Athletic Center

2013 Design Award Honorable Mention

Location
Philadelphia, PA

Structural Engineer
Keast & Hood Co.

Architect
Bowie Gridley Architects

Steel Joist Manufacturer
Canam

Steel Fabricator
Woolf Steel

First, the size of the joists were notable as many were 72 in deep and over 100 ft long with special top chord geometry. The project required shop-applied special Tnemec paint by the joist manufacturer. For the joists that required the Tnemec paint, the chords were required to be constructed with WT chord members as opposed to double angle chords.

The joists for this project allowed for large open spaces, carried the required loading and in many cases were exposed to view in the finished application to create an architectural look. Open web steel joists were the obvious solution to be able to create these large open spaces and accommodate mechanical equipment and other loading. When used in conjunction with cellular steel deck, the system creates a nice finished appearance.