Santa Monica Medical Plaza

Introduction

Located in the heart of Santa Monica and directly across the street from the prestigious UCLA Medical Center, the Santa Monica Medical Plaza is a 14-story facility that was built in 1971. More than 40 professional healthcare tenants treat thousands of patients daily within this facility. The aging building underwent a multi-million dollar interior renovation in 2005, but the exterior of the facility went without update for more than another decade following. At last, it came time to upgrade the exterior to ensure that the stage is set for patients and professionals who come to the Plaza anticipating a positive, modern healthcare environment.

The  Story

For the property owners, it was essential to have an exterior facade that would withstand challenging weather conditions—and look good doing it. Crossville Porcelain Tile Panels by Laminam were chosen to skin the exterior of the medical plaza. More than just a pretty facade, the Crossville porcelain panels serve as a formidable, non-load bearing layer that serves to protect the building from the effects of weather.

With the ability to skin a variety of surfaces, Crossville’s porcelain panels offer many unique benefits that made them an ideal specification for this highly visible medical facility. The design team opted to incorporate the aesthetically appealing Filo collection* to cover the exterior surfaces. The Filo panels offer a chic, urban appearance. With outer dimensions of 1m x 3m, these generously proportioned panels install efficiently with minimal joints, helping to achieve a sleek, uninterrupted look for the building’s cladding.

In terms of installation, the project proved particularly challenging due to the height of the application and necessity to meet California’s strict seismic codes. The contractor’s in-house licensed structural engineer focused on the installation details to design the best approach. Based on his assessments, the installation team employed recommended setting materials along with a mechanically fastened system to hold the cladding in place.

* Note: The FILO series is not typically recommended for exterior applications, as there are specific precautions to consider. Please contact your local Crossville representative and/or a Crossville technical advisor prior to specification of this series for exterior use.