CRL systems used on new Banc of California Stadium
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August 30, 2018
The new, 22,000-seat Banc of California Stadium has opened to the public. Located in Los Angeles, California, the Gensler-designed 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.
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 are said to provide clean, uninterrupted glass spans, which give the entrances a contemporary, all-glass aesthetic. They feature patented Wedge-Lock technology that reportedly offers ‘exceptional glass holding power and a faster installation time’. The accompanying Blumcraft panic handles are said to be ideal for high-traffic applications such as sports stadiums and further enhance the all-glass visuals using a slim tubular design.
Select areas of the stadium incorporate CRL’s Taper-LOC Frameless Glass Balustrade System. With its clean sightlines and minimal hardware, Taper-LOC is said to improve 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 choice of finishes, Taper-LOC is a dry-glazed railing system that reportedly 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 said to be particularly useful in retrofit projects or when a broken glass panel needs to be changed as it reportedly eliminates the need for expensive scaffolding, cuts installation times and provides safety and security for installer and end user.
The aluminium base shoe, available in 3m lengths, can be surface or fascia-mounted, and provided drilled or undrilled.
The stadium reportedly faced an aggressive construction timeframe yet managed to open weeks ahead of schedule and in time for the new season. CRL’s ‘rapid’ customisation capabilities and ‘robust’ distribution network are said to have 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 customised glazing solutions needed to not only meet the project’s schedule, but its code requirements and design intent as well.”
