The VELUX® Pinnacle System brings daylight to Houston Methodist
Challenge
Natural light is important in health care facilities to make healing spaces feel more inviting and relaxing. Plus, studies have shown that natural light has benefits to healing. With elements from the outdoors, spaces can achieve an enhanced sense of comfort and hospitality. Because windows can make attaining privacy more difficult, the hospital owners were in need of a solution that would provide their patients with both privacy and a lively glow of natural light.
Solutions
To provide an ample supply of sunlit views throughout the day, Page architects used VELUX Pinnacle Structural Ridge Skylights in the entrance drop-off/loading area and two interior atriums. “The large skylights were incorporated into the design to allow access to abundant daylight and to the quiet night sky, providing a relaxing atmosphere which changes throughout the day and seasons,” said Page Principal / Senior Project Manager Brian Gray, AIA.
VELUX Commercial provided a custom glazing system for the entrance and atriums, incorporating Admiral Glass and a bright custom silver finish. Designed as a metal-framed skylight structure with a 6/12 pitch, the three ridges measure 96 feet by 44 feet, 85 feet by 35 feet, and 53 feet by 44 feet to extend nearly the entire length of the building’s roof. VELUX Pinnacle Series provides buildings with optimal light distribution and can accommodate multiple insulated glass panels that prevent heat gain in warm temperatures and reduce heat loss in cold temperatures.
Positioned in the middle of the hospital’s structure, the skylights enhance the comfort of the building’s occupants and give the design a modern, state-of-the-art look. “The VELUX Pinnacle system was chosen for the atrium and entrance canopies for its large span capabilities and design flexibility,” Gray said.
All Day Natural Light
The result of the three-year construction project is a beautiful, modern building with naturally lit atriums connecting the wings. Through their bright and vibrant facility, the Houston Methodist team can continue to share their enduring history of leading medicine and providing exceptional programs and services to The Woodlands community.
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