The Milwaukee Housing Authority built Convent Hill, a public housing complex for low income senior citizens, in 1959. Today, the new Convent Hill stands on the same ground. Completed in July 2009, the 10-story complex features 120 apartments, two retail spaces on the ground floor, a neighborhood computer lab and a Milwaukee County meal program open to those who live in the urban neighborhood centered around Convent Hill.
The Milwaukee Housing Authority has made it part of its mission to not only embrace, but also advance new levels of sustainable design and technology. Convent Hill includes five separate green roofs totaling nearly 12,000 square feet (1,115 m2), including a 1,400-square-foot (130-m2) decorative, landscaped terrace with irrigation system. Because of its aesthetic appeal and performance in advance thermal and moisture protection, CENTRIA’s architectural metal wall systems were chosen for the project.
CENTRIA supplied 17,189 square feet (1,597 m2) of 22/26-gauge Formawall Dimension Series 2-inch (51-mm) horizontal metal wall panels in Charcoal Gray with an embossed Fluorofinish coating; 13,109 square feet (1,218 m2) of 22/26-gauge Formawall Dimension Series 2-inch metal wall panels in Copper Penny with an embossed Sundance AM coating; 3,007 square feet (279 m2) of 22/26-gauge Formawall Dimension Series 3-inch (76-mm) vertical wall panels in Weathered Zinc with an embossed Sundance Mica coating; 8,180 square feet (760 m2) of 22/26-gauge DS60 2-inch horizontal metal wall panels with an embossed finish; 1,595 square feet (148 m2) of 22-gauge Concept Series CS-210E with Microseam Corners with an embossed finish; and 1,303 square feet (121 m2) of 22-gauge Concept Series CS-260E with an embossed finish.
The use of both horizontal and vertical profiles gave the structure a unique, contemporary appearance. The Formawall Dimension Series and Concept Series panels are also Cradle to Cradle Silver certified.
General contractor: Gilbane Building Co., Milwaukee
Architect: The Zimmerman Design Group, Milwaukee
Dealer: G&L Associates, Des Moines, Iowa
Roofing contractor: TRS Metal & Roofing LLC, Waukesha, Wis.
Metal wall panels: CENTRIA, Moon Township, Pa., www.centria.com
