Keeping pace with increased STEM enrollment, the University of Michigan-Flint recently finished its expansion of the William R. Murchie Science Building. Beyond adding 70,000 new square feet, the renovation focused on creating a facility with almost no visual barriers to encourage both departmental collaboration and the visibility of STEM work. To accomplish these goals, the building’s open stairwell and floor design was meant to facilitate idea-sharing and to display scientific innovations taking place in real time.
However, due to the size of the combined levels, fire- and life-safety codes required a fire-resistive barrier between floors to inhibit the spread of smoke and flames. To meet these codes and provide the desired level of visual connection, the school and architects turned to multifunctional fire-resistive-rated glazing assemblies. Installed across multiple elevations within the building, these assemblies include floor-to-ceiling fire- and impact-resistant butt-glazed panels within heat resistive aluminum perimeter frames and full-lite fire-rated doors with narrow profile frames.