720
Design Rationale: Partitions
723
PARTITIONS
723.1
SERVICES ARE PREFERABLY NOT HOUSED WITHIN PARTITIONS
In conventional construction, partitions typically perform at least two major
and often conflicting functions; they serve as barriers - visual, acoustic or
fire - and they serve as containers of services. The rate of change varies
with respect to these two functions. By separating these functions,
change is facilitated and the barrier function of the partition is improved.
This separation is one of the key characteristics of the basic design in
which the partitions act mainly as barriers, and the services are typically
housed in a variety of surface mounted containers or "consoles". (See
Section 780.) Figure 720-1 illustrates the interface between partitions and
services in both conventional design and the Prototype Design.
723.2
PARTITIONS TYPICALLY STOP AT THE CEILING
Another key characteristic of the Prototype Design is the fact that, with the
exception of two-hour fire barriers, all components of the partition
subsystem stop at the ceiling and are the same height on any one floor. In
this way, partitions may be regarded almost as furniture or equipment,
easily relocated in response to demand. The actual construction of the
partitions will affect the degree of ease with which they can be relocated or
removed, and this may vary in the different functional areas; but stopping
the partitions at the ceiling makes any type reasonably removable and
future alterations relatively simple.
723.3
GENERIC DESIGN OPTIONS
On the basis of the wide range of performance required in hospitals, and
of the particular performance requirements generated by the basic design,
an evaluation was made of a variety of partition types including metal lath
and plaster, block, metal faced panels, laminated gypsum board and
gypsum board on metal studs. The latter two were selected mainly for
reasons stated in Section 332.1. The other types are both more costly
and have a less flexible performance range. For instance, metal-faced
panels provide the highest level of accessibility, even where this level of
performance is not required. At the same time, the acoustic performance
of metal-faced panels cannot be upgraded beyond a certain point and the
range of finishes obtainable is limited.
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