Millmont

Additional Info

Award Winner : NRB Modular Solutions

Architectural Excellence : This new 98,000 sq ft school combines elementary and magnet school programs and consists of 60,000 sq. ft. of modular construction for classrooms, offices, and media centers, and 38,000 sq ft of site built structure housing the gym, cafeteria, and mechanical spaces, all placed over an underground parking garage.

The brick and concrete façade resembles a 1950’s school befitting the era of that neighborhood, and includes the original gargoyles salvaged from the old school.

Inside is finished with painted drywall, beautifully patterned vinyl tile, carpeting and ceramic floors. It features unique architectural “halos” and colonial columns at entrances, and has arches and vaulted ceilings with pendant light fixtures. The “floor” of the triangular shaped courtyard towards the rear of the school is actually a “living roof” that has been installed over the mechanical room in the parking a garage below. This is a teaching tool for the 6th gr magnet school students studying agriculture.

Cost Energy Effectiveness : NRB’s innovation helped value-engineer the structural steel in the parking garage by utilizing the structural load/span capabilities inherent to our modular designs.

Our “build-together” process means we can ensure proper fit & finish,& install pipes, ductwork and electrical completely, pre-testing before the building ships. This saves considerable time and cost on a site where all work is done at higher “prevailing wage” rates.

The HVAC system in the mechanical room is an energy efficient 4-pipe system with boilers and chillers, and is zoned so that it is able to provide heating and cooling to different areas of the school at the same time if required, based on sun exposure and exterior temperatures. VAV boxes control the proper ventilation and set back thermostats help control energy. Sprayed in place insulation applied to the exterior of the envelope provides a superior layer of thermal and vapor protection that eliminates thermal bridging that can cause moisture intrusion

Design Firm Name : Gilbert Architects

Occupied Date : 9/30/2008

Production Start Date : 10/10/2007

Project Location City : Reading

Project Location State Name : PA

Technical Innovation : The integration of modular with conventional design on this small V-shaped lot presented challenges. We erected and finished a triangular shaped “core” area with 66 pre-built modular floor/roof “pan” sections and set 88 fully preassembled modular units for the perimeter school wings. All pieces were crane set on the parking garage’s spider-web of structural steel supports that thoughtfully infused the modular structural design to help distribute the building loads.

60,000 sq.ft of steel & concrete modular had to fit within the exact tolerances of the site built structure. Our unique “build-together” process constructs and connects all the modules together at the plant both horizontally and vertically with precision. Our entire building fit within ¼” elevation of the stair towers and within 1” of the site built footprint.

The main entrance is open concept, first floor to the top of the second floor, with two of the modules on the second level cantilevering out to form a balcony.

Total Square Feet : 60000

Category : Permanent: Education: over 10,000 sq. ft.