VU Gillette House

Vanderbilt University is a prestigious college located in the heart of Nashville, TN. The school was founded shortly after the American Civil War. Gillette House at Vanderbilt University is a residence hall that accommodates 220 students. It was built in 1963 and named after Frank E. Gillette, a trustee of the school’s College of Education and Uman Development. Gillette House was completely renovated in 2006-07.

During this renovation, Stromberg Architectural Products was called on to produce columns, cornice and pilaster made from Stromberg’s Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC). Stromberg GFRC is fast becoming an industry standard for both new construction and renovations where amenities that would normally be fabricated from concrete or stone are being replaced. GFRC offers the look and feel of true concrete while significantly lowering stress on load-bearing structures. Also, GFRC can be produced to recreate several textures other than concrete. It has a higher tensile strength than steel and is a fireproof material.