Expansion of the Museum of Fine Arts – facade with a ventilated rain screen construction made of translucent glass tubes
Project
The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston has been expanded with two building complexes. The second phase, known as the "Kinder Building," is the centerpiece of the museum, where modern and contemporary art is exhibited. Daylight is deliberately integrated into the design; through meticulous material and form development, along with countless simulations, an intelligent climate and daylight concept was realized. The building's appearance is primarily defined by the so-called "Cool Jacket," a ventilated curtain wall facade consisting of approximately 15,000 square meters of translucent glass tubes.
The new building features side indentations and a curved rooftop landscape. The facade is composed of translucent, sculpturally defining glass half-tubes, which serve as a heat shield
Facade Design
The facade primarily consists of a ventilated rain screen made of translucent glass half-tubes, a slender stick-built steel façade in the courtyards, some frameless glass facades, and partially curved skylights in the rooftop landscape. The translucent glass half-tubes, up to 7 meters in length, are self-supporting, adhered to aluminum extrusions only at the top and bottom in a concealed manner. The outer surface of the gravity-bent glass has an etched finish, and the two panes of the laminated safety glass are joined with four translucent PVB interlayers.
Self-supporting glass tube facade with structural silicone bonding; various component tests and mock-ups
Structural Analysis and Testing
The glass half-tubes have a span of over 20 feet and must withstand wind loads of up to more than 140 psf. Since the glass was produced using a gravity bending method, it could not be thermally tempered, resulting in a relatively low tensile strength. This necessitated detailed structural analysis, including volumetric ANSYS models considering thermal loads. The glass was continuously tested during production to ensure the desired quality.
Project data
Client Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Architect Steven Holl Architects
Finalization 2019
Services facade design, special structures
