Benefits of Castellated Beams On Office Building Design

We are big believers in using castellated beams for designing many types of buildings. And these beams are particularly useful for designing new office buildings.

However, many architects and building planners don’t fully understand the magic of C-beams. Want to discover what the fuss is all about? Just keep reading to learn the answers!

What Is Good Office Building Design?

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to how C-beams can improve the design of your office buildings. Before we go any further, though, we need to touch on what the elements of good office building design actually are.

For instance, open floor plans are a really hot concept right now. They give everyone more flexibility when it comes to interior design, and open floor plans also happen to promote workplace productivity.

Sustainable design is another concept that is bigger than ever. It helps to “future proof” office buildings against future regulations while also incorporating ethical design considerations into the very foundations of the structure.

Finally, the best office buildings have rooms designed with flexibility in mind. The businesses that will use the building tomorrow are entirely different from the businesses that will use the building in five years. If each room is built with flexible design, then the entire building will enjoy many years of productive use.

What Is Bad Office Building Design?

Now you know more about what makes for good office design. That leaves a big question: what makes for bad office design?

Much of this comes down to the materials used in constructing the building. For instance, a rigid framing system will limit the design possibilities and actual uses of the office space.

Designs using shorter spans also make for poor office buildings. This is because these designs end up with cluttered floors—the very opposite of the open office plans that are so hot right now.

Finally, buildings with excess volume typically have poor designs. Such buildings end up wasting too much space, and if you’re not careful, these buildings may end up being built behind schedule.

What Are Castellated Beams?

Like we said, C-beams are a real game-changer when it comes to office building design. So, what are C-Beams, and what sets them apart?

At the most basic level, castellated beams are steel beams where the I-beam has been cut in a special pattern. This cutting pattern produces a beam that has many advantages over more traditional building components.

For those who want their office building to stand out, it’s important to start with C-beams. These beams build flexibility, affordability, and dynamic design into the very foundation of your building.

Just think: while everyone else is settling for cosmetic changes, you have made a choice that will add years of longevity and value to your building.

Keep reading to discover a few of the advantages that come from using C-beams.

Open Design Comes to Life

It’s easy to say that people love an open floor plan. But how can you bring that floor plan to life at the design level?

One of the big benefits of castellated beams is that they are longer and stronger than many building material alternatives. This allows you to embrace long span office design in some exciting and dynamic ways.

Plus, using C-beams means you get to have your cake and eat it too. These beams offer the sturdiness and stability you need while also being lighter and more flexible.

A Light Touch

Many people often talk about C-beams making the design of buildings much lighter. But how, exactly, does this work?

First, those long C-beam spans we mentioned earlier mean that you end up using fewer pieces throughout the building. The math on this is pretty simple: the fewer pieces you have, the lighter the weight of your office building.

The result is a lower and lighter foundation. And did we mention this reduction in the amount of materials you’ll have to use really boosts your bottom line?

Saves Money

Many designers and architects have learned to roll their eyes at the alleged benefits of the “next big thing.” However, castellated beams keep things simple by focusing on one primary benefit. And what is this benefit? Simple: it saves you money!

First of all, we have more of that simple math: by reducing the amount of beams you need to complete your project, you reduce the cost that you spend on beams. Every extra beam you end up not having to buy is effectively putting money right back into your pocket.

Second, reducing the amount of building materials makes it likelier that your project comes in on time as well as under budget. By dodging the bullet of endless delays, you can actually save countless dollars that would otherwise just be spent on waiting for other people.

Sustainable Design

Earlier, we mentioned how sustainable design has become a very hot topic. That leaves an obvious question: how can castellated beams help you add sustainable design to your office buildings?

Simple: castellated beams are made from steel, and steel is the most recycled material in the entire world. In fact, structural steel is recycled at a whopping one hundred percent. Devoting your design to castellated beams means devoting yourself to the efficient use of a highly sustainable material.

Flexible Design

“Flexible” can mean many different things in the design world. But it turns out that castellated beams take flexible design to a whole new level—quite literally!

With these beams, there is less wasted space with each and every piece. And when this adds up, you have some exciting options.

First, you can always opt for a building that is a reduced height. This cuts down on construction costs and schedule, making it a popular option.

Alternately, you can use the space you save to add an entirely new floor to the building you are working on. That means that the building is capable of generating more revenue, thus increasing the value of the overall structure.