Photo: Leonid Furmansky
A metal roof with a wing-like shape was key to the overall design of ChildSafe’s Harvey E. Najim Children and Family Center. The 62,500-square-foot trauma-focused care center for child victims and child survivors of abuse and neglect and their non-offending family members is on a 10-acre campus within 36 acres of previously undeveloped green space on the east side of San Antonio.
James Lancaster, AIA, LFA, LEED BD+C, principal at Overland Partners Inc., says, “The form is that of a beacon of hope, providing a clear signal that ChildSafe is here for our community. Designed to cover and shelter ChildSafe and its partners, the shape of the metal roof signifies a safe place for clients to visit, like a mother goose might protect its young. Wings that cover, shelter, and protect while providing a clear indicator that ChildSafe will not stop in its mission until child abuse is no longer part of our community.”
To build the roof, Turner Roofing Co. installed 40,760 square feet of Berridge Manufacturing Co.’s 22-gauge steel Cee-Lock panels with a Charcoal Grey Kynar 500 finish. The standing seams break down the overall scale of the roof and provide a connection to the metaphor of wings covering and protecting.
“The metal roof allowed us to detail the roof to wall to soffit transition seamlessly, furthering the conceptual clarity of the design,” Lancaster says. “From a pragmatic view, the metal roof allows for capture of rainwater for irrigation. The color and texture complement other design elements such as the stone and wall panels.”
