New Banc of California Stadium utilizes High-Performance Glazing Systems from C.R. Laurence to increase safety, security, and function.
Systems were specified to meet the code, schedule, and aesthetic requirements of the modern stadium.
The new, 22,000-seat Banc of California Stadium has opened to the public. Located in Los Angeles, California, the Gensler-designed, state-of-the-art stadium will host Major League Soccer (MLS) games and be the home of the Los Angeles Football Club. It’s the former site of the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, and represents the first open-air professional stadium built in Los Angeles since 1962. Amenities include restaurants, retail stores, a museum, and a conference centre. In all, Banc of California Stadium is aimed at helping to revitalize Los Angeles’ Exposition Park.
The privately funded, $350 million Banc of California Stadium is the most expensive MLS facility in league history. PCL Construction served as the general contractor on the project, and C.R. Laurence (CRL) manufactured and supplied custom all-glass entrances, glass railings, and bullet resistant transaction systems to enhance the aesthetics and function of the stadium. Helou Construction installed the glazing systems.
CRL’s DRS Door Rails and Blumcraft® Panic Handles were installed throughout the stadium, including VIP entrances and suites. DRS Door Rails provide clean, uninterrupted glass spans, which give the entrances a contemporary, all-glass aesthetic. They feature patented Wedge-Lock® technology that offers exceptional glass holding power and a faster installation time. The accompanying Blumcraft® Panic Handles are ideal for high-traffic applications such as sports stadiums and further enhance the all-glass visuals using a slim and elegant tubular design. Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope® supplied the glass for the entrances.
Select areas of the stadium incorporate CRL’s TAPER-LOC® Frameless Glass Balustrade System. With its clean sightlines and minimal hardware, TAPER-LOC® improves views while increasing safety. CRL’s Hand Rails were installed with LED lighting for improved visibility and aesthetic appeal. Available for toughened laminated and monolithic glass between 12 and 25,52 mm and in a wide choice of finishes, TAPER-LOC® is a dry-glazed railing system that offers a hassle-free alternative to the mess and awkwardness of working with cement. With no scaffold required, the system enables installation to be completed from the safe side of the balustrade from start to finish, which is particularly useful in retrofit projects or when a broken glass panel needs to be changed as it eliminated the need for expensive scaffolding, cuts installation times and provides safety and security for installer and end user.
The system is easy to specify as it has been tested to meet the strictest building code requirements such as European BS6180:2011 and AbP, and American ICC-ES and 2015 IBC updates, the system uses a horizontal design, which allows it to be adjusted, dismantled and re-set. The aluminium base shoe, available in 3m lengths, can be surface or fascia-mounted, and provided drilled or undrilled.
The stadium faced an aggressive construction timeframe yet managed to open weeks ahead of schedule and in time for the new season. CRL’s rapid customization capabilities and robust distribution network offers one of the shortest lead times in the industry, which helped expedite the project.
“A stadium project of this size presented challenging schedules that required precise coordination between the architect, contractors, and manufacturers,” said Chris Hanstad, Vice President of Architectural Sales at CRL. “We had the comprehensive product line and manufacturing capacity to provide a large scope of the customized glazing solutions needed to not only meet the project’s schedule, but its code requirements and design intent as well.”
