The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) has honored Digital Building Components with a third-place award in the 2024 Creative Detail competition for the Meridian Medical Office Building in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Project Highlights
The Meridian Medical Office Building, a 95,000-square-foot multi-specialty and comprehensive cancer care facility, features cold-formed steel (CFS) non-load-bearing wall panels designed to enhance construction efficiency and safety. The structural design includes a concrete-over-metal deck with a steel-braced frame and 30,000 square feet of prefinished X-series wall panels.

Innovative Design Solutions
The standout feature of the project is the 60-foot-long, 2-foot cantilevered "eyebrow" framing integrated into the CFS panels. Albeit the integration posed significant design and construction challenges, DBC and the project team accomplished the following:

1. Design Coordination Issues: The initial design placed the eyebrow and wall top track flush with the slab top, complicating connections between the studs and slab. The solution involved replacing the top track with CFS angles and installing stud clips.
2. Fabrication Precision: The initial stick-framed design created tolerance issues beyond the acceptable range, leading to a redesign. The revised panelized approach reduced tolerance issues, ensured precise fabrication, and saved time. This adjustment involved increasing the gauge of the studs to handle the slight increase in the moment.

This project's success showcases cold-formed steel's capabilities in complex architectural designs, emphasizing safety, efficiency, and precision. CFSEI's recognition highlights the innovative approach and technical expertise brought to the Meridian Medical Office Building.

For more details on this award-winning project, visit the CFSEI website here.