Next-Gen Kalwall For Next-Gen Students

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Jun 24, 2012

As its name suggests, the New York School of Printing was founded during an era of ink on paper. The original 1925 building was replaced in 1960 and what is now the High School for Graphic Communication Arts (HSGCA) has long since crossed the digital divide. Today’s students train for careers in photography, journalism, visual arts, forensic drawing, and, yes, printing, in labs humming with computers and the latest technologies.

The six-story HSGCA, on Manhattan’s 49th Street between 9th and 10th avenues, was designed in a distinctively 1950s, then-cutting-edge style known as International Style Modernism. Few high schools feature escalators and it was the first in New York City to do so. The multi-color glass tiles of a vibrant, 60-foot-long mural by Abstract Expressionist Hans Hofmann still races across an outside wall. And when first built, one of the school’s most striking features was its primary structure: an extended wing of ribbed glass block connected to a curving auditorium section shaped not unlike a guitar.

60,000-square-foot Kalwall high-performance wall systems rescue building's façade. But there was a problem. Windows in the main building began to fail, and in 1981 Kalwall was selected to cover the glass block with translucent Panel Unit Curtainwall. Thirty years later, Kalwall was again the product of choice, this time encasing the glass block in a new generation of the Kalwall Translucent Curtainwall System that is even more energy-efficient than its predecessor.

Optional clear glazing in the translucent Panel Unit Wall system can be five feet wide and up to three feet high, offering a variety of options to designers. Additionally, when properly installed with an unimpeded approach, Kalwall’s high-performance E-Series Windows meet the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and UFAS (Uniform Federal Accessibility Standard) criteria. The window takes less than 5 lbs. (2.2 kg) of force to open and close and the single window handle has a comfortable, curved, open loop design that can be effortlessly operated without rotating the hand. E-Series Windows are also available in hurricane-resistant versions, certified to TAS and ASTM standards.

Kalwall Translucent Wall and Skylight Systems are featured in award-winning schools and universities around the world. But school reconstruction is also a specialty of Kalwall, with Replacement Systems that are pre-engineered and factory pre-assembled to assure faster, trouble-free installation.

Typical factory-unitized section including clear vision windows, translucent
as well as metal panels. The highly insulating, advanced daylight technology of the Kalwall Translucent Curtainwall System fills the space with balanced glare-free daylight; after dark, interior lighting adds a welcoming glow to the surrounding cityscape when viewed from the street. In addition to reducing the need for artificial lighting during daytime use, highly insulating Kalwall also saves significant HVAC expenses. Kalwall is sturdy, vandal-resistant, and self-cleaning with every rainfall, eliminating the cost of maintenance.

Studies also reveal that daylighting creates a calming and healthy environment for students and teachers alike. Test scores are higher in daylighted schools; there is even anecdotal evidence that students take pride in and better care of schools outfitted with daylighting. Inside the High School of Graphic Communication Arts, controlled daylighting inspires the next generation of students that will help tell the story of a constantly changing world.

About Kalwall Corporation

Kalwall® is the world leader in advanced technology daylighting. High-performance translucent fenestration systems with energy-efficient advancements, including R-20 (0.5 U-value) with Nanogel® and other options, which surpass all other technologies. Either as part or all of the walls or roof of any building – or even as an entire, freestanding structure – Kalwall provides a more predictable, better quality, usable natural light with superior energy efficiency. An exclusive Daylight Modeling service allows you to consider the specific impact of daylighting as you explore the impact of design variations and options to achieve the desired lighting levels. No other service allows you to accurately judge the results of your design in a highly accurate and informative simulation.

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