Tenmat intumescent fireblocking preserves original wood cladding design while complying with stringent fireblocking requirements in iconic clubhouse rebuild.
A Treasured Landmark in U.S. Golf
A historical landmark since 1918. With over a hundred years’ worth of PGA tournaments and US opens, Oakland Hills Country Clubhouse serves as a living museum of U.S. golf history. Not only hosting legendary matches, but Oakland Hills has also hosted legendary golfers, Tiger Woods, Bob Jones, Tom Watson, Walter Haegan and more.
Tragedy Strikes Historical Golf Venue
Unfortunately, in February 2022, a fire broke out in the century-old clubhouse. Consumed by flames and smoke, a majority of 90,000 sq.ft., C. Howard Crane-designed clubhouse was destroyed. Therefore, leaving the structural integrity of the clubhouse compromised.
Restoring the Original Wood Cladding Exterior
During the design phase of this reconstruction project, the Heritage Committee of Oakland Hills collectively decided to capture the original design of the historic clubhouse. To meet these demands, the project team specified an exterior timber wall covering assembly. Refer to Figure 1 for design proposal.
From Ashes to Advanced Fire Protection
In response, the Heritage Committee of Oakland Hills took decisive action to ensure that such devastation would never happen again. As part of the fire reconstruction project, the committee prioritized advanced fire protection measures to safeguard both the legacy and future of the club.
While reviewing its design details, the project team discovered that their cladding assembly triggered Section 718.2.6 of the International Building Code (IBC). By specifying a timber exterior wall covering, the project team was now liable for fitting the assembly with 100 sq.ft. compartments of fireblocking.
Fireblocking for Exterior Wood Cladding Systems
Tested and approved to meet stringent fireblocking requirements, project architects specified Tenmat’s FF102/50 Intumescent Fire Block throughout the exterior wall assembly of the new clubhouse. Refer to Figure 2.
With the specification of Tenmat Intumescent Fire Blocks, the project was able to successfully comply with IBC fireblocking requirements for exterior wall coverings.
In addition to complying with this code requirement, Tenmat Intumescent Fire Blocks allowed the project team to fulfill the Heritage Committee’s request to restore the architectural features of the original clubhouse.
By finding the balance between compliance and design, the Oakland Hills Clubhouse was able to be restored to its former glory by Spring 2026. To learn more about the Oakland Hills Clubhouse Rebuild here.
