the Atrium Book
29Pages

The Atrium Ductal® - a New Era in High Performance Envelope Solutions Designed by D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism, The Atrium is a highefficiency, state-of-the-art building which demonstrates the many advantages that are possible with a precast Ductal® envelope. As a “first”, this project required a strong collaborative effort between the owner, architect, precaster, engineers, and others. This book was created to celebrate the success of this collaboration and provide an inside look at the various processes that led to the completion of a unique, innovative building – and a new era in high performance envelope solutions. Ductal® - a New Era in High Performance Envelope Solutions

The Atrium Innovative materials and green, sustainable building technologies for the 21st Century Lafarge: Working With Architects Lafarge is engaged in a constructive and enriching dialogue with the architectural world and actively pursues partnerships with architects – helping them to achieve ambitious, innovative project goals such as The Atrium. With 76,000 employees in 78 countries (2011), Lafarge Group is the world leader in building materials, with top-ranking positions in each of its businesses: Cement, Aggregates & Concrete and Gypsum. In 2010 and, for the sixth year in a row, the...

The Atrium Innovative materials and green, sustainable building technologies for the 21st Century Acknowledgements Increased demand for sustainable solutions in construction materials technology is allowing Ductal® Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) to set new precedents in the building industry. The Atrium building in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and its numerous, innovative advancements were made possible by the design team at D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism, the owner/developer, Jawl Investment Corporation, and several key collaborators. (For a full listing, see page 48.)...

Designed by D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism, the mandate for The Atrium reflected several guiding principles: • create a market leading office project; • allow for efficient operational flexibility; • prioritize green building technologies that increase the comfort and health of occupants; and • create a space for a lively public forum. Ductal® high performance envelope solutions | 2 Ductal® high performance envelope solutions | 3

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The Project The Atrium is a state-of-the-art 19,000 m2 (204,000 sf) class A commercial/retail building in Victoria, British Columbia. It is situated on a one-acre parcel bordered by the busy streets of Yates, Blanshard and Johnson. Jawl Investment Corporation acquired the land for The Atrium in two stages, between 2005 and 2007. Through an assessment of market conditions, and comprehensive consultation with neighbours and community groups, it was determined that a commercial office project reflected the best use for the site. Completed in 2010, the Atrium is now a prominent landmark, home...

The Atrium is the first building in North America to have an exterior precast cladding system made with “Ductal®” ultra-high performance concrete – an innovative material technology by Lafarge. Used in the design as a thin, textured spandrel panel system, it contributes significantly to a high-efficiency envelope. A public space by day, The Atrium remains functional at night as it transforms into a bustling facility offering a range of dining and entertainment options, complete with acoustical and theatrical lighting features. Vancouver Island marble mosaic flooring and sculptures by local...

Green roof technology, daylighting strategies and operable windows contribute to the building’s sustainable design. Green Ductal® high performance envelope solutions | 10 Ductal® high performance envelope solutions | 11

The Design Victoria is a low- to mid-rise city with a good ratio of mixed-use design and in most areas, high public activity at the street level. In the last decade, there has been a focus on the construction of residential buildings downtown and more recently this attention has turned towards the office market. The program for The Atrium building was to design a mixed-use class A office building with appropriate density to respond to the current market conditions. The mandate included conformance with the prerequisites of government leases, including large floor plates; and construction to...

One of the project's key functions was to knit back together the fabric of the city, which had deteriorated in recent years due to under-use and a certain level of abandonment. The architectural team explored the point tower, the u-shape, slab block and centre-core types for their various qualities and potentials. Test results led to the selection of the atrium form, which proved to be a building type that responded well to the pragmatic, programmatic concerns, as well as the intangible, performance-based program that was a consequence of the urban entertainment district context. One of the...

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DUCTAL* HIGH PERFORMANCE ENVELOPE SOLUTIONS I 18 DUCTAL* HIGH PERFORMANCE ENVELOPE SOLUTIONS I 19

Contrast The use of Ductal® ultrahigh performance concrete was the result of a process that started with the architects' desire to use a material that could provide a contrast to the glossiness and reflectivity of the fenestration. Ductal® high performance envelope solutions | 20 Ductal® high performance envelope solutions | 21

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Ductal® Ductal® is Lafarge’s ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) that provides a unique combination of strength, ductility, durability and aesthetics – allowing architects and engineers to create innovative designs with new shapes that are thinner, lighter and more graceful than designs with conventional concrete. Depending on the application, it is blended with metallic or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibres and is significantly stronger than conventional concrete. Compressive strengths range from 150 to 225 MPa (22,000 to 33,000 psi) and flexural strengths range from 25 to 50 MPa (3000 to...