Curtain Time(1960)

[Music] like most architects blister bearclaw Hackensack and Jones welcome the opportunity to become better acquainted with revolutionary new building materials [Music] [Applause] [Music] no matter how justifiable the salesman's faith in his product maybe the most promising innovation has little chance of finding practical application unless its possibilities can be thoroughly evaluated by the architect congratulations mr. Jones your firm has just been selected to introduce miracle brick a completely new revolutionary building material now because they're made entirely of homogenized feathers activated with helium no foundation or mortars required the roof holds them gently but firmly in position soft and cuddly the down construction is also non-toxic guaranteed safe for children and pets miracle brick is guaranteed non combustible impervious to water easily wrung out yet capable of holding moisture now as you can see when I place it on the floor and sure sure jump up and down on it you can see the terrific sprinter endlessly ugh I have an appointment [Music] when cheese incorporated called on Wilbur's firm to design a new structure for their home offices it wasn't that they considered their building old-fashioned they were just a little crowded for space when my wife and I were in Egypt last year it occurred to hurt us a pyramid-shaped structure would symbolize the stability of the firm and the strength and integrity of its founder my Thank You Henry tis a Bonnie thought man the very idea are hard missile inspired by the operators prices that charging for real estate of course I've know an engineer but I'm sure Wilbur is a candidate who knows how to build a pyramid to take advantage of all the free space so thoughtfully provided by our neighbors right economics has the rank so let's make sure everyone salutes I don't pretend to be a draftsman but you can appreciate the advantage of identifying the building with our product naturally we use a near regular window pattern to simulate the holes in our tasty Swiss Miss brand absolutely identifying ourselves with our customers overseas will plug foreign sales while enhancing international goodwill luckily the amount of time and effort client's artistic contributions save architects is a closely guarded secret so help me a pyramid actually would use an irregular window pattern of course it's possible so what if it does have my name on it milords I have here exhibit a the completed rendering of the monstrosity he willfully inflicted upon the city they gave him birth he has betrayed his clients disgraced an honorable profession but need I go on [Music] Wilburn knows that to maintain his reputation as a competent architect he must seek aesthetic expression in functional terms within the clients practical requirements he must depend upon the versatility of his materials to maintain freedom of design the comparative cost durability and appearance of steel curtain wall construction is of great interest to Wilbur steel curtain wall construction is used extensively in schools banks shopping centres research centers industrial plants and buildings of many kinds and sizes many unique properties give stainless steel a distinct advantage over any other structural material its appearance is both pleasing and permanent it is available in a wide range of finishes from mirror bright to a rich satin a large assortment of stock patterns is available or if the architect prefers he can use his creative ability to design a panel which can be easily shaped to almost any profile pressed and rolled designs are widely used for interesting textural effects to obtain the precise reflection value desired or to eliminate oil canning in addition stainless steel makes an elegant skin for columns it has no equal for bright accents and trim and is particularly suitable for framing windows and panels porcelain enameled steel with the added dimension of permanent color is another extremely durable material it is non combustible porcelain-enameled steel can cope successfully with the elements and it is highly resistant to abrasion rain provides all the cleaning porcelain enamel needs and many examples have shown no evidence of fading after 30 years exposure to the Sun like stainless steel it is available in many stock patterns or it can be custom formed to any shape or in any size Wilber decided that the use of steel curtain walls would give him the freedom of expression he needed to design a building that would be both beautiful and functional so fully prepared for the meeting with his client Wilber explained the design for your new building should symbolize the good taste and integrity of the firm while reflecting the strength and permanence of the pyramids it should provide maximum usable space in keeping with sound economics and from an aesthetic point of view capture the dynamic sales and advertising philosophy of the firm gentlemen my design for your consideration with the clients hearty approval of his preliminary design Wilber considered all the available forms and basic properties of steel curtain walls he knew for Celyn in ammo could give him virtually unlimited effects any color could be achieved in porcelain enameled steel in any finish from matte to glossy stamped or embossed designs could be specified in monochrome or contrasting hues he could choose an overall two color textured finish produce mosaic effects or even emboss designs with a silkscreen Wilber could even realistically portray the sponsors product if he were not inhibited by good taste the color and pattern of the outer panel is a matter of personal choice however the type and amount of insulating material used and a design of the interface are dictated by sound engineering principles the sandwich or pal must fulfill the functions of a wall all any architect has to do is consider steel curtain wall construction and the word gets around in a flash representatives of reliable fabricators make a beeline for the architect more than eager to explain in detail how much they know about steel curtain wall construction with the benefit of the experience of over 100 steel curtain wall fabricators Wilber is better able to cope with the many details of designing the new building he knows that proper joining of component parts is vitally important to successful curtain wall construction from among the basic types in use Wilber specifies a combined panel unit with split structural mullion he also specifies that joints be provided with seals that meet all basic performance requirements to compensate for expansion and contraction due to thermal extremes and pressures on both faces of the wall among the many types of tests proven sealants marketed under various trade names poly sulphide mastic fillers butyl based tapes and extruded elastomer gaskets can be depended upon to retain their integrity under all weather conditions for long periods of time stainless steel was chosen for the vertical Mullins because it will never corrode or pit and is easily formed in any shape it was possible to use a light gauge because the alloys which enable it to retain its luster permanently make it stronger this advantage was fully exploited in designing the stainless steel cross Mullins and window frames and finally Wilbur specified a fastener adjustable in three planes so the unit could be attached to the building within ordinary building tolerances with his plans completed Wilbur is confident he estimated costs accurately but sees no harm in playing it safe until the bids from the general contractors are in I [Music] cannot believe it the highest being 5% under the estimate congratulations will [Music] the curtain wall fabricator who was awarded the job also contracted to erect the wall and Wilbur is pleased to discover that the fabricator isn't taking his responsibilities lightly he warrants the skin against leakage because units of a similar design had passed his static wind test with flying colors furthermore the same type unit had been subjected to the standard wind and water tests without any trouble nor is he worried about the porcelain enamel spalling tests prove that it can withstand an extremely high degree of torsion without damaging the finish with the fabricators assurance that each and every unit would be delivered exactly as specified Wilbur didn't have too much left to worry about since the fabricator is also responsible for erection and with everyone in town keeping an eye on him it's safe to presume he'll take reasonable precautions to protect the panels from damage [Music] [Applause] because steel curtain walls are lighter and thinner they permit significant savings in structural steel provide more usable for space and are conveniently handled by a minimum crew the use of steel panels reduces the need for exterior scaffolding because they are attachable from the interior efficiently designed fasteners support the weight of the units and provide ample tolerance for fast precise installation speed of erection ensures early occupancy steel curtain wall construction enables any architect to maintain his freedom of design with the assurance he can meet the clients requirements and a competitive cost what's more please hold it thank you and thank you mr. Jones did I ever tell you I once seriously considered becoming an architect myself it's been a pleasure working with a young man so amenable to my suggestions how don't say a word Jonesy it's enough to know my little sketch help you capture the international ramifications of the firm thanks to me you didn't forget to be practical good show Jones this is exactly what I meant it's a conversation piece absolutely you've given us exactly what we had in mind I did [Music]