The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum (NASM), originally built in 1976, embarked on a multi-year renovation in 2018 to address critical issues with the building’s original Pink Marble facade which had developed extensive warping (hysteresis) and cracking over the years.
This deterioration was exacerbated by the spray-applied urethane foam insulation on the back of the stone panels, posing a risk of stone panels falling from the building.
The renovation project set forth several stringent Performance criteria for the new exterior wall assemblies such as Durability, Air Infiltration, Water & Thermal Barrier, Blast & Wind Load Resistance, Fire propagation limitations and the longest service life.
After an extensive vetting and collaboration process, a Rugo Stone Consultant was brought on board to assist in developing a blast-resistant wall cladding system.
This project’s engineering challenges included complex mullion geometry for a fully sealed, blast-resistant wall, with complexity particularly at corners due to support conditions.
Over the span of 7 years Rugo Stone installed 58,236 LF of mullions, 158,894 sqft of insulated metal panels, 264,331 LF (50 miles) of gasket, 8,300’ of Dow 123 tape, 15,664 granite panels and copings. Rugo Stone employed a variety of mast climbers and rigging equipment to handle, move and install the stone panels at different heights on the 83 feet tall building facades.
Rugo Stone also performed all interior stone fabrication & installation for hundreds of linear feet of profiled marble base door surrounds and benches, a great example of re-cyclability of natural stone.
The National Air and Space Museum’s renovation is a testament to the careful balance of preserving historical integrity while incorporating modern performance standards.
Location: Washington, DC
Completion Date: 2024
Owner: The Smithsonian Institute
General Contractor: CLARK/SMOOT/CONSIGLI, A JOINT VENTURE
Size: 166,000 Sqft
Services Performed: Design Consult, Stone Sourcing, Facade systems, Insulation & Installation
