Building Statistics
Part 1
General Building Data
Building Architecture
The Smith at Valley Forge provides its residents with a unique, modern and intricate design that allows it to stand out from its competitors buildings in the King of Prussia Town Center. The six-story podium design sits on top of a multi-level slab on grade with a second-floor post-tensioned slab. An eight and a half story parking garage is centered in the Texas Donut style building footprint, allowing for private resident parking. Unlike the other buildings in the Town Center, The Smith provides its residents an option to have a walk-out balcony instead of a Juliet balcony.
People interested in renting an apartment at The Smith have the option of a one-bedroom, two-bedroom or three-bedroom apartment. Inside of the main entrance is a large amenity space featuring a weight room, group fitness room, conference room, pool table, community kitchen and waterfront views through the pool courtyard. In addition to the pool courtyard, there are two other courtyards for the residents and guests to enjoy. On the sixth floor of the building, there is an open-air sky lounge with a wine bar for residents to utilize with friends or in a group setting.
Figure 1: First Floor Building Key Plan
Figure 2: Apartment Kitchen Rendering
Figure 3: Exterior Rendering from S Goddard Blvd
Figure 4: Resident Main Entrance Figure 5: Pool Courtyard
Codes and Zoning
Figure 6: Upper Merion Township Zoning Map
Building Enclosure
Figure 7: S Goddard Blvd Colored Elevation - Area C
Figure 8: Section Notes for Wall, Floor and Roof Sections
Fiber Cement Lap Siding
The six-story podium receives several different types of façade to give it a distinctive look and stand out from the surrounding buildings. The most prominent façade used is the fiber cement lap siding. The architect decided to steer away from the typical siding look and incorporated an alternating 7”/4” installation. On different elevations, the lap siding will be one of two colors; Dovetail or Mindful Grey, adding to the buildings unique look.
Figure 9: Fiber Cement Lap Siding Detail
Fiber Cement Panel
In addition to the fiber cement lap siding, this building incorporates fiber cement panels with a reveal trim system throughout the façade to give visual contrast. These fiber cement panels are engineered to be very durable, and resist damage from UV rays and moisture. This architect has decided to use four bold teal/blue colors; Georgian Bay, Grand Canal, Really Teal, and Secure Blue.
Figure 10: Fiber Cement Panel Detail
Brick
As shown in the figure 4 rendering and figure 7 colored elevations, brick plays a major role in the building façade. Figure 11 on the right shows two different sections of how brick is incorporated with the other envelope systems. Brick tends to fall within the first two floors of the building giving great contrast to the other materials used above.
Figure 11: Wall Sections Showing Brick Details
Glazing
The Smith incorporates several window systems to allow for natural lighting in all areas of the building. The entrance and amenity space integrate an intricate storefront and nanawall system throughout the first floor. Storefront is also used in a specialty apartment above the entrance as well as in the sky lounge on the sixth floor. The rest of the apartments have vinyl windows as well as vinyl balcony doors that lead to the balcony.
Figure 12: Vinyl Window Wall Section
Figure 13: Nanawall Wall Section
Figure 14: Storefront Wall Section
Figure 15: Window Notes
Roofing
A Versico TPO roof membrane is used on the entire roof and has different requirements for if it is a flat roof vs a cricket roof. The membrane is applied to the roof sheathing, which is attached to the wood trusses below. Figure 18 goes through the different requirements needed for the roof membrane to be installed to ensure a watertight building.
Figure 16: Section E Roof Plan
Figure 17: Flat Roof Detail at Fiber Cement
Figure 18: Typical Roof Drain Detail
Figure 19: Roof Penetration Detail
Figure 20: Enlarged Roof Plan Notes
Sustainability Features
None Reported.
Building Statistics
Part 2
Construction
The Smith at Valley Forge is a six-story podium apartment building located in the King of Prussia Town Center. The superstructure of this building includes a multi-level slab on grade, second level post tension elevated deck and five levels of panelized wood framing. For the concrete structure, concrete trucks rotated while a pump truck pumped the concrete to the final location. The panelized wood framed wall and floor panels were erected using two tower cranes.
The building schedule was broken up into five segments starting with segment E followed by segments D, C, A and B. Construction started in the North-East corner of the site due to its extremely close proximity to the limit of disturbance. The tightness of the site also caused the median pictured above to have to be removed to open up a lane for deliveries and temporary material laydown. Since the concrete work precedes all other work, any delay from them caused delays to the future trades. Luckily the framers panelized their work and were very quick at erecting the wall and floor panels. Their speed enabled the schedule to remain on track in order to keep from delaying other trades. As finished units begin to get completed, they will be turned over to the owner similar to how the construction schedule was broken into segments.
Figure 21: Framing of Building Segment A
Electrical/Lighting
The main electrical feed, provided by PECO, supplies two 1500 kVA and one 1000 kVA pad-mounted self-cooled transformers. Three switchboards, two 4000 A and one 3000 A, are supplied by the transformers at 120/208V/3f. Each switchboard is connected to several meter centers, which contain all of the meters for the individual apartments. Three 15 kV distribution class lightening arrestors are to be mounted in the high voltage compartment for surge protection.
In the building, all snap switches are to be rated 20A 120/277V and duplex receptacles are to be rated 15A. All receptacles located in apartments are to be listed as tamper resistant type. Non GFCI receptacles in apartments are required to be protected by an arc fault interrupting type circuit breaker.
Florescent, incandescent and HID lamps will be used throughout the resident and amenity areas. All fluorescent lamps (T5, T-8 or T-4 Compact) are to be energy saving, warm white color and have a high color rendering rating. Incandescent lights are to all be 130 volt and also energy saving type. HID lamps are to be phosphorus coated unless otherwise specified.
Figure 22: Primary Power Riser Diagram
Mechanical
Split-system air-conditioning and heat-pump units are what provides The Smith at Valley Forge its conditioned air. Each unit consists of separate evaporator-fan and compressor-condenser components. The indoor units contain concealed evaporator-fan components with concentrated drain pans that have a 2% slope to collect condensate. The outdoor units contain air-cooled compressor-condenser components and have a 2-speed compressor motor with a manual reset.
Structural
The structural system used for The Smith at Valley Forge varies throughout the building. Due to the site having various elevations, the first floor consists of a multi-level slab on grade system to prevent unnecessary, and costly, cut and fill sitework. The first-level amenity spaces and apartments are framed with metal studs, which is required to meet the required fire rating of l-A. A 12” elevated post tensioned slab is used on the second level, giving the building a strong foundation for the remaining five floors of apartments above. The remaining five floors are constructed using wood framing and floor trusses that was brought out in prefabricated sections.
Figure 24: Columns for Post Tension Elevated Slab
Figure 23: Split System AC & Heat Pump
