Living Computers: Museum + Labs
2016 ABC Excellence in Construction Award – Electrical & Communications Category
Living Computers: Museum + Labs (LCM) is Paul Allen’s latest project, which features a large collection of supercomputers, mainframes, minicomputers and microcomputers. The purpose of this museum is to provide a hands-on educational experience with fully restored and operational computers.
This museum is in the SODO district in Seattle and occupies 60,000 square feet in a 1930s warehouse that was completely gutted.
SME began this project in early 2012 with the construction of the original museum space on the second floor of the building, which was dedicated to displays of functioning vintage computers and related items. This space included a large of section of exhibit area, which was constructed as a server room. Power and data raceways were designed and installed in the raised floor underneath the relevant exhibit sections. Later, we built out the third floor as the museum’s administrative offices.
After the initial museum opening, LCM expanded their operations with 2,100 square feet of (3) Labs/classrooms, and an additional 9,400 square feet of museum space offering experiences with robotics, a self-driving car, virtual reality, video game creation and much more. The museum's exhibits now occupy two floors.
Glass design by Julie Conway, Illuminata Art Glass Design LLC
First Floor - Scope of Work
Design-build installation of LED lighting (general lighting, display track lighting, hand blown custom chandelier in the featured stairwell, LCM featured “HELLO WORLD” sign), lighting control system, power outlets located throughout for museum displays and labs, unistrut grid to support track lighting and sign displays, power connections to mechanical equipment, voice and data communications, fire alarm system upgrades, and relocation of several electrical branch circuit panels.
This was a design-build electrical project. Because of the fast start of construction, electrical drawings were still in design during the initial stages of the project. The electrical design evolved as the museum exhibit spaces developed – a museum like this had never been done before.
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Unique Stairway Lighting
Part of the project involved removing an existing, non-working elevator, and installing a stairway to connect the new first floor museum to the existing second floor. The centerpiece of the stairway, built in the existing elevator shaft, was a custom blown glass light fixture, titled Memento 2016© (designed and built by Julie Conway from Illuminata). The fixture included 10 individual hand blown glass pendant balls hung with aircraft cable. Old memory cards were embedded in the centers of each pendant. Each pendant was installed, one by one at pre-determined heights, into a 3’ X 4’ custom electrical canopy box hung from the ceiling.
HELLO WORLD Sign - Near the end of the project, LCM asked SME to install the featured “HELLO WORLD” LED letters, which is noticeable when you first enter the museum.
Initially, SME’s only scope was to provide a single circuit for power to the sign. In the end, the general contractor and customer asked SME to make sure the installation happened correctly and timely.
LCM provided us with a paper template that resembled the letters installed in a vertical format. We utilized our prefab shop to design a rigid template, which aligned the letters and mounting holes that helped keep the letters straight and in-line when we mounted them vertically.
Since this was a completely custom-built and unplanned-for sign, there was a no control circuit designated to control the LED letters. Our field staff, thinking quickly and utilizing the latest technology, suggested using a wireless control device which receives a signal from our lighting control panel – this solution provided what was needed to automatically operate the LED letters.
A High Functioning Construction Team
Chuck Prado, a 27-year superintendent for SME, oversaw a team of six for the duration of the project. We increased our work force up to 10 for a short period to support the construction schedule. Chuck was supported by a motivated staff of journeymen and apprentices. Chuck’s successful approach to leading his crew was to challenge every crew member with a specific task they were each responsible for, and providing guidance as questions developed. Some of Chuck’s leadership techniques included having apprentices review drawings to obtain answers for their field questions, be responsible for safety and safety documentation, and be in constant communications with each other.
Safety Considerations
Existing lead paint on most of the columns of the project was a safety concern for this project. Although the lead was scheduled to be abated before rough-in started, SME’s and Abbott’s field staff for this project attended lead awareness training to ensure that employees were fully aware of any potential hazards.
The work performed in the featured stairway posed safety concerns. Difficult access, delicate finishes, and the height of the ceiling in the stairwell were some of the challenges we faced. Safway Scaffolding assisted SME in carefully planning and executing the safe installation of a scaffold in the stairwell. Additionally, before SME worked on the scaffolding, all field staff completed scaffold user training and reviewed potential hazards.
Safety Matters provided invaluable assistance through a program of third party safety inspections of our jobsite.
