Metal is a true canvas for creativity. More than 120 projects submitted for this year’s Project Excellence Awards showcased the limitless possibilities of metal design. Metal’s versatility and beauty were fully displayed from the grandest structures to the smallest details.
This year’s overall winner—from the Metal Walls (new construction) category—was the Mayo Clinic Anna Maria and Stephen Kellen Research Building, a towering medical building in Rochester, Minn. As one judge stated about the project, “A custom perforated veil adds movement and dynamism to the façade while pragmatically shading the glass.”
In addition to our overall winner, there were five other category winners listed here:
Metal Roofing – New Construction: River Ranch County Park
Metal Roofing – Retrofit: McElroy Metal (Absolute Construction Home)
Metal Walls – Retrofit: Raymond Elementary School
Metal Buildings Systems Buildings: Eastern Kille Distillery
Metal Craftsmanship: University of South Florida (USF) Judy Genshaft Honors College
Congratulations to all our winners, who are featured in the following pages. Read on to discover why they deserve praise for their unparalleled execution and creativity in metal.
OVERALL WINNER AND METAL WALLS (NEW CONSTURCTION): Mayo Clinic Anna Maria and Stephen Kellen Research Building
Mayo Clinic is a world-renowned health system based in southern Minnesota. A financial gift from the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation and other donations spearheaded the construction of this towering medical building. The Mayo Kellen Research building features 11 floors and more than 16,258 m2
(175,000 sf) of biomedical research space to develop advanced treatments and find cures for various health conditions. The building was initially planned to be only four stories, but the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated an undeniable need for medical advancements and scientific research spaces. This $120 million building was designed with a heavy emphasis on collaborative research spaces, cutting-edge technology, and floorplans that could support future growth and expansion. Nestled in the heart of downtown Rochester, Minn., The Mayo Kellen Research Building is next to other Mayo Clinic hospitals and research spaces, further emphasizing patient care and collaboration among area medical professionals. This project was complex, from the secondary steel facade support structure to the oculus cutouts and custom perforations on the metal scrim panels. This project’s most challenging and unique part was how the perforated metal scrim panels had to be integrated into the unitized glass curtain wall system. This custom-made building system/application with layers allowed the metal to stand out and take center stage. The company’s old laser was recently upgraded to a new 4,000-watt, fully automated CNC fiber-optic laser, which could take on this intense metal cutting. Hours of programming and laser run time went into this project.
Three of the four sides of this building feature 7,154 m2 (77,000 sf) of unitized aluminum scrim panels. A custom perforated design, chosen by HDR Architects, was laser cut in-house and then fabricated into the plate panel system. The perforated aluminum scrim was assembled into unitized panels and installed on the building with a secondary steel frame support system. The fourth side of the building is clad with 1,045 m2 (11,250 sf) of 4 mm (0.16 in.) FR core aluminum composite that was fabricated into a D-Set panel system and installed from the third floor of the building to the tenth. An additional 279 m2 (3,000 sf) of these same panels were installed near the ground floor on the building’s west elevation.
The penthouse at the top of the building includes a 604 m2 (6,500-sf) flush-seam metal enclosure system. This project’s last metal panel work was nearly 279 m2 (3,000 sf) of interior ceiling cladding and 325 m2
(3,500 sf) of exterior soffit cladding at the facade oculus cut-outs. The soffits for the facade oculus and the ground-floor lobby ceiling were fabricated from Pure + Freeform’s custom-formed aluminum planks featuring a custom-painted wood-grain finish.
Judge Comments
“This design is a work of art! From the irregular oculus cutouts, moving geometry and along with the custom perforated panels, this building pulls your eye in many directions. The entry column covers are enhanced with the curtain wall joint alignment.” – James C. Tuschall Sr.
Mayo Clinic Anna Maria and Stephen Kellen Research Building, Rochester, Minn.
Total area: 16,258 m2 (175,000 sf)
Building owner: Mayo Clinic
Architect: HDR Architects
General contractor: Knutson Construction
Metal installer: MG McGrath
Metal Building Systems Buildings: Eastern Kille Distillery
The cathedral-style sloping roof of Eastern Kille Distillery creates an unparalleled experience for the visitor in most other tasting rooms or restaurants. Built along the picturesque White Pine Trail, nestled among the forest, the 8.5-m (28-ft) tall glass curtain wall offers relaxing views of the natural world while sipping a custom cocktail crafted with Eastern Kille’s award-winning whiskey, gin, rum, and vodka. This building was designed by Mathison Architects and constructed by Wolverine Building Group, utilizing Nucor Building Products. This 1,275-m2 (13,722-sf) building offers retail, restaurant, outdoor dining, production, distribution, and storage for the small-batch distillery.
This project’s pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) structure utilized a less conventional 12/12 roof slope. This simple adjustment to a typical low-roof sloped PEMB frame provided additional interior volume, a more significant building presence, and a more modern architectural form. Simple architectural planning arrangements allowed the PEMB structure to perform well above its typical functional performance.
Architecturally, the conceptual goal was to create a unified building form to bridge the tasting room and visitor experience with the distilling production/aging process. The new facility allows Eastern Kille Distillery to accomplish its primary goal of maintaining 100 percent of its production on-site. A simple yet bold gable expression organizes their distilling, barrel storage tasting room, restaurant, and customer experience, all within an efficient PEMB steel frame. The exterior is finished with dark bronze insulated metal panels and natural wood, allowing the building to blend into its natural surroundings. The interior finishes welcome guests inside with contrasting touches of warm, minimalist details utilizing wood and concrete. The visitor experience is at all points directly connected to the natural site with walls of glass, an intersecting breezeway, and a multi-functional outdoor venue space.
Utilizing a Nucor product created an efficient building system for Eastern Kille Distillery. The building required space for the distillery, liquor storage, a commercial kitchen, a bar, and a restaurant. Combined with natural wood, the metal building was erected quickly, providing flexibility. It allows the building to be visually perceived as one entity.
Judge comments
“Exceptional detailing, design, and materials elevate a PEMB from a simply utilitarian structure into a work of contemporary architecture.” – Isaac Bracher
Eastern Kille Distillery, Rockford, Mich.
Total area: 1,275 m2 (13,722 sf)
Building owner: Eastern Kille Distillery
Architect: Mathison Architects
General contractor and metal installer: Wolverine Building Group
METAL ROOFING (new construction): River Ranch County Park
In the Texas Hill Country, between Leander and Liberty Hill, River Ranch County Park preserves and conserves more than 546 ha (1,350 acres) of former ranch land along the South Fork San Gabriel River. Owned and operated by Williamson County Parks & Recreation, the park offers more than 32 km (20 miles) of trails, tent and RV campsites, and day-use areas. The new facilities include a headquarters building, several open-air pavilions, restrooms and showers, maintenance support, and a 4,460-m2 (4,800-sf) Interpretive Center. These diverse buildings are conceptually and visually linked by their relationship with the park’s natural landscape, giving River Ranch a distinct identity across its extensive site. Their design takes cues from the agrarian vernacular and the intense Texas heat, manifesting in a roof-dominant building typology. Expansive, corrugated metal roofs with deep overhangs provide a much-needed respite from the summer sun and afford ample gathering space. Each building features a variation of a standard hip roof with deep, low-hanging eaves and structural steel ridge caps with gutters. Open sides and generous porches allow breezes to waft through these shady spaces, encouraging visitors to linger. Every structure has a consistent rectilinear profile accented by a hipped roof. Corten wall panels on the exterior allow the buildings to blend in with their surroundings, permitting the natural environment to take center stage. The simple forms and understated exteriors are complemented by a pop of vibrant color on the underside of each roof, defining a reference point for the landscape’s seasonal greens and creating a unique sense of place. The chimney of the Interpretive Center acts as a beacon, drawing visitors together from all directions. Visible from nearly every corner of the park, the metal fireplace cap of the chimney connects to an inviting, oversized outdoor fireplace. The fireplace is the first thing that greets visitors upon their arrival at the Interpretive Center, demarcating the entrance to the park’s most prominent structure. River Ranch County Park was designed to conserve and celebrate the diverse ecology of the Texas Hill Country, bringing people together through educational programming, engagement with outdoor amenities, and land stewardship practices. Its material and formal qualities reflect these goals while honoring the architectural traditions of the region.
Judge Comments
“The rusted steel panels blend well with the park’s natural landscape environment. The open-air shelter with deep overhangs allows for weather protection without interrupting the surrounding views. I also found the strategic placement and shape of the gutters interesting.” – James C. Tuschall Sr.
River Ranch County Park, Texas Hill Country
Total area: 1,579 m2 (17,000 sf)
Building owner: Williamson County Parks & Recreation
Architect: McKinney York Architects
General contractor: Chasco Constructors
Metal installer: TMP Roofing (metal roofing); Integro roofing (metal roofing, corten wall panels, structural steel gutters, downspouts, ridge caps); Southern Star Steel Services, LLC (structural steel fireplace cap); Dennis Steel, Inc. (pipe and tube railings, exposed structural steel); and Red Dot (metal buildings)
METAL ROOFING (retrofit): McElroy Metal (Absolute Construction Home)
Absolute Construction of Plano, Texas, was called to a home in Frisco, Texas, to put together an estimate for a customer looking to tear off 20-year-old concrete tiles and replace them with new ones. The original concrete tile system sustained hail damage and was never airtight. On more than one occasion, the homeowners had to deal with rodent issues. The day company employee Connor Wood drove up to complete the deal, the homeowner had a change of heart. Earlier that morning, the homeowners were again greeted by a snake in their master bathroom that had gained access to the house through the roofing system. Wood assured them he could solve that problem by installing a metal roof. This was precisely what the homeowners wanted to hear, so they decided to go with a standing seam metal roofing system, formed on-site with coil from McElroy Metal’s Garland, Texas, location.
“That’s probably the last place you want to find a snake,” Wood said. “They decided that morning to go with metal, a 25 mm (1 in.) standing seam panel, to ensure a definite rodent-tight system. We assured them that would solve their snake issues.”
“The biggest challenge was access,” Wood added. “It’s one of the things you may not think about right away, but it’s a factor in giving an accurate estimate. Once you get inside the gate at this home, you’re driving on a 69-m (75-yard) brick driveway. We’ve got trucks weighing about 6,804 kg (15,000 lb), so we must be very careful.”
Crew members had to carefully set up scaffolding in landscaped areas and move equipment around, but everything went according to plan.
Before the installation, Absolute Construction had to remove the original concrete tiles. Wood estimates it was 25 dump trucks full of tiles, costing between $5,000 and $6,000. Absolute Construction installed 1,770 m2 (19,000 sf) of 24-gauge Galvalume 25 mm (1 in.) high standing seam panels. The panels are 495 mm (19.5 in.) wide and produced on a portable rollformer from Englert Inc. The roof had more than 50 roofing planes, creating dozens of valleys. That meant hundreds of precise cuts onsite for the Absolute Construction crew.
The homeowners were in the process of “modernizing” the look of the home’s exterior and interior. To achieve the aesthetic they were looking for on the exterior, they decided on Matte Black for the roof color, a Sherwin-Williams Fluropon PVDF color.
Judge comments
“Proof that simply changing one material can transform the aesthetic of an entire building.” – Isaac Bracher
McElroy Metal (Absolute Construction Home), Frisco, Texas
Total area: 1,765 m2 (19,000 sf)
Architect and metal installer: Absolute Construction
General contractor: Connor Wood with Absolute Construction
Building owner: Private citizen
METAL WALLS (retrofit): Raymond Elementary School
Sustainability was a central theme in developing the plan to modernize and expand historic Raymond Elementary School in Washington, D.C. However, updating the 1920s building—a treasured local landmark–was complex. STUDIOS Architecture collaborated with the Historic Preservation Office to achieve their goals and address unique challenges. Their plan was daring yet mindful of the school’s legacy within the community. The proposed approach promised to minimize disruption, demolishing one wing and replacing it with a 4,665-m2 (50,000-sf) addition that would better meet the community’s growing needs. Raymond Elementary School expertly represents how urban education, historic preservation, and sustainability can be achieved. This project earned the AIA DC Award of Excellence in Architecture and the ULI Washing Award for Excellence in Institutional Development.
The updated section of the school is clad with ALUCOBOND PLUS Olvine Metallic, which beautifully coordinates with and complements the building’s original materials, aligning with the historic design standards. The material also contributed to the project achieving LEED Gold certification.
Metal composite material (MCM) panels were chosen because sustainability was a primary objective. The material is also 100 percent recyclable; it emits zero volatile organic components (VOCs) and has a fire-retardant core, which meets performance requirements set by the IBC (particularly important for a school).
Judge comments
“Adding this metal wall incorporates an updated feel to the school. The varying panel widths and the angled recessed window wall depict a more custom current trend design.” – James C. Tuschall Sr.
Raymond Elementary School, Washington, D.C.
Total area: 8,640 m2 (93,000 sf)
Building owner: DC Department of General Services, District of Columbia Public Schools
Architect: STUDIOS Architecture
General contractor and metal installer: Delray Contracting
METAL CRAFTMANSHIP: University of South Florida (USF) Judy Genshaft Honors College
MG McGrath created a custom unitized system with glass and glazing and metal panels in the same unitized system with eight different panel styles/size variations for this project. The unitized facade was made up of several metal and glass systems, including 1,301 m2
(14,000 sf) of Centria Versawall insulated metal panels (IMP) in an 805 Charcoal Silver paint finish and nearly 1,394 m2 (15,000 sf) of YKK’s YCW 750 SSG Glazed Curtain Wall system with Silver framing finish. Also, a part of the unitized panels was more than 1,602 m2 (28,000 sf) of solid and perforated plate panels in PPG Duranar’s VARI-Cool line of finishes in “Mojave Cactus” metallic color finish. This unique finish’s color-shifting properties give off different hues of purple and green as the angle of the light changes.
This six-story, 7,890 m2 (86,000 sf) honors college on the University of South Florida’s (USF) Tampa campus was made possible by a generous $20 million donation from former USF president Judy Genshaft. This new center is home to UFS’s honors classes and the school’s study abroad programs. It features suspended “learning lofts,” soundproof recording studios, a professional kitchen for cooking classes, a safe, a library, and outdoor spaces for events and speakers. The design for the honors college emphasized natural lighting and was heavily influenced by feedback from students who wanted to see more spaces for mingling, meeting new people, exploring creative outlets, and comfortable places to study with friends. This project was unique in its appearance and the metal that was installed. Most of the facade (solid and perforated) features a PPG Duranar VARI-Cool paint finish in Mojave Cactus. The unique part about this finish is its metallic appearance and color-shifting properties. The polychromatic PVDF coating was applied to the metal, cured, and shipped for fabrication. These panels were fabricated in both solid metal and perforated varieties and then manufactured and assembled into one of eight different unitized mega-panel variations. Combining metal and glass into one system allowed for a faster, safer, and higher-quality facade construction process.
Metal was used with glass and glazing systems to create a full exterior facade enclosure on the new USF Honors College building. The unique properties of the pearlescent finish on the facade and perforations reflect light back and greatly reduce solar heat gain, helping this building achieve its LEED Silver certification.
Judge comments
“Subtle color shifting of the facade, solid panels complimenting perforated panels, and rigorous detailing of the screening substructure work in concert to an exciting addition to the campus fabric.” – Isaac Bracher
University of South Florida (USF) Judy Genshaft Honors College, Tampa, Fla.
Total area: 7,890 m2 (86,845 sf)
Building owner: University of South Florida (USF)
Architect: Morphosis – Design Architect, Fleischman Garcia Maslowski – Executive Architect
General contractor: The Beck Group
Metal installer: MG McGrath
A Heartfelt Thank You
Metal Construction News would like to thank our three judges for their time and dedication in evaluating these submissions. With a combined 115 years of experience, these experts had no trouble selecting our winning projects. Thank you again, gentlemen!
Alan Reed: President and design principal, GWWO Architects
Years in the Business: 37
What do you love about the awards? “I really love seeing all of the creative uses of metal in architecture. The projects illustrate the versatility and beauty of this truly timeless material.”
A Heartfelt Thank You
Metal Construction News would like to thank our four judges for their time and dedication in evaluating these submissions. With a wealth of experience and industry knowledge, these experts had no trouble selecting our winning projects.
James C. Tuschall Sr., President and CEO, Tuschall Engineering Company Inc.
The company has been in business for 87 years, and James has been there full-time for 49 years, plus a few part-time years while in school. He served more than a decade with the Metal Construction Association, including nine years on the board, and has been a member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union, Local 265, for 49 years.
Buffy Stachorowski, Lead Project Manager, HALFLANTS + PICHETTE
Buffy’s architectural design focuses on multi-family projects and modern coastal luxury residences. With 30 years of dedication in many states along the Mid-Atlantic Region and now the Sunshine Coast of Southwest Florida, she dedicates her expertise to pursuing excellence in project delivery and mentoring junior designers to holistically bring their projects into the built environment.
Elisandra Garcia, Architectural Designer and Director of Engagement, El Dorado
Focusing her expertise on design justice, Garcia directs and executes public and stakeholder engagement initiatives, documentation, and analysis, processing these into schematic design. She also manages El Dorado’s internal and external DEI efforts and leads research, academic partnerships, and the design of spatial justice benchmarks for projects. Based in the firm’s Portland, Ore. office, Garcia served as Design for Spatial Justice Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Oregon (2021-2023), where she continues to mentor and engage with students.
Isaac Bracher, Architect, OPN Architects
Throughout his professional career, Isaac has assembled a diverse portfolio of award-winning projects, ranging from small, carefully crafted residential interiors to large, higher-education campus facilities. He also brings extensive experience in furniture design and construction to each of his projects. This knowledge has enhanced his sensitivity for detailing on a small scale, which he applies to larger and more complex projects. In 2013, the Ball State College of Architecture and Planning Alumni Society Board of Directors recognized Isaac as a recipient of its annual Award of Outstanding Achievement.
