Project: Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences
Government/Institutional
The new advanced forensic center for Harris County offers two distinct forensic services for the Harris County community: the Medical Examiner Service and the Crime Laboratory Service. The architect was tasked with designing a nine story, 210,000 sq. ft. tower to house a laboratory, morgue, administrative office, and teaching/training space to meet the pressing needs for the county’s mortality surveillance, track violent and drug-related deaths, and be vigilant for emerging infectious diseases. Camarata Masonry Systems, Ltd. was contracted to supply and install the following masonry components of the new building:
20,000 sq. ft. Lightweight CMU
2,000 sq. ft. AstraGlaze Architectural CMU
3,000 sq. ft. Ground Face Architectural CMU
59,000 sq. ft. Slate Gray Modular Brick
25,000 sq. ft. Ridgemar Modular Brick, including custom shaped 157.5° corners
Some of the distinctive requirements of this project were the engineered nine story tubular welded frame scaffolding system that was built over cantilevered structural concrete awning, the unique 157.5° angle corner accommodation, and the required distribution from north and south elevations to supply tight east side. In addition, an aggressive installation schedule required close coordination with other trades.