Hope’s customized window and door systems have graced the campuses of colleges and universities for over a century, beginning with its first design for Prudence Risley Hall at Cornell University. Currently, Hope’s is coordinating projects at Swarthmore College, New York University (NYU), and Rhodes College.
Recently, I spoke with Andy Camay, sales and marketing coordinator at Hope’s Windows, in addition to Matthew Fuller, the company’s national sales manager. Hope’s is the largest steel window manufacturer in the world, and I wanted to learn more about the processes that accompany Hope’s role in helping campus-based projects realize their full potential.
The process begins with providing potential clients with accessible and up-to-date information. “Our website is built to inform all levels of interest in the Hope’s product,” Camay told me. “Homeowners, architects, contractors and interior designers all have specific landing areas on the site that cater to them. We’re also diligent about educating architects of varying specializations to help them understand how the Hope’s product can elevate their design concepts into reality.”
Camay spoke at length about the crucial role of the architect as projects move from theory into practice. Hope’s offers a prolific variety of custom-built architectural steel windows, and the architect must consider several factors upon design. “Choosing the correct configuration of windows and door systems can be key to achieving the perfect framed view,” he says. “This could be a small or large fixed window, a French casement, a ton of options, really—and all have a slightly different sightline.”
With respect to its architectural steel windows in particular, Hope’s sets out to bring the “outside inside,” which it manages by manufacturing products that maximize not only a building’s circulation but its warmth and natural light. As an indicator of his own expertise, Camay describes the importance of climate in consideration of any project: “If the region of the project has drastic temperature vitiations, it’s important to consider a thermal break into the widow. [This] helps to combat thermal transfer from the window frame to the inside of the dwelling. Choosing the correct glass is also key when addressing thermal transfer.”
Our conversation then shifted to sustainability practices, signaling a core value that’s becoming increasingly commonplace in universities across the country. Matthew Fuller, Hope’s national sales manager, explains that “architects are seeking more sustainable products with lower carbon footprint. Our solid rolled steel profiles use 99.9 percent recycled steel and are known to last between 75 and 100 years. We get requests for our Thermal Evolution Technology, Triple Pane Glass, and Vacuum Insulated Glass.”
Camay expands on Fuller’s points, noting how Hope’s has worked to stay ahead of the curve. “[We] manufacture windows and doors that are energy efficient and impervious to air and water infiltration. They’re crafted from recycled steel and finished with environmentally friendly coatings. Hope’s strong and durable windows and doors achieve unparalleled life cycle value. [We’ve] also assisted building owners and architects seeking LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.” Camay also mentions the sustainable benefits of triple pane windows, and he was a good sport about explaining how triple pane windows differ from other windows. “Triple pane windows add thickness to the glass without adding bulk to the product and reducing the sightlines.” They’re the most energy-efficient windows on the market and most ideal for reducing noise outside. Triple pane windows are also best suited for extreme climates. “Hope’s hot rolled steel sections are engineered with this in mind. And when triple glazing is required, the sections can accommodate the added thickness without compromising design or function.”
Competition within the steel window and door industry has seen a steady increase over the past 10 years. This has facilitated positive results, as manufacturers are encouraged to push the limits of steel windows to gain market share and best serve the customer. “At Hope’s,” Camay says, “we take a great deal of pride in certified product testing. This assures our customers that the product performs just as good as it looks. Having windows and doors that are tested to meet, for instance, the Miami-Dade impact code has helped to set us apart from the competition. And when it comes to materials, we’re constantly reviewing the latest materials available to help move the product forward. Thermal performance is an area that we’re constantly reviewing to see how the latest material offerings can help to improve the design and construction of the Hope’s product.”
Recent Projects on Higher Ed Campuses
Hope’s has a storied legacy of coordinating projects with institutions of higher education across the country. At Valparaiso University (located in Indiana), Hope’s demonstrated its expertise with aesthetic preservation. Hope’s restored the university’s Chapel of the Resurrection, the crown jewel of the 350-acre campus and one of the largest collegiate chapels in the world. In its work with the preservation project, Hope’s faced the perhaps daunting challenge of replacing nearly 1,000 individual windows. Among those installed were Hope’s Jamestown Series steel windows, which were selected to precisely match the sightlines and colors of the original windows. The 24 original windows surrounding the chapel’s nave are enormous—58 feet in height and covering a combined surface of 16,700 square feet. Hope’s restored the windows not only to match the historic integrity of the building but also to make them energy efficient.
Whatever the project may entail, Camay explains, “Hope’s has several proprietary profiles to help ensure that we have a product that will suit those requirements. Universities may vary in their aesthetic demands, and the design flexibility of Hope’s products ensures that the desired look is achieved and preserved. [We] supply the entire window and door package.”
In recent years, the University of Southern California (USC) considered using aluminum for its window restoration at the Marshall School of Business. All it took for project leaders to abandon the idea was to tour the campus of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where they learned that Hope’s assisted on a project in 2014. The Cinematic Arts School is a four-acre complex of six buildings, and each building features Hope’s Jamestown175 Series, beautifully designed, solid hot-rolled steel windows. Following the tour, Hope’s hot-rolled solid steel windows and doors were installed in the new Jill and Frank Fertitta Hall, the undergraduate facility of the USC Marshall School of Business. The five-story, 104K square foot building features Hope’s Jamestown175 Series fixed and casement windows, in addition to Hope’s 5000 Series swing doors and offset pivot doors with transoms and sidelights. The Fertitta Hall project required considerable custom shaping for Gothic architectural style arched windows. Eight of the fixed windows spanned 6 feet wide by 40 feet tall, sweeping into an artful pointed apex. Further, true divided lite muntins were engineered and manufactured to meet the structural requirements for the complex’s intersecting arches at such a grand scale. Hope’s fully welded construction united the framing and muntins to become a single seamless piece of steel.
As for Fuller, he was excited to share news of recent and upcoming projects. “At Swarthmore College Martin Hall, Hope’s has provided custom window walls that incorporate refurbished decorative panels. We’ve worked on several buildings at Rhodes College, as well, providing custom steel casement windows. And at New York University’s Goddard Hall, Hope’s has created a custom entry system with unique mullions.”
As a parting thought, Camay stressed that Hope’s guides clients to ensure that their visions are achieved. “Hope’s has earned a reputation for continuously achieving new possibilities in windows and doors design. We offer more interesting forms on the grandest scales, and we do so with more dynamic functionality. No design is too ambitious for Hope’s.” The team at Hope’s offers design assistance contracts to help architects or contractors with complicated designs, and the company’s shop drawings can be reviewed and stamped by a licensed engineer in each state.
