JCCC Fine Arts and Design Studio

The new Johnson County Community College Fine Arts and Design Studio is enveloped in a customized ventilated glass facade by Bendheim. The 170-foot-wide facade features our Lumi Frit™ Surface 1 fritted glass. It acts as a screen that filters soft, glare-free daylight into the studios through second-story windows, while creating a brilliant white aesthetic during the day. The glass reflects sunlight to a shimmering white effect. According to John Collier, Associate Principal at BNIM, “instead of being in the shadow, it actually glows… it becomes a lighting element on the north face of the building, which would normally be in the shadow.” The design harnesses the incandescent qualities of the glass to activate the adjacent lawn and turn it into an outdoor space for informal student gatherings, study, and reflection. It is also designed so that it can eventually double as a projection surface for student art.

Bendheim sampled multiple Lumi Frit patterns and surface options to test and evaluate for optimal diffusion and projectability. The architects selected our Small Dot pattern on surface #1, laminated to SatinTech® etched glass on surface #4. The white frit pattern is ultra-durable and stands up to the elements, because it is permanently fused to the glass at 1,200° F (680° C). It is also bird-friendly. The glass is captured in our patented Wall-F compression clips, attached to a steel support structure that stands approximately 10 feet from the primary building wall.

On the interior, Bendheim’s Mag+ magnetic glass boards with a soft etched finish line the hallways and display student art and notices. The dry-erase glass boards provide glare-free, durable, easy-to-maintain surfaces for brainstorming, idea sharing, and instruction.