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Separation Between Parkade and Office Building

Separation Between Parkade and Office Building

Separation Between Parkade and Office Building

(OP)
I've got a project that consists of a new office building with curtain wall beside a new precast parkade on a tight site. The design team doesn't yet know which building will be constructed first. How much clear space should one provide between the structures in order to facilitate constructibility? Right now, we've got about 3'. That was just how the architect drew things however. The things that I worry about are:

1) If the parking structure goes first, can workmen get in to install the curtain wall? Probably.

2) If the office goes first, can precast members be craned into place without mucking up the curtain wall?

My gut tells me that 3' should be doable. There are surely much tighter sites than this in major down town centres.

The greatest trick that bond stress ever pulled was convincing the world it didn't exist.

RE: Separation Between Parkade and Office Building

KootK - The real question is not whether 3' clearance is acceptable, but how much is the added cost for limited access on one side of the structure? A clearance of three feet or five feet or something similar is important but there is no space for direct crane access; lifts will have to be performed "in the blind". This is not a big problem but will require skilled, careful teamwork by the constructor... and probably a larger crane to make a longer reach with the loads. Of course, all that costs money. How much is an open question with an answer that will vary depending on factors such as the size of the job, number of bidders, schedule, etc. IMHO, just make reasonable design decisions (such as allowing some clearance, as you plan to do) and inform the Owner that the crowded site will impact construction costs.

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RE: Separation Between Parkade and Office Building

I would look at a different material for that wall of the parking structure. Something lighter such as steel framing and some type of façade panels. I imagine that fire rating issues will have to be addressed for both buildings due to the proximity.

RE: Separation Between Parkade and Office Building

Most codes have a requirement for fire separation between different occupancies.

Dik

RE: Separation Between Parkade and Office Building

(OP)
Thanks for the sage advice guys.

The greatest trick that bond stress ever pulled was convincing the world it didn't exist.

RE: Separation Between Parkade and Office Building

Lets say the parking was built first.

Can that building be used to enhance construction: Put a smaller crane on the upper deck for the near-side wall construction.
Use the deck for laydown and fabrication area.
use the lower decks for construction site support and power and staging areas?
material storage areas and parking and work shelters?
Add scaffolding support and walkway bridges from the parking levels across to the larger building interior decks?
Stage forms and scaffolding from the parking levels for painting, masonry, steel, interior work?

RE: Separation Between Parkade and Office Building

racook...

Problem can be separation of the occupancies, or spatial separation in Canadian codes.

Dik

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