Project Team
Owner: Florida International University.
Contractor: Biltmore Construction.
Precast Contractor: Coreslab Structures, Tampa.
Architect: BEA International.
Architect: Bernard Tschumi Architects.

The Florida International University's School of Architecture in Miami was a total precast project - including 624 pieces - with a tight schedule and limited budget. The two larger buildings, the school's office and studio, consisted of load-bearing architectural panels. Due to the architectural design, the precast panels needed to be wider than usual, with oversized window and door openings.

According to officials with Coreslab Structures, these conditions made the engineering of the panels especially challenging. Engineers had to design the panels for unusual stresses and forces that would occur during stripping, hauling and erection due to the oversize panels and the very reduced structural cross section.

Another set of parameters had to be addressed when designing for the final in-place condition, making it more challenging, said Coreslab Structures officials. The panel size made it impossible to prestress the panels, so engineers turned to unbonded post-tensioning as their solution for controlling cracks.

The project's two smaller buildings were also difficult to engineer and draw, indicated Coreslab, as they required 3-D modeling to ensure a perfect fit in the field.