Judging the more than 50 entries into the 2010 Metal Construction News Awards was as difficult a process as ever this year. The margin between the winning projects and the other submissions was painfully slim, causing the judges to teeter back and forth numerous times on their selections.
However, we believe the projects included here truly stand out and exemplify excellence in metal construction across four categories
(building, roofing, walls and best overall). The depth and breadth, aesthetics and functionality of metal are on display here among our winners.
The winners range from a traditional but perfectly realized metal building food bank in Springfield, Mo. to a uniquely textured use of metal walls at a wax museum in Los Angeles. Our metal roofing winner provided durability against the elements, and historic integrity to an Erie, Penn. home originally built in 1929. And on the best project overall, metal conveyed a powerful sense of meaning.
Our honorable mentions will give you an idea of the type of quality we had to leave out. Submission after submission showed the uses of metal going on and on, in some cases literally for miles. It’s a beautiful sight to see.
Overall Project
Winner: Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, Skokie, Ill.
The 65,000-square foot Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Chicago’s near-north suburb of Skokie, Ill., was designed as a lasting memorial to the victims and the survivors of the Holocaust, and to serve as an education center to promote tolerance.
The architect designed the structure as a visual reflection of the journey through the events of the Holocaust and as a celebration of man’s inimitable hope. It is both dark and light, and boasts 12,000 square feet of Alcoa Architectural Products’ Reynobond ACM in a Pewter finish; 10,000 square feet of Reynobond ACM in a Pure White finish and 1,000 square feet of Reynobond ACM in a Cadet Grey finish.
Entering through the dark pewter building, visitors immediately descend into the darkness of the Holocaust. They travel through the hinge, which houses an authentic 20th Century German railcar used by the Nazis to transport their victims, and which represents the “inaccessible void” between the darkness and the light. Visitors literally ascend into the light as they enter the white education building for the final phase of their tour.
The Alcoa ACM panels were installed in a series 3,000 dry-joint rainscreen system used to clad the exterior walls of the museum buildings. The panels had to be custom sized, so the fabricator used a CAD system to lay a 36-inch grid over the entire structure from the ground up to make the sight lines form ranks around the building. To make the joints of the panels line up at all points on the building, every panel had to fit within that specified grid. The steel bracing used as accents on the louvers of the entry building and on the windows in the education center was crafted to fit within that grid. A round enclosure on the roof was clad in 18-inch panels that fit into the 36-inch grid, as did the conical shapes created to fill the areas where the slope of the roof meets the curves of the wall.
The architect specified ACM for this project because of its durability and sustainable profile, as well as the ability to color and form the material to support the symbolism of the museum’s architecture. The museum was designed to sustainable standards, has received LEED Silver certification and 89 percent of construction waste was diverted from landfills.
Project Details:
Name: Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
Location: Skokie, Ill.
Cost: $45 million
Metal Products: 12,000 square feet: Reynobond ACM, 4 mm, FR core, Colorweld
300XL Pewter finish; 10,000 square feet: Reynobond
ACM, 4 mm, FR core, Colorweld 2-coat Pure White finish; 1,000 square feet: Reynobond ACM, 4 mm, FR core, Colorweld 2-coat Cadet Grey finish.
Manufacturer: Alcoa Architectural Products
Architect: Tigerman McCurry Architects, Chicago, IL
General Contractor: Bulley & Andrews LLC, Chicago, Ill.
Metal Installer: Metal Erectors, Inc.,Itasca, Ill.
LEED consultants: J.T. Katrakis & Associates, Barrington, Ill.
Amount used: 23,000 square feet
Metal Building
Winner: Ozarks Food Harvest, Springfield, Mo.
Structurally a simple building, this two-story office was accomplished with a structural steel mezzanine-all of the aesthetic components are concentrated in the front office portion of the building. The end us of the project, a food bank, dictated that the project not be too extravagant..
The value and aesthetics of the metal panels allowed for a very pleasing building appearance, while providing the economy needed on the project. The use of multiple panels on the office portion of the building, with both horizontal and vertical placement, resulted in a very interesting and cost-effective application.
Supplied by Oklahoma City-based Star Building Systems, the project utilized 24-gauge StarShield standing seam roof in galvalume finish. Also, 27,000 square feet of StarMark wall panel in Signature 200 Light Stone were used on the walls. In addition, 3 MBCI panels and glass were used on the 2-story office portion of the building, which included the FW-120 panel in 24 gauge Brownstone Signature 300 finish installed horizontally; the ShadowRib panel in Light Stone Signature 200 finish installed horizontally; and the 7.2 panel in Signature 200 Light Stone finish.
Metal was selected for the project because of economic benefits and the aesthetic appeal, both factors were very important in the end-result of this building to project the proper image throughout the community.
Project Details:
Name: Ozarks Food Harvest
Location: Springfield, Mo.
Metal Products: 24- gauge StarShield Standing Seam Roof in galvalume finish; StarMark wall panels in Signature 200 Light Stone; 24-gauge FW-120 panels in Brownstone Signature 300 finish; ShadowRib panel in Light Stone Signature 200 finish; 7.2 panel in Signature 200 Light Stone finish.
Building manufacturer: Star Building Systems, Oklahoma City, Okla.
www.starbuildings.com
Metal panel manufacturer: MBCI, Houston, www.mbci.com
Amount used: 46,200 square feet
Metal Roofing
Winner: Private Residence, Erie, Penn.
The 14,000-square-foot home is designed in the Greek Revival style. The central portion of the home, originally built in 1929, has a traditional Greek temple pediment and fluted columns. The new western and eastern wings of the home and the new detached carriage house mimic the traditional details and proportions of the original part of the home. This creates a uniform balance to the formal south façade that faces the street. The north façade has larger windows and multiple balconies to take advantage of the Lake Erie sunsets and views over Erie’s Bay.
When the homeowners decided to expand and renovate their home, its location on the South Shore of Lake Erie dictated the need for an attractive, durable new roofing material that would withstand heavy amounts of snow and ice, while holding up against heavy winds. The low sheen of Follansbee’s KlassicKolors maintains the home’s traditional look and preserves its historic integrity.
Follansbee KlassicKolors is a pre-painted Terne II zinc/tin coated roofing sheet offered in an extensive palette of designer colors. Its base sheet is coated with Follansbee’s patented ZT (zinc/tin) alloy and then painted with Valspar solar reflective paint coatings. The ZT alloy provides enhanced durability and extends the life of the metal for many years, even if the painted surface is breached.
KlassicKolors was selected because the material resembled an authentic copper patina standing-seam roof. Beyond aesthetics, KlassicKolors is an energy-efficient roofing option that provides durability and wind resistance.
Project Details:
Name: Private Residence
Location: Erie, Penn.
Completion date: April 2009
Metal Products: KlassicKolors in Patina
Roofing manufacturer: Follansbee, Follansbee, W. Va., www.follansbeeroofing.com
Coatings manufacturer: Valspar Corp., Chicago, www.valsparpaint.com
Amount used: 8,000 square feet
Metal Walls
Winner: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Los Angeles
The goal of the building’s design was to portray an iconic architectural design in one of the most significant areas of Los Angeles-adjacent to the world-famous Mann’s Chinese Theater. The urban goal was to spatially complete the western end of Hollywood Boulevard, where the majority of tourist activity takes place. The building was design so the multi-leveled public spaces would enhance the street life as it ascends to the roof plaza.
“The architectural language and form is simultaneously deferential to
the adjacent landmark and [is] contemporary. The museum program required
a flexible black box and the neighborhood needed a scaled, articulated, sensuous building,” Michael Rotondi, Design Principal with JAG/RoTo Architects, Los Angeles, architect on the project.
Though metal components such as steel railings and aluminum bar grating were used throughout the building, the “WOW” factor is created in part by the Zinc wall panels that grace the outer skin of the building. Umicore VMZinc Custom flat lock .8mm zinc panels in PIGMENTO Red were the wall application of choice, chosen to match the building’s other design elements and because of its aesthetically pleasing qualities.
Selecting a material that would blend with the glass curtain wall and cmu of the contemporary style new building and the adjacent historic district including the Chinese Theater was a challenge. Therefore, zinc was selected because of its modern, yet organic, qualities. Also, designing the metal to be installed over varying sloped walls and numerous folds was another challenge that had to be met in the construction of the museum.
GES Sheet Metal Inc., Pomona, Calif, was the installer on the project and Morley Construction Company, Santa Monica, Calif., was the general contractor.
Project Details:
Name: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Metal Products: VMZINC Custom Flat .8mm zinc lock panel in PIGMENTO Red
Building manufacturer: Umicore Building Products, Raleigh, N.C.,
www.vmzinc-us.com
Amount used: 8,000 square feet
MCN AWARDS – HONORABLE MENTION
HONORABLE MENTION: METAL BUILDINGS
Name: Volo Aviation – Sikorsky Memorial Airport
Location: Stratford, Conn.
Cost: $20 million
Metal Products: 275-foot clearspan truss rafters; 9,000 sq ft of poly carbonate wall system (Backlight); Decreasing slope elevated scalene lean to with exterior support framing; Norco Door; 60,000 pound panelized picks
Manufacturers: Varco-Pruden metal building, standing seam roof panels (SLR2) and v-rib walls; Norco hanger door systems; Extech Poly carbonate wall panels; Owens Corning Elaminator 300 system
Size: 35,750 square feet
Project Team: MarKim Erection Company, General Contractor: Industrial Building Systems;
Why was metal selected for this project?
The products chosen for this project had to be both architecturally pleasing and meet the standards of Green Building. All exterior products on project are 100% recyclable.
HONORABLE MENTION: METAL BUILDINGS
Name: Odessey Aviation of New Orleans New Fixed Base Operation Facility
Location: New Orleans, LA
Cost: $3.7 million
Metal Products: 24 gauge CFR standing seam in galvalume finish was used for the hangar. The roof was double-seamed to provide maximum water tightness and wind resistance. T 24-gauge VR16 standing seam roof in a Medium Grey Kynar finish was utilized at the office lean-to and lobby areas for its aesthetic value and long-term durability. A 26-guge classic wall panel in a Fox Grey polyester finish was used at the hangar. The office and lobby areas were designed as “open walls” to accommodate the installation of structural metal stud walls with brick masonry and stucco veneer.
Manufacturer: Nucor Building Systems
Size: 31,000 square feet; 162 tons
Project Team:
Metal Stud Contractor: Royal Commercial Construction
Metal Installer: Sonny Greer Construction
General Contractor: Regal Construction
Architect: Scairono-Martinez Architects
Why was metal selected for this project?
The project required long clear spans and a structure rated for 130 mph wind speeds. A pre-engineered metal building structure was selected due to its ability to provide maximum efficiency in cost and erection time.
HONORABLE MENTION: METAL ROOFING
Name: St. Joseph Catholic Church
Location: Louisiana, Mo.
Metal Products: The 0.032-aluminum CastleTop was finished in Slate Grey with the inset of a cross in Mission Red. CastleTop is a diamond-shaped flat metal tile roof, and that perfectly replicated the look of the 1920s tile, retaining the church’s historic appearance. The metal tile also was selected because it was easy to install, from eave to ridge with concealed fasteners. CastleTop is coated with a Kynar 500® PVDF or Hylar 5000® PVDF finish.
Manufacturer: ATAS International Inc.
Size: 6,300 square feet of CastleTop shingles
Project Team: Designer: Herzing Roofing, Jefferson City, Mo.; General Contractor & Metal Installer: Herzing Roofing, Jefferson City, Mo.
Why was metal selected for this project?
Metal was chosen because it replicates the look of the 1920s tiles but with a long-lasting material. The metal roof also allowed the roofing contractor to update the look by incorporating a cross inset design into the roof. A color-and design-option that wasn’t available in the ’20s.
HONORABLE MENTION: METAL ROOFING
Name: Derby Public Library
Location: Derby, KS
Cost: $5,651,193
Metal Products: 24,300 square feet of 24-gauge Curved BattenLok in Signature 300 Hunter Green; 1,900 square feet of 24-gauge BattenLok HS in Signature 300 Hunter Green.
Manufacturer: MBCI
Size: 37,614 square feet
Project Team: Architect: GLMV Architecture; General Contractor: Rainbow Construction Co., Inc., Wichita, KS; Metal Installer: Kruse Corporation, Wichita, KS
Why was metal selected for this project?
Metal was used for its ability to be curved to compliment the adjacent rolling hillside. Durability and function played a very large part in its choice, as well, since the Owner was moving out of a building that has experienced many roof leaks over recent years.
HONORABLE MENTION: METAL WALLS
Name: New H-60R Helicopter Maintenance Hangar
Location: NAS, Jacksonville, Florida
Cost: $71 million
Metal Products: 84,000-square feet of 2-inch, 22-gauge, G-90 galvanized insulated horizontal metal panel system coated in tan Kynar 500. The panel face and liner sheets were roll formed. Double rubber gaskets; panel joints poly-iso insulation injected between face sheets.
Manufacturer: Kingspan-Benchmark
Size: 207,941square feet
Project Team:
Architect: BWSC Inc.
General Contractor: Walbridge
Metal Installers: East Iowa Decks
Building Owner: United States Navy
Why was metal selected for this project?
Insulated metal panels were selected for the exterior skin of the building for its light weight, economy, weather-resistant, low maintenance characteristics. The metal panels relate aesthetically to the metal sink of the helicopters housed in the building.
Each hangar module is 235 feet long and 128 feet wide resulting in a building that is 1,175 feet long. Each module’s hangar door is 200 feet wide and 25 feet high. A 12 foot deep steel girder was designed to clear span these large openings and support the fabric hangar doors and steel roof structure.
HONORABLE MENTION: METAL WALLS
Name: Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Cost: $417 million
Metal Products: 136,000 square feet of .080 aluminum panels in bone white and champagne
Manufacturer: Dri-Design
Size: 700,000 square feet
Project Team: Architect: Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK), St. Louis, MO; General Contractor: CG Schmidt –Barton Malow; Metal Installers: Architectural Products of Wausau.
Why was metal selected for this project?
One of the goals was to make the entire exterior a rainscreen system, a goal easily reached with the Dri-Design system. Rainscreen systems are particularly important in a healthcare environment because it prevents moisture from entering the wall cavity and thus prevents any opportunity for mold to grow.
