corner of Mount Royal Avenue and W. North Avenue. The city of Baltimore classifies the site as Ward 14 Section 01, Block 0386 Lot 08. It is an urban setting located approximately two miles from downtown Baltimore. It is a triangular shaped lot that is 33,695 square feet. Years ago an automobile repair station occupied the site. However, in recent years the site has been razed and is now a grass covered vacant lot. A fire house borders the site on the east side and will remain intact. Interstate 83 runs just on the other side of the fire house. North Avenue borders the site to the north and Mount Royal Avenue borders to the west. The site now consists of two lots separated by Montreal Street. Montreal Street will be demolished, combining these two lots. |
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Building Occupant Name: Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)
Occupancy or Function Types:
Student Residence, Studio Space, Mu
Number of Stories: 10
Primary Project Team:Owner: MICA
CM: Whiting-Turner
Architect: RTKL Associates Inc.
MEP & Structural: RTKL Associates Inc.
Civil: KCW Engineering Technologies, Inc.
Landscape Architect: Higgins Lazarus Inc
Lighting Design: Ziger/Snead
FLUX Studio
Construction Dates: 9/14/2006 – 6/17/2008
Cost Info: Price confidential
Project Delivery Method: Design-Bid-Build
Architecture
Architectural Design and Functional Components:
The building is designed to encompass many different activities. MICA will be utilizing the building not only for learning, but student living as well. It is meant to be a place where students can live and do their work in the same space. Apartment style student housing occupies floors three through nine, seven stories of studio space are provided at the northwest end of the building and a double-heighted multi-use performance space is on the ground floor. These spaces are all housed in a glass fritted building that is drum-like in shape. In plan view, it resembles a doughnut with the exterior part of the doughnut rising 11 stories and the interior, or hole of the doughnut, only rising two stories with an open air courtyard on the third level. There are balcony walkways on each level allowing students to view the inner courtyard. On the north end of the doughnut there is a long rectangular box rising ten stories with the mechanical penthouse taking the entire tenth floor. The west end of this space is where the studios are located. The 11th story exists only to house the elevator machine room for this building.
- Maryland Building Performance Standards, (IBC 2000 edition with state modifications.)
- International Fire Code (IFC), 2000 editionMaryland Accessibility Code (COMAR 05.02.02)
- National Electric Code (NFPA 70), 1999 edition
- International Mechanical Code, 2000 edition
- National Fuel Gas Code, 2000 edition
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards as referenced by the above codes.
Zoning: B-3-3 and B-2-3
Historical Requirements of Building or Zoning Area: N/A
Building Envelope Including Description of Roofing Systems and All Various Types Of Exterior Wall Systems Used Throughout the Building:
The exterior of the building consists primarily of an operable glass curtain wall with four different kinds of glazing that create a non-uniform checkered pattern. Reflective composite aluminum panels surround the main entrance. The floors on the north side of the building where the studios are located extend one floor above the rest of the building. The side of this extension that faces the road is the same multi-toned operable glass curtain wall. A glazed aluminum curtain wall system encloses the three other sides. The roof is flat and composed of a modified bituminous assembly. On the third level in the center of the building, directly above the multi-use performance space, a second roof level exists where the courtyard is located. The courtyard consists of concrete pavers landscaped with small plants and trees. An architecturally finished concrete screen wall with a fountain runs along the perimeter of the northwest corner of the site. The architectural finish on the concrete creates a smooth and glassy appearance. It is stained and sealed to preserve this finish. Parts of the fountain as well as the steps along this corner are polished granite. The remainder of the site is landscaped with grass, trees and shrubs.
Primary Engineering Systems
Construction:
The main structural component of the building is reinforced, cast in place concrete. The building envelope is primarily a glazed curtain wall system. The north tower’s exterior is composed of a glazed aluminum curtain wall system with fritted glass. The first two levels of the exterior are a combination of finished CMUs, louvers, composite panels, glass, and vertical metal siding.
The glass curtain wall system is composed of fritted glass, various shades of opaque glass and clear glass. On this building there are two kinds of fritted glass, transparent and spandrel. The fritted glass has vertical 1/8” ceramic lines baked on the outside. The transparent fritted glass gives the appearance of opaqueness from the outside while allowing building occupants to view the street. The fritted spandrel glass is completely opaque and is back-painted grey. In most cases the opaque glass will be backed with either a metal panel finish or a gypsum board interior finish.
The interior spaces of the building are mostly the exposed structural system with a finish or gypsum board. Most of the interior spaces are painted an off-white color except for the exposed concrete columns. A gypsum board bulkhead just inside the main entrance doors opens up to a double height main lobby space. The ceiling of this space is made up of acoustical panels hung from the above concrete structural members. All interior partition walls in the living spaces consist of a system of metal studs, batting, and gypsum board.
The multi-purpose performance space has exposed ductwork hung from the ceiling and CMU walls which are painted black. In the lobby the CMU walls are covered with painted gypsum board.
Electrical:
The electrical service enters at the north east corner of the building by way of eight 4” PVC conduits encased in concrete. This runs to a transformer provided and mounted by BGE. For design purposes the size was estimated at 2500 KVA but will later be determined by BGE. From the transformer ten 4” PVC conduits encased in concrete carry ten sets of 480/277V, three phase, four 500KCM conductors to the 3000 A switchboard.
The switchboard then goes to various transformers throughout the building which step down to 208/120 V for all residential electricity in the building. The other wires from the main switchboard feed panel boards for lights, other systems, and major equipment throughout the building such as mechanical equipment and elevators.
Lighting:
The luminaires mounted on 10’ poles lining the entrance plaza along Mount Royal Ave. contain 277V ceramic metal halide lamps. The same type of lamp is used in a ground mounted fixture that is used to light the trees lining the street at night as well.
The lobby and gallery space have 120V halogen lamps, as does the café that also contains 120V compact fluorescent lamps. The multi-use performance space uses a combination of incandescent and fluorescent lamps. The rest of the first and second floor contains mostly 277V linear and compact fluorescent lamps with the exception of meeting and conference rooms and a few corridors having 120V halogen lamps.
The third level courtyard is lit with 12V halogen, 277V ceramic metal halide, and 277V quad-tube fluorescent lamps. Level three through nine walkways above the courtyard, as well as the studio space, are illuminated with 277V linear fluorescent type lamp. The student apartments consist of 120V linear and compact fluorescent lamps.
Mechanical:
There are two mechanical rooms in MICA, one on level two and the other is the tenth level penthouse. The mechanical room on level two houses three air handling units (AHU), one of these units is a CAV while the other two are VAV units. These three units provide air for spaces on the first two levels.
The air on levels one and two pass through terminal units equipped with reheat coils. Linear diffusers and sidewall registers provide air to the large double heighted lobby area while ceiling mounted diffusers provide air to the rest of the rooms on level one and two. The exterior glass walls on level two have linear diffusers mounted above them. All rooms on the first two levels containing equipment, i.e. electrical and storage rooms, contain FCUs to condition the space as per requirements. The elevator lobby of level three through nine is conditioned with two FCUs per space.
There is also a fourth AHU in the penthouse that provides air for the studio spaces on level three through nine. This VAV unit mixes the return air from the studio spaces with outdoor air before conditioning it for supply into the spaces. The air for the studio spaces on each floor passes through a terminal unit containing a reheat coil and then dispersed via sidewall registers. Levels four, six, and eight, all contain a spray booth in the studio space with an exhaust fan that goes directly to the outside.
All student apartments on level three through nine have operable windows so the only air-side component of the system on these levels is the exhaust fans from the bathrooms. Each room is equipped with its own water source fan coil unit (FCU) to circulate and condition air. The building was originally designed as a four pipe system so each FCU operates independently and can either heat or cool year round, however, due to value engineering it will be constructed as a two-pipe system.
All of the water side equipment is located in the tenth level penthouse. There are two boilers and two air cooled chillers. The two air cooled screw chillers are identical and each provide 200 tons of cooling capacity. The chilled water system is regulated by two 380 GPM end suction pumps with a third 380 GPM standby pump. The boilers are also identical and controlled by one control panel. The cast iron boilers are used for heating purposes and each have a minimum output of 1632 MBH and are regulated by two 150 GPM pumps.
Each stairwell is pressurized with outdoor air from a rooftop mounted fan. The stairwell that goes to the ninth level is pressurized with 15000 CFM and is supplied air on odd numbered levels starting with level three. The stairwell serving the tenth level penthouse is pressurized with 16000 CFM and provides air on even numbered floors starting with the second level. These two stairwells have a gravity controlled relief hood at the roof level.
Structural:
The structural system for The Gateway at MICA is almost entirely a reinforced concrete system. The substructure of this building consists mainly of drilled caissons and grade beams. The caissons are in a circular pattern with the inner caissons having a radius of 49’ from the center of the building and the exterior caissons having a radius of 75’.
The superstructure consists of reinforced concrete floor slabs with some structural steel in W and HSS shapes for the entrance, lobby, and café area. All levels above grade consist of a reinforced concrete slab system. The second level is primarily a 7” one way slab with a small section of 6” slab that is recessed. There is also a small section of the north east corner that is an 8” two way slab. Level 3 has both interior and exterior spaces. The interior floor slab is an 8” two way with the exterior 7” one way slab, recessed for pavers. From level four through ten the doughnut shaped slabs are all 8” two way. The roof slab, which supports a modified bituminous roof assembly, is a 6” one way slab. This is all supported by concrete columns.
Additional Engineering and Engineering Support Systems
Fire Protection:
The fire protection for the building is that of a dry system. The incoming 8” pipe feeds the 30 hp, 750 gpm fire pump that is located in the northeast corner of the building on the first level. A jockey pump and fire pump controller and transfer switch are also located in this room. On the exterior of the building at this point is also a fire department Siamese connection. The system not only provides fire protection for this building, but also for the adjacent firehouse building as well. The system is designed to fully accommodate future work on the firehouse.
The building is protected by a system consisting of an overhead pendant system with the exception of the bedrooms and the circular walkways on level three through nine which are protected by a sidewall mounted system. All unit kitchens will be provided with fire extinguishers.
The alarm system consists of audible alarms which also has an emergency voice communication system. The smoke alarms in the building consist of both single station alarms and smoke alarms connected to the fire alarm system. If a fire should occur the fire department is notified by radios approved by the City and Fire Department of Baltimore City.
Plumbing:
The plumbing system consists of domestic water, natural gas, sanitary, storm water, and fire protection systems.
The domestic water enters the building through the fire pump room on the north side of the building through a 4” pipe. This directly feeds the entire building including the water heaters and the irrigation system for the exterior fountain and the third level plaza. The gas fired water heaters and various plumbing fixtures are fed directly from this line as well.
In the tenth level penthouse there are two, 400 gallon, natural gas fired water heaters each with a 34 gallon expansion tank. These tanks provide hot water for the building and are set on a 4” minimum housekeeping pad. The hot water loop is regulated by a 1/3 hp, 15 gpm, circulating pump.
The 14” incoming pipe for the natural gas is at a rate of approximately 102 CFM and is located at the southeast corner of the building and is used solely to fire the boilers and water heaters in the penthouse. The incoming medium pressure gas line is provided by BGE while all work downstream of the meter and regulator is done by the plumbing contractor.
The sanitary system combines both the solid waste and the vented air into one stack. This stack goes to the roof for the vent, and then it ties into the sanitary system under the building. The sanitary line is an 8” line that exits the building from the south side. The storm water system runs from the ninth and tenth level roof down to the ground floor where it leaves the building via an 8” line to the south and a 6” line to the southwest.
Transportation:
Vertical pedestrian traffic is done either by elevator or stairways. There are two stairways, one on the north end and the other just east of the south end of the building. The stairway on the south end only goes to the ninth floor while the other serves the tenth floor mechanical penthouse.
There are two elevators that service levels one through nine and they are located beside the stairway on the north end of the building. These elevators have a capacity of 3500 lbs each.
Pedestrian traffic on the first two levels is defined by the perimeter of the multi-purpose space. The space is a rectangular shape that is rotated a little to the left of plan north. All traffic on the third level takes place in the landscaped courtyard. Level four through nine traffic takes place on the circular walkways of these levels.
Telecommunications:
Security cameras mounted on the light poles in the entry plaza as well as all entry ways to the building. These cameras are all monitored in a room on the first floor of the building.
Most all spaces on the first two levels, as well as the studios on levels three through nine, contain at least one phone and one data jack. More than one maybe available depending on the rooms function, i.e. conference or meeting rooms. Also, the first three levels are wireless enabled.
In the student apartments there is one data and one video jack provided on each room, this includes bedrooms and common areas. There are two wall mounted phones on these levels, one in the studio and another in the elevator lobby. Each of these levels also has its own telecomm room.
Audio/Visual:
Two of the conference rooms are equipped with a motorized ceiling recessed projection screen. There are also speakers and a projector mounted on the ceiling as well. Two of the other conference rooms have an LCD screen mounted on the wall.
In the multi-purpose space there is room for some future equipment which includes a 20’x15’ motorized projection screen. There are also several wall and ceiling mounted intercom speakers throughout the building.