Nordstrom’s New Cincinnati Store Reduces Costs, Scores Green with CarbonCast
- Project Nordstrom
- Location Cincinnati, Ohio
- Type of Precast CarbonCast High Performance Insulated Wall Panels
- Project Size 138,000 sq. ft.
- CarbonCast Surface Area 117 panels
- Architect Callison Architecture
- Engineer Coffman Engineers
- Contractor W.E. O’Neil Construction Co.
- Precaster High Concrete Group LLC
A new Ohio location for Nordstrom department store expresses the brand’s signature architectural look in vogue with advanced building characteristics like exceptional strength and insulation due to use of CarbonCast® High Performance Insulated Wall Panels.
Externally, the panels’ thin-brick finish is an attractive variation on the basic Nordstrom store design without the cost or fieldwork required by full-depth brick. For many of the chain’s stores, the versatility of precast is utilized with façade brick, depending on regional availability.
The store was designed by Seattle-based architect, Paul Hjorten of Callison Architecture. It opened at the Kenwood Towne Center in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2009.
According to Hjorten, the brand’s visual identity was an important reason to choose precast concrete.
“Since we’ve used it for a number of Nordstrom stores, we understand the precast system and what it’s capable of,” said Hjorten. “It was the first choice for this one. The craftsmanship and regularity of the precast walls needed to be done in the best manner possible.”
Precast is fabricated off site and delivered ready to erect, so the time spent on-site was considerably shorter than required for a comparable, conventional brick building.
CarbonCast High Performance Insulated Wall Panels use C-GRID® epoxy-coated carbon fiber grid for reinforcing and shear transfer. C-GRID shear trusses connect the wall panel’s interior and exterior wythes contribute to their fully composite structural character.
Each panel comprises two-inch thick edge-to-edge XPS thermal insulation for an R-10 insulation value.
Though the buliding is not LEED-certified, it was designed and constructed with a number of green features in mind. Many, including the energy-saving R-value, is related to its precast elements.
The panels were also fabricated close to the job site at the High Concrete manufacturing plant in Springboro, Ohio limiting energy consumption and emissions for transport. Steel used for secondary reinforcement included 95 percent recycled content. And, the quickly erected panels limited job site disturbance and noise.
General contractor for the new Nordstrom store is the W.E. O’Neil Construction Co., Chicago. Project engineer is Coffman Engineers of Seattle. Panels were provided by AltusGroup® member High Concrete Group LLC.
