Structural Thermal Breaks in New Arizona Center for Law and Society

ASU’s new Arizona Center for Law and Society broke ground in October 2014 for their 260,000 square-foot facility in downtown Phoenix. The new building is planned to accommodate a projected growth in student population of 20-30% over 10 years,  and will house the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics and the McCain Institute for ­International Leadership, and the ASU Alumni Law Group.

The ASU project will be using Schӧck Isokorb® structural thermal breaks in their structural steel beam connections to offer thermal protection and alleviate condensation issues at the building envelope. Structural thermal breaks will be one of the many energy saving features of the building.

Energy conservation is an integral part of the design.

A locally sourced sandstone shell protects a high performance building envelope.  Naturally day lit interiors are supplemented by efficient LED lighting with daylight dimming & occupancy controls.  The air conditioning of the building will set a new standard in Arizona as heat recovery, demand controlled ventilation, chilled beams and airfloor systems are utilized” via Jones Studio Inc. » ASU Arizona Center for Law & Society.

Scheduled to open in fall of 2016, the estimated $129 million, six-story center will include two levels of underground parking and direct ground level access to public sidewalks and plazas. The building with host a public law library and a civic outreach center as well as a restaurant and university bookstore. The exterior of the building will be Arizona sandstone and glass.

The Great Hall – a 400 seat multi-use lecture space – opens directly to the exterior via a 50’ wide x 25’ tall glass door.  Nine months of the year this room will take advantage of the great Arizona climate and be an exterior space – a grand public stair, physically reinforcing the university’s commitment to a vibrant urban realm and to environmental stewardship. via Jones Studio Inc. » ASU Arizona Center for Law & Society

Check back for updates, as ASU continues construction.

Project Information:

Architect: Ennead Architects

Structural Engineer: Burro Happold

Installation: Able Steel Fabricators

Rendering Source: ATCHAIN for Ennead Architects in collaboration with Jones Studio