J.E. Berkowitz, LP, (JEB) has announced the completion of Museum Tower in Charlotte, North Carolina. JEB fabricated 100,000 square feet of glass for the 43-story luxury apartment complex, which was built atop the Mint Museum in the city’s Uptown neighborhood.
Atlanta-based Rule Joy Trammel + Rubio (RJTR) architects designed the glass-clad, 385,000-square-foot high-rise to complement the contemporary architecture of the existing Mint Museum, and help transform the city block into an iconic centerpiece of the Queen City.
Project manager John Morgan, senior associate with RJTR, said glass played an integral role in achieving the project’s design and sustainability goals, and in managing difficult construction challenges presented by the building’s height and lack of exterior accessibility.
“Large, dramatic views of the city were an important component in the overall design of the building,” Morgan said. “Each apartment celebrates Charlotte’s skyline with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the urban center, providing abundant natural daylight and an expansive feeling throughout the apartments and common spaces.
“Because Museum Tower was built on top of the Mint Museum—which remained open during construction—our team faced a unique challenge because we weren’t able to use exterior scaffolding. Instead, our team designed the building so that it could be built from the inside out using an interior glazed window system and limited exterior walls. Despite these limitations, we were able to specify a glazing solution that not only worked within our construction constrains, but also met its stringent energy and thermal performance requirements.”
For the project, JEB fabricated vision and spandrel Winduo™ insulating glass units (IGUs) incorporating high-performance, low-e SunGuard® SNR 43 on CrystalGray® glass and clear glass by Guardian Glass North America.
The IGUs also utilized the JEB 3Seal™ warm-edge spacer, featuring a T-shaped design that improves total wall performance, increases condensation resistance factors, and mitigates against PIB primary seal migration.
Opened in March 2017, Museum Tower is expected to earn LEED® Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The residential high-rise houses 394 one- and two-bedroom apartments, 10 penthouses, a rooftop plaza with luxury amenities, and the Mint Museum.