UNION SOUTH at UW-MADISON

CHALLENGE

A LEED® Gold project, Union South at UW-Madison hosts hundreds of university events per semester and its Varsity Hall space is one of the most-used spaces on campus. The onsite student-run hotel, located within the facility, attracts conferences, corporate meetings and alumni weddings year round. Since so many flexible set-ups are required weekly, the set-up needed to be able to move smoothly and quickly by the facility’s mainly student-run staff.

SOLUTION

University of Wisconsin’s Union South installed Hufcor 600 Series operable partitions for optimal flexibility in the Varsity Hall ballroom. The Frank Lloyd Wright prairie-style inspired architecture of Union South was complemented by the operable partitions that blend in with the natural accents of the space. The real wood veneers enrich the décor and add to the acoustical performance of the movable wall dividers. The Hufcor 600 Series panels move effortlessly on an overhead aluminum tracking system that offers guaranteed durability and smooth operation.

In addition to the operable panels that divide the ballrooms, Hufcor installed a custom timber-framed sliding door system to provide egress from each of the meeting spaces. The doors offer panic swing doors and can be folded and stacked into adjacent storage closets, allowing free flow into common areas outside the meeting rooms.

RESULT

Hufcor’s operable partitions provide a beautiful and effective solution for dividing Varsity Hall on demand. With the help of Hufcor’s operable partitions, the nearly 11,000 square foot ballroom can be divided with speed and ease into three separate spaces to accommodate events and conferences of different sizes.

TERRANEA RESORT

CHALLENGE

Located along the California coast in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, the Terranea Resort is among the most exclusive resorts in the L.A. area. With approximately 60,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space, this expansive, upscale resort required a flexible space solution that would enable them to maximize the revenue potential of the space and blend seamlessly into the design and aesthetics of the space.

SOLUTION

Hufcor installed a series of operable partitions that segment the multiple meeting spaces and ballrooms at the resort. With an array of standard and custom finishes and fabrics to choose from, Terranea Resort’s design team chose neutral toned fabric coverings that coordinated with the look of the surrounding permanent walls.

Additionally, Hufcor recommended their trimmed 600 Series operable walls to protect the luxury finishes on the panel faces. Although the durable finishes are intended for the rigors of meeting rooms, the edges of the panels are vulnerable to tears, damage and staining if not protected with edge trim. The trim around the panels provided added protection to the panel edges and overall enhanced durability.

RESULT

Hufcor’s operable partitions provide Terranea with a host of meeting room sizes. Their full-size luxury ballrooms and divided meeting spaces offer high acoustical performance and endless possibilities.

The Terranea Resort case study has been recognized in the industry—receiving many awards including:

MUSIC CITY CENTER

CHALLENGE

Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee is an architectural masterpiece—boasting bold design features, including an undulating roof to reflect the city’s profile of rolling hills, and an interior of complex curves made of wood and other materials that situate occupants inside a grand ballroom shaped like an acoustic guitar.The challenge facing the design team was how to maintain premium acoustical separation within the 1.2 million square feet of exhibit and event space spread over four floors. For convention centers, the flexibility to accommodate various space requirements for differing simultaneous events is critical. At facilities like Music City Center, requirements can change week-to-week and day-to-day.

SOLUTION

The number of operable partitions used in the Nashville case study is impressive. More than one mile of operable partitions was installed, along with 1.25 miles of track. Sound absorption and other acoustical considerations were a critical aspect of the operable partitions, particularly in a music capital like Nashville. Every panel was tested in Hufcor’s company-owned acoustical laboratory that meets the stringent accreditation standards of the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP).

The Nashville Music City Center was specified to achieve a laboratory performance of no less than 52 STC.

In determining the configuration of the panels throughout the facility, the project’s design team and the city spent several years listening to customers and potential customers describe what they valued the most in a convention center—the number one preference being flexibility. Customers want to work in spaces sized appropriately for their needs. Hufcor’s partitions easily divide and sub-divide without having to sacrifice the design of curves and fluidity inside the building.

Additionally, Hufcor engineered many special elements to ensure the panels were easy to set up and maintained acoustic separation within all of the flexible meeting spaces. Custom elements include:

RESULT

The Nashville Music City Center is the result of close collaboration among the entire project team. Functioning as the project team’s trusted flexible space partner, Hufcor was able to lend their expertise in space management to provide custom, world-class operable partitions that allow the space to serve countless different functions, provide unparalleled acoustic performance and compliment the structure’s unique design.

MISSISSIPPI COAST COLISEUM & CONVENTION CENTER

CHALLENGE

Hurricane Katrina is the United State’s most costly hurricane of all time, responsible for over 100 billion dollars in damage throughout the gulf region. The Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center (MCCC) was among those affected, with extensive damage done throughout the building’s interior. As a critical component to the facility’s operations, its operable wall systems were also compromised.

Katrina’s storm surge forced about six feet of water throughout the lower level of the nearly half-million square foot facility. All 650 of the operable partition panels within this section of the building had to be discarded and replaced due to massive water infiltration. The panels were flooded up to the 6-foot level, yet the top portion of the panels was not affected by the storm—meaning two-thirds of the panels were simply tossed into landfills. In replacing the panels, Hufcor wanted to ensure the new operable wall systems would be reinforced and protected from future natural disasters.

SOLUTION

Hufcor designed and installed unique replacement walls at the MCCC. Working closely with the project team, Hufcor’s engineers and designers shared their knowledge and expertise in panel construction to implement additional product precautionary measures that would fight against moisture should another Hurricane hit. Much of the reason standard operable partitions need to be replaced after a water-penetrating event, such as a flood, is due to the moisture that seeps into the gypsum and mineral wool acoustical barriers inside the panel. These substrates become a breeding ground for mold and mildew and must be replaced.

To safeguard the coliseum’s panels from future damage, Hufcor implemented a number of noteworthy features that are now setting standards in facilities constructed in regions affected by hurricanes.

RESULT

Today, Hufcor’s replacement panels function as a benchmark to other facilities in the region. The reconstruction of the MCCC following Hurricane Katrina helped establish new innovations and solutions that provide preventative protection from devastating storms for operable walls.

BRUNSWICK BOWLING CENTER

CHALLENGE

Hosting events ranging from corporate conferences to birthday parties, the Brunswick Bowling Center in Glendale, Arizona relies upon their meeting space to drive their business beyond bowling. Wanting to maximize the available space to accommodate multiple groups simultaneously, the facility sought a flexible space solution that was not only effective at blocking sound from adjoining spaces, but easy to set-up and affordable.

SOLUTION

In considering the goals and budget of the project, Hufcor recommended their 4100 Series accordion doors for Brunswick’s active party rooms. For storage, the designers incorporated a stacking closet for the doors that runs perpendicular to the space so they stack out-of-sight when not extended across the room. The use of both curved tracks and overhead switches in the track allow the facility to easily make wall-to-wall separations that help create the solid acoustical separation and privacy needed between group function areas.

Since the accordion partitions are approximately 12’ tall, Hufcor advised Brunswick to install pendant pulls on the lead edge of the door to facilitate easy operation. These convenient handles help to pull the accordion door across the opening by applying force higher up onto the leading edge. The doors are finished with standard Hufcor vinyl that allow the staff to easily clean the surfaces after each event.

RESULT

After the installation was complete, the accordion doors have proven successful in helping this vibrant bowling center create flexible party and meeting rooms that can accommodate groups of different sizes simultaneously with ease and efficiency.