Photo courtesy Virginia Hamrick Photography/Glavé & Holmes/TGP
The design of the new Student Success Center at Newport News, Virginia-based Christopher Newport University (CNU) prioritizes far-reaching daylighting and eye-catching aesthetics. It employs a circular glass floor system to offer building occupants engaging views, access to natural light, and fire safety from beneath their feet.
Designed by Glavé & Holmes Architecture, with Walker & Laberge as the glazier, the new building opened in 2015. Its fire-rated glass floor measures 4.5 m (15 ft) in diameter, providing an unobstructed view to the building’s characteristic dome, which sits 33.5 m (110 ft) above it.
“Desperation drove the design,” stated Randy Holmes, AIA, senior principal with Glavé & Holmes, in a project write-up for Traditional Building Magazine. “The president, in keeping with the university’s student-focused philosophy, wanted the view of the dome to be open to everyone, not just staff members with offices on the top floor.”
This transparency does not fully sacrifice privacy, however. An electrical switch allows the floor to be made translucent—a helpful function for large events with many people both above and below the glass floor. It is also designed to reflect the university’s blend of tradition and modern style, with an aesthetic drawing on the appearance of traditional mullioned windows.
Aesthetics were not the only concern addressed in this project design. The glass floor system is also a response to codes requiring flame, smoke, and heat resistance within the facility. Its heat-barrier glass and steel framing grid give it a two-hour fire rating, during which it should withstand flames, smoke, and radiant and conductive heat sufficiently for pedestrians to walk across it.
The walking surface glass is both tempered and laminated, and divided into an inner and outer ring comprising 12 sections. It offers sufficient strength to withstand the center’s heavy pedestrian traffic, supporting up to 732 kg/m2 (150 psf), and is textured to ensure slip resistance.
With its combination of resilience and clarity, the floor system offers CNU students a safe and stylish facility connecting the levels of the building.
