When massive redevelopment plans were announced for Glendale Galleria (1.5 million square feet), an iconic retail and dining venue and integral mainstay of the Los Angeles community since 1976, a broad host of factors needed to be addressed. Executive Architect, ELS Architecture and Urban Design, Berkeley, Calif., was tasked with striking a balance between aesthetic and functional upgrades. In addition to modernizing the mall with a more contemporary environment, improved access and circulation were mandatory criteria. Extensive renovations were designed and engineered to not only attract and invite, but to withstand the traffic of 10-plus million visitors every year. The Galleria features numerous access points requiring different entrance types spanning varying combinations of form and function. Furthermore, new systems and hardware needed to accommodate existing building conditions. To address these challenges, the architect turned to Los Angeles-based C.R. Laurence/U.S. Aluminum to provide versatile solutions for multiple entrances and storefronts.
The first obstacles needing resolution were the two large openings on the west elevation. From a functional standpoint, these entrances needed to handle steady, ADA compliant pedestrian egress as well as accommodate the facilities’ need to shuttle large maintenance equipment and display items. Being a renovation project and accounting for existing structures on both sides of the opening, traditional wall pockets were not a viable solution. No stranger to challenging project requirements and unwilling to leave any detail to chance, the design and engineering team at U.S. Aluminum fabricated a full-size working mockup. Drawing on 50-plus years of experience, and through a dedicated process of designing, testing, evaluating and redesigning, they would ultimately deliver the Series E1200 Elephant Door.
Spanning multiple door types and categories, the Elephant Door System is a sliding storefront that features operable storefront sections with pairs of swinging entrance doors. In the closed position it serves as a standard commercial storefront entrance. The rugged overall construction coupled with heavy wall stiles, interlocks, and Jackson closers easily withstands the high pedestrian traffic needs while meeting code requirements with 30 psf windloads. Heavy-duty tandem rollers provide smooth operation and allow the operable storefront sections to effortlessly slide behind the fixed sections, creating the needed monumental opening for the passage of large items. ADA compliant accessibility is achieved via a flush concealed floor track. Matching the project’s contemporary aesthetic was also essential. Clean lines of a traditional framed storefront paired with a unique juxtaposition of exterior custom stainless steel architectural pull handles opposite interior commercial push pads create an entrance that is both attractive and functional.
CRL-U.S. Aluminum architectural systems can be found throughout the entire scope of the project. The new elevator shafts utilize point-supported structural glass comprised of CRL Spider Fittings, while nearly a mile of TAPER-LOC frameless glass railing lines the second level providing unobstructed views of the lower level. Standard U.S. Aluminum Entrance Doors and signature CRL ‘All Glass’ Door Rails with Blumcraft Panic Devices complete the remaining openings. The centerpiece of the Galleria’s renovation, the new Bloomingdale’s, features a building envelope constructed of U.S. Aluminum Series 3250 Curtain Wall System.
The Glendale Galleria serves as an exercise in collaboration and communication between property management, architect, contractor, and manufacturer. This project showcased the architects and manufacturer’s ability to meet the design and functional goals of the owner, while effectively demonstrating CRL-U.S. Aluminum’s ability to deliver single-source architectural products for the entirety of the renovation.
Glendale Galleria, Glendale, Calif.
Owner: General Growth Properties Inc., Chicago
Architect: ELS Architecture and Urban Design, Berkeley, Calif.
General contractor: VCC, Irvine, Calif.
Installer: TJM Glazing Inc., Garden Grove, Calif.
Applications: Mall Renovation: Entries, Interior Glass Railing, Elevator Façades, and Building Envelope
Specifications: CRL-U.S. Aluminum Series E1200 Elephant Doors, Series 3250 Curtain Wall, Series 400 Entrance Doors, Wedge-Lock DRS Door Rail System, Blumcraft PA100 Series Panic Handles, TAPER-LOC GRS Glass Railing System + Handrail, Spider Fittings
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Andrew Haring is the vice president of marketing at C.R. Laurence Co. Inc., Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.crl-arch.com or www.crlaurence.com.