Vista Skywall Systems recently completed a new luxury high-rise residential façade project. Vista supplied and installed a window wall system and other fenestration products for the new 24-story Motto Apartments. Located at 2455 Third Avenue, Bronx, New York, near the Harlem River just across from Manhattan, The Motto is situated in the Mott Haven neighborhood of this New York City borough.
The newly constructed, and now open, multifamily building presents a façade of contemporary silver metal and large glass panels for its 18-story tower, which sits atop a contrasting six-story brick, louver and glass panel podium. Materials that Vista mostly notably furnished and installed for floors two through 24 include an 110,000-square-foot window wall system with vision glass, spandrel, casements, terrace doors, louvers and a variety of metal panels. Revit BIM software modeling and drawings were used to design and guide installation of the fenestration system.
“Window wall is an exciting alternative to curtain wall for architects, developers and building owners to consider,” says Steven Powell, president of operations, Vista Skywall Systems. “Vista is proud to be part of the team to create the beautiful, intriguing and functional façade for The Motto.”
Vista products used
For The Motto’s façade, Vista sourced and installed the Ecowall 141 unitized window wall system from Quest Products. Fabricated in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Ecowall is a window wall system offering aesthetics, flexible design, thermal efficiency and efficient installation from the interior.
The Ecowall 141 features a 5-½-inch-deep back member and thermally broken framing using advanced glass fiber reinforced 38-millimeter-depth polyamide struts. For this project, Vista used the window wall’s insulated built in “bypass” option to cover floor slabs and provide a continuous exterior façade appearance.
The Ecowall system for the exterior face uses a double-seal EPDM glazing seal. For the interior, a dry EPDM gasket engaged at two locations and held in place with an aluminum stop is employed. The glazing system is UV-resistant and withstands high wind loads.
The window wall system installed by Vista also incorporated operating windows and swing doors. The Quest M90 System Casement with a 4-inch opening limit stop was specified, along with Quest Swing Door Systems, which provide access to apartment balconies and setback rooftop terraces.
Insulating glass units were used to glaze vision panels for fixed lights, operable windows and doors, as well as spandrel glass panels. Vision glazing was specified with Guardian SN 68 low-e coated tempered or annealed glass, warm edge spacers, and Argon gas filling. Spandrel panels utilized Guardian heat-strengthened glass with a warm grey Opaci-Coat paint.
For other portions of the building, Vista used a variety of metal panel styles and materials, most with 2 inches or 3 inches of insulation. Metal panel façade components included corrugated aluminum, perforated corrugated aluminum, aluminum flush metal and mechanical louvers. Vista also supplied and installed custom sill flashing throughout the building. In addition, Vista sourced and installed entrance doors fabricated by Gamco Corporation of Flushing, New York.
The Quest window wall system was finished in a two-tone color scheme, facilitated by the thermal strut separation of interior and exterior frame components. The tower exterior was finished with AAMA 2605 PPG Duranar Sunstorm Silversmith paint, and the podium exteriors were finished with AAMA 2605 PPG Duranar Charcoal paint. Interior elements were finished in AAMA 2603 PPG Duracron Bone White paint.
Project partners and details
Vista’s partners for The Motto window wall façade project included architect Woods Baget of New York, New York, and general contractor/developer Artimus Construction, also of New York, New York. The Masters Division of New York, New York, is the property owner.
The Motto offers 264 market-rate residential apartments as well as 3,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and 14,000 sq. ft. of parking. Besides luxury apartments, building amenities include a fitness center, outdoor terrace, and both media and sky lounges. The building is located near New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority 4, 5 and 6 subway lines.
