Aesthetic Considerations in the Design of a Stack Extension

The Connecticut D.E.P. mandated increase in height of the boiler stack at Backus Hospital in Norwich, CT presented many problems. Adding a new 45 foot vertical section atop the old brick stack produced a lot of structural problems as well as site access difficulties. This was further complicated with the requirement for nearly continuous operation of the stack during construction. The aesthetics of the structure played an important part during the course of the design process. This paper traces the process of selecting the structural scheme and relates how aesthetics played a large role in the selection, placement and size of members, the color scheme and even connection details. The architectural and construction considerations in the final selection of the structure used for the stack addition will also be discussed.