The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) reopened in May 2016 following three years of construction to make SFMOMA the largest modern and contemporary art museum in America.
The expansion project team, led by Norwegian firm Snøhetta, assembled a multi-disciplinary roster of composites companies, architects and general contractors to meet ambitious sustainability, performance and design goals.
Owens Corning’s building science experts joined Canyon Insulation, Res-Com Insulation, Inc. insulation contractors and Kreysler & Associates custom fabricators to consult on the project.
The Owens Corning team focused on cutting-edge applications of Thermafiber® mineral wool insulation solutions needed to address fire containment, acoustical and thermal control and energy conservation in the exterior façade, interior walls and mechanical HVAC systems. The collaboration led to the use of four solutions, including Thermafiber® RainBarrier® 45, Thermafiber® FireSpan® 90, Thermafiber® Safing, and Thermafiber® VersaBoard® 60.
Exterior Façade
The first step in creating the building enclosure was proving that the proposed fi re-resistant (FRP) panels could pass the stringent NFPA 285 test requirements. Previously, FRP cladding had not passed the NFPA 285 standard fire test method for evaluation of fi re propagation characteristics of exterior non-load-bearing wall assemblies and panels containing combustible components.
To address this challenge, custom fabricator Kreysler & Associates turned to Canyon Insulation and Owens Corning experts to achieve the signature facade. Together, the team devised the ultra-lightweight solution using Owens Corning Thermafiber fire-resistant technology and expertise to create the first-ever Fireshield 285* FRP panel system to successfully pass the NFPA 285 fire test.
“This breakthrough represents the first major use of FRP cladding on a multi-story building in North America and brings new flexibility to the future of commercial design for architects,” said William Kreysler, president, Kreysler & Associates. “We are excited to have pioneered this innovation in partnership with Owens Corning.”
A perimeter fire containment assembly was chosen using Thermafiber® FireSpan® and Thermafiber® Safing to help achieve outstanding fire protection in compliance with building code fire requirements.
Thermafiber® RainBarrier® 45 mineral wool insulation was specified in the open joint façade to provide energy saving continuous insulation (ci) with critical fire resistive characteristics. The exceptional performance of Thermafiber® RainBarrier® 45 in rain screen and cavity wall construction applications further helped the building breathe without sacrificing R-value. R-value is critical when managing interior thermal moisture levels needed to protect the art displayed in the galleries.
Owens Corning Thermafiber® products were incorporated into the building enclosure to help meet the International Building Code (IBC) requirements for fire containment and deliver exceptional thermal performance and moisture control benefits.
Seamless Interior Choreography
With the 225,000-square-foot addition, the Snøhetta design team strived to create seamless integration between the interior and exterior spaces of the new and original brick-wrapped Mario Botta building. A chief challenge for the interior design was addressing the highly sensitive temperature and humidity levels necessary to preserve works of art showcased in the museum. Given the additional energy usage typically required to maintain this balance, the team needed solutions that would keep the project on track to meet the sustainability and energy efficient goals for the building and meet U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED®) gold standard.
Working closely with Res-Com Insulation, Inc., Owens Corning recommended Thermafiber® mineral wool insulation product solutions to help maximize the building’s efficiency across thermal, acoustical and mechanical systems. Thermafiber® VersaBoard® 60 insulation was selected to help optimize acoustical and thermal control in the exposed and unexposed mechanical spaces as well as the penthouse. Engineered to repel moisture and provide a combination of fire resistive characteristics, enhanced acoustical performance, thermal insulation, and energy conservation, the multi-purpose Thermafiber® VersaBoard® 60 insulation delivered on each of the strategic interior design priorities.
To further support interior fire safety, Thermafiber® Safing insulation was also cut and installed into the top of the fire-rated wall assemblies for mechanical and electrical fire rated penetrations.
Thanks, in part, to the building science innovation incorporated throughout the design, the SFMOMA renovation has been heralded as an architectural masterpiece that merges both form and function to achieve new standards in fire safety, durability, performance and sustainability goals.
* Fireshield 285 FRP panel system is a trademark of Kreysler & Associates.
Technical details:
Floor Count: 10
Expansion: 225,000 ft2
Completion: 2016
Design:
Architectural Firm: Snøhetta
Architect: Craig Dykers, Founding Partner, Architect, Snøhetta
Associate Architect: EHDD, San Francisco
Structural Engineer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Construction:
General Contractor: Webcor Builders
Building Shell Insulation Contractor: Canyon Insulation
Interior Insulation Contractor: Res-Com Insulation, Inc.
Custom Fabricator: Kreysler & Associates
For more information on the Owens Corning® (www.owenscorning.com) Thermafiber® mineral wool insulation solutions featured in the SFMOMA renovation, visit www.thermafiber.com.
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