Glenwood Resource Center
An Upgraded Walkway Improves Access and Safety
- Location: Glenwood, IA
- Product: Barrel vault walkway cover
- Architect: HR Green Company
- Contractor: Overland Constructors & Latta
- Specs:
- CSI Code: 10 73 26
About this Project
The Glenwood Resource Center aims to support Iowans experiencing intellectual disabilities. Located in Glenwood IA, the facility has a rich history dating back to 1866. Today, it is part of The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and provides care to those in need.
Crystal Structures recently completed an upgrade to the Glenwood Resource Center’s main entrance walkway. The 143′ long ramp allows protected access across the entire front façade of the building.
The curved walkway uses bronze-tinted polycarbonate glazing set within a Bel Aire style frame. This material enables the unique barrel vault design while still allowing natural light to filter through. The bronzed glazing also provides a unified aesthetic matching the existing brick exterior.
An integrated lighting track was also installed to illuminate the walkway at night. The ramp’s overhead coverage and lighting aim to improve accessibility and safety for visitors and residents alike. The striking addition can be seen from above using aerial views.
By leveraging polycarbonate glazing rather than glass, the new walkway combines form and function. The material could easily conform to the specified shape while still affording weather resistance and durability to benefit the facility for years to come.
Company News
The Classroom Greenhouses: Core Curriculum Cultivated
The Classroom GreenhouseCore Curriculum CultivatedThere’s an adage in teaching that goes “show one, do one, teach one.” If you want to teach anyone a new skill you first show them how, then you let them do it themselves and finally you let them teach someone else....
Why full-spectrum light is the secret to better schools
Full-spectrum light is the secret to better schoolsChildren spend as much as 40 hours per week in school buildings People are inherently tuned to seek out daylight. It’s in our DNA that the sun is good for us, providing the activating source for vitamin D, and helping...
Good Daylighting Gone Bad
Good Daylighting Gone BadThe quality of light has nothing to do with the quantity of light available. It’s more about the perception of brightness.Too much of a good thing is, well too much! The same goes for sunlight. When it comes to using natural light in the...