Creative Innovations:
Does creativity inspire our innovations, or vice versa?
Sid R. Peterson,
Posted
03/07/2011
Much like the age-old riddle "which came first: the chicken or
the egg," at Eastman, Ga.-based Alcoa Architectural Products we're
finding that our interactions with architects and building
professionals often result in the development of new products or
enhancements to our existing Reynobond materials. At the
same time, the unique properties of our metal composite materials
have given architects the ability to incorporate complex
architectural elements into their designs that would be
cost-prohibitive to fabricate with traditional materials. As they
push the envelope, the expectations of ACM's capabilities continue
to grow, inspiring us to respond with new products and finishes
that broaden their palette. Ours is a symbiotic relationship that
has contributed to the evolution of Reynobond ACM from its first
standard form, introduced more than 20 years ago, to one of the
most versatile, high-performance cladding material available.
Out of the box
The formable nature of the material and the diversity of the
finishes available have made ACM an invaluable tool for architects.
With the ability to incorporate complex shapes in an unlimited
color palette, designers are creating highly efficient building
envelopes with visual aesthetics that speak to the nature of what
is housed inside. What's more, they're bringing their projects in
on time and on budget.
COOP HIMMELB(L)AU's design for Central
Los Angeles High School #9 exemplifies the versatility of metal.
The Viennese firm created a distinctive campus for this high school
of the arts by combining buildings of disparate sculptural forms
and cladding them in a medley of Reynobond materials and finishes,
including Natural Brushed Aluminum, Stainless Steel and traditional
ACM with a painted finish. The library, for example, centers the
school courtyard, rising up from the ground as a slanted,
truncated, asymmetrical cone. Atop the school theater a tower on
the fly loft is marked by a winding walkway that forms the school's
signature #9. Each building is as unique as the art created within
its classrooms, with the resulting quirky environment appropriate
for a school focused on the arts.
A Statement That Will Last
Metal in general, aluminum in particular, is
particularly well suited for green building. With 75 percent of all
aluminum refined since 1888 still in use today, aluminum might well
be considered the ultimate in sustainable materials. And as
sustainable design standards become more and more integrated into
standard architectural practices, the importance of versatile
products made from recycled materials is expanding exponentially.
From requests for wider panels to those for new colors, patterns
and finishes, Alcoa is responding to the ever-growing demand for
durable and renewable materials.
For example, we recently introduced the industry's first resin
paint system with a 30-year warranty, which was developed in
response to customers' requests to increase the hardness of the
finish. Our exclusive Colorweld 500 finish adds inherent value to
every project beyond the warranty. The intrinsic beauty of the
architecture lasts longer. And less material is wasted during the
fabrication process because of scratching and pressure mottling.
Additionally, all of the standard paint colors in the system
provide a high degree of solar reflectivity, referred to as "Cool
Colors."
Architects working in coastal regions along the Mediterranean
prompted our scientists in Merxheim to develop yet another
breakthrough painted finish. Wood Grain ACM is so realistic, it's
almost indistinguishable from real wood. More importantly, it
captures the natural aesthetic of wood without cutting down any
trees. In contrast to natural wood and compressed wood composites,
Wood Grain ACM is engineered to hold up to the corrosive effects of
saltwater, intense UV exposure and extreme temperature shifts
without warping, cracking or fading, and it can be easily formed
into complex shapes. By employing a painted application, not a
film, the wood grain pattern on our ACM panels can be easily
matched to coil fabricated for flashing materials-maintaining the
consistency of the color and pattern throughout the project.
By
paying close attention to the colors, patterns and materials our
clients specify most often, we've developed a broad color palette
as our standard offerings. Custom finishes are easily achieved when
coil coating-our Wood Grain pattern, for instance, can be produced
in virtually any color and in quantities as small as 4,000 square
feet or large enough to meet the needs of custom branding
programs.
Architects around the globe have responded with enthusiasm. They
can incorporate sustainable, cutting-edge materials without
sacrificing style or quality. In turn, we've been inspired to
expand our trompe l'oeil line, developed by our European
colleagues, with new patterns, which will soon be available in the
U.S. market. The line replicates natural materials such as
travertine marble, granite and terra cotta, providing the freedom
to design without the restrictions imposed by the weight and
natural properties of stone, and replacing irreplaceable natural
resources with recyclable materials.
More Than Meets the Eye
Our building materials provide more than a good-looking façade.
They're engineered to play an active role in maintaining the
appearance and protecting the envelope of a building. To that end,
our scientists are continually inspired to experiment with novel
ideas, enabling Alcoa to meet and exceed the diverse architectural
standards for sustainable design around the globe.
Sid R. Peterson is the vice president of sales
and marketing for Alcoa Architectural Products, Eastman, Ga. Visit
www.alcoaarchitecturalproducts.com
for more information.
IMAGES FROM TOP: Central LA High School #9:
Mark Kempf Photography, St. Louis; Olympic Village: Wiliam Gnech,
The Apple Group; Phoenix Airport Aloft Hotel: Brett Drury
Architectural Photography Inc.
www.alcoaarchitecturalproducts.com