Aesthetics and ecological integrity create a flagship of green architecture
It would only make sense that an American Institute of Architects (AIA) state headquarters building would have such a unique, heralded architectural design; and it does. The project has garnered considerable recognition, including garnering the Overall Winner of our sister publication’s 2012 Metal Construction News Building and Roofing Awards. The judges affirmed its merits in this contest, calling it a “jewel box” and “a great project.”
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Located in Raleigh, N.C., this North Carolina AIA headquarters building excels in many facets. The building design’s original intent was to demonstrate and encourage aesthetic and ecological integrity. What results is a flagship for green architecture that is architecturally, environmentally and aesthetically inspiring.
In a structure with many commendable attributes, the most prominent is, as one of the judges remarked, “a façade that folds into a roof, even though we never see the roof.” The roof drops over the edge of the north elevation and runs down nearly to street level where it is interrupted by a balconylike ledge that diverts rainwater. This 20,000-squarefoot VMZINC double-lock, standing seam roof from Raleigh-based Umicore Building Products USA Inc. has a red PIGMENTO zinc coating. The VMZINC panels were donated to the organization and helped gain LEED points. PIGMENTO Red helps accent the AIA NC logos. It’s a fully recyclable metal that requires little energy to manufacture and lasts 80 to 100 years.
“We won this project in a competition,” says Frank Harmon, FAIA, founder of Frank Harmon Architect PA, Raleigh. “One of the primary reasons we won over 48 entries was because of the roof shape. The roof’s shape was instrumental in our design concept. We knew it had to be a beautiful material. We couldn’t use shingles or a single ply. Can you imagine if we had used concrete? Zinc makes a very good partner with the cypress and native stone. “Metal roofs are part of the common language of architecture in North Carolina. It covers a broad vocabulary of buildings as humble as a tobacco farm all the way to a building as exalted as the state capital. The big overhang on the south side is common all over North Carolina because it is a big ‘front porch.’ There are many buildings in North Carolina that use metal to wrap the walls.”
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But the building stands out for more than just its remarkable roof and wonderful wall combo. Harmon designed the building to meet LEED Platinum standards, as well as AIA Committee On The Environment (COTE) goals. These include regional appropriateness and the use of regionally available materials, land use and site ecology, sustainable materials and methods of construction, reduced water usage and increased energy efficiency.
The cypress siding on the exterior cuts down on solar gain, insulates the building, is relatively low maintenance and adds visual warmth to the predominately metal, glass and concrete building. The wood is local to North Carolina, reclaimed from the Great Dismal Swamp from trees felled by Hurricane Irene. The narrow footprint and abundant glazing maximize natural ventilation and daylight in every interior space. Other sustainability features include geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater collection for use on-site, low-flow bathroom fixtures, and zero-VOC paints and carpets.
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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