MIRO

Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. (ABB) was retained by Steinberg Architects to provide building envelope and curtain wall consulting services for MIRO, a high rise residential project located in San Jose, California.

MIRO is a new mixed-use residential project in downtown San Jose. The building is comprised of two 28-story towers with 298 condominiums in the West Tower and 312 apartment in the East Tower. The towers sit atop a parking structure with four levels of above-grade parking, three levels of below- grade parking, and a landscaped roof with pool deck and amenities for resident use.

ABB assisted Steinberg Architects with reviewing the current project development status and prepared a System Selection Narrative. We provided general description proposed assemblies and made recommendations for appropriate alternate approaches. We also provided pros and cons of the proposed assemblies, focusing on long- term performance versus installation costs. ABB prepared construction documents for the building envelope and waterproofing systems.

ABB also provided curtain wall and glazing procurement services. ABB prepared Design Development Level Details for the curtain wall to provide bidders with the design intent. We then prepared performance specifications and technical specifications for the curtain wall assembly.

ABB assisted with Value Engineering efforts and provided bidding phase consulting services to this project. We reviewed project shop drawings of the curtain wall, and provide mock-up criteria and coordination. ABB provided construction administration services, including participating in pre-construction meetings and responding to contractor ‘request for information’ documents related to the building envelope. ABB conducted periodic visits to the project site to confirm contractor performance and review installations for compliance with the intended design.

There were many challenges on this project. We worked directly with Steinberg and the glazing manufacturer for the customized curtain walls, attending daily meetings to ensure everyone involved with the project was on schedule and focused on identical goals. The manufacturer of the customized curtain walls was located in China, which presented a communication challenge due to time zone variables. Finally, because different countries have different regulations, we needed to ensure that all project work met United States codes. We overcame those challenges by having consistent communication throughout the duration of the project.