When Frank Harmon, FAIA, founder of Frank Harmon Architect PA, Raleigh, N.C., landed the honor of designing the new AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design after a spirited design competition, he got the opportunity to showcase the merits of sustainable architecture while staying true to the roots of design in North Carolina. The result of that effort garners the building the Overall Winner award in the Metal Construction News Building and Roofing Awards.
The judges admired everything about the project, from its inspired siting on an awkward patch of earth to its extensive use of sustainable building practices to its devotion to energy efficiency to its dramatic open spaces and defining use of a standing seam metal roof that transitions to a wall.
A Roof of Note 
A defining aspect of the design is the 20,000- square-foot VMZINC double lock standing seam roof from Raleigh-based Umicore Building Products USA Inc. The natural metal employs a red PIGMENTO zinc coating, which gives the building an earthy look, while still offering a texture and depth that give the building more interest. The roof drops over the edge of the north elevation and runs down nearly to street level where it is interrupted by a balcony-like ledge that diverts rainwater. Harmon says of the roof, “It’s made of real materials.”
That honest approach bolsters the roof’s sustainability quotient as well. Zinc requires little energy to manufacture, provides a roof that will last 80 to 100 years, and utilizes 100 percent recyclable materials. Consequently, it gains high points in the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED certification process. The center is slated to receive LEED Platinum certification.
Rainwater Control
The material selection is important to the project because it fits the North Carolina sensibility. In fact, the whole long, thin building is reminiscent of long, thin houses with porches. But equally important is the need to capture rainwater runoff.
As a young boy, Harmon used to swim in the creeks and streams of North Carolina, but with the constant rainwater runoff, which used to be absorbed into the ground, those estuaries have become muddied and polluted. To combat that, he designed a building that keeps every drop of water on the land it sits on. To do this, he utilized rainwater catch basins, permeable tile pavers in the parking area and careful design of the roof to ensure no water escapes.
Exciting Siting
The judges especially appreciated the decision to site the building at one end of the awkwardly shaped and sloped lot. Because the AIA North Carolina chapter wanted to showcase the importance of sustainability and the essential necessity of architecture in today’s world, it acquired a lot near the state capitol, placing the trade group close to the heart of the political world.
The car park, the sloped grassy area and the longitudinal catch basin all pick up elements of a front yard and with the large, overhanging eave, the building takes on elements of a welcoming front porch. The truth is many state agencies have found the joy of meeting in the open, well-lighted spaces of the center, and are booking it often. To that end, the building has met one of its goals of raising awareness of the importance of architecture.
That importance is recognized by the judges with the selection of the center as the overall winner.
AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, Raleigh, N.C.
Completed: March 2012
Total square footage: 12,000 square feet
Building owner: North Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Architect: Frank Harmon Architect PA, Raleigh, www.frankharmon.com
General contractor: Clancy & Theys Construction Co., Raleigh, www.clancytheys.com
Landscape architect: Gregg Bleam Landscape Architect, Charlottesville, Va., www.gbla.net
Green screen erector: Buckner Companies Steel Erection, Graham, N.C., www.bucknersteel.com
Metal roof installer: Baker Roofing, Raleigh, www.bakerroofing.com
Green screen: SteelFab Inc., Charlotte, N.C., www.steelfab-inc.com
Metal roof panels: Umicore Building Products USA Inc., Raleigh, www.vmzinc-us.com
