Below-Grade Leak Sealing: The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture
The Challenge Located on the National Mall in Washington DC, the Smithsonian's National Museum of African...
Located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington DC, this former media museum was acquired by our client in 2019. Soon after, the owners embarked on a massive, four-year interior renovation to transform it into a premier higher-education facility. Although the existing building envelope remained the same, there were several deficiencies on the exterior that were not corrected prior to the sale.
Chief among them was the lack of compliant fall protection systems. The building did not have sufficient anchors, the davit pedestals were not properly reinforced or certified, and there was no façade access in the atrium. Valcourt Safety Systems offered a turnkey solution and was awarded the contract which included structural evaluation of davits, davit reinforcement and certification, and the design and installation of compliant davit arms, monorail, and anchors.
The initial planning phase involved many meetings over several months with the owner, architect, and Valcourt’s third-party engineer to coordinate the design and finalize the scope of work. During the first phase, rooftop anchors and the monorail were installed to enable access to the elevated glass in the atrium.
Nine months later, and after a change in property management, the Valcourt team was able to install new davit pedestals and arms. This installation allowed Valcourt to perform regular window cleaning maintenance, which was proposed and awarded shortly thereafter.
Now, in addition to its newly compliant façade access and fall protection systems, the academic center also boasts sparkling clean windows to reflect its iconic status.
Final finishes of stair tower with monorail New davit pedestals installed
above, blending aesthetics
Architectural metal atrium finishes in place Welded fall protection anchorage system installed
When it comes to accessing the exterior and interior of buildings, safety starts at the top. Each building has unique features, so effective and compliant rooftop safety systems require a specialized approach.
Valcourt Safety Systems maximizes safety for workers and ensures OSHA compliance for building owners by designing, installing, and certifying fall protection and rooftop anchorage systems.
Contact us today to request a quote.
