The Metal Construction Association recognized its 2011 Chairman’s Award recipients at METALCON International. Previously named the MCA President’s Awards, the Chairman’s Awards are an annual designation given to outstanding building projects involving MCA member companies. The awards honor innovation and creativity while showcasing how metal products help achieve exceptional building designs.
MCA presented a short video at METALCON honoring the 10 projects. MCA member company representatives accepted award plaques afterward. Recipients for these awards are selected each year from projects submitted by MCA members to Metal Architecture magazine’s annual Design Awards Program. This year, the honorees were chosen by a panel of experienced industry professionals. The panel consisted of:
- Michael Breclaw, AIA, LEED AP, principal and director of design for OKW Architects, Chicago.
- Elaine Fitzgerald, CSI, CDT, CCS, a registered architect with experience in commercial, higher education and high-rise building design.
- Andy Hylton, LEED AP, health care services manager for The Walsh Group’s Building Division, Chicago.
The MCA Chairman’s Awards were given in seven categories: Metal Roofing, Commercial/Industrial, Municipal, Institutional, Educational, Residential and Overall Excellence. MCA also honored three projects with an Honorable Mention Award for a unique or exceptional application.
Overall Excellence
GE Advanced Technology Research Centre, Dohar, Qatar
The General Electric Advanced Technology and Research Centre is a state-of-the-art, 145,000-squarefoot facility used for design, development and training for GE’s range of international businesses.
Several diverse GE businesses with special requirements are located in the facility. GE Aviation has training bays holding full-size aircraft engines, high-tech classrooms configured for distance learning and an aircraft engine test cell simulation room. Shared services include the completely equipped 150-seat lecture hall, food service facilities, and an area to display GE products and technology.
The MCA judging panel was impressed with the architect’s understanding of how metal can be used in various forms. They felt using metal was significant not only in the cladding but in the structure.
Mooresville, N.C.-based 3A Composites USA Inc.‘s Alucobond smooth metal wall panels were used in the design, which embodies collaboration and understanding at the crossroads of two cultures: high-tech industrial advancement imbued with Qatari heritage and tradition. Inspired from Qatar’s legacy of pearl diving, the facility’s focal point is the glowing sphere of the auditorium. An undulating, perforated, stainless steel canopy reflects the gentle slopes of the desert landscape while shielding the approach and entry from the desert heat. Clean industrial glass materials, metal panels and stainless steel embody the facility’s high-tech nature.
The architect for the project is Kansas City, Mo.- based Burns
& McDonnell and the general contractor is Geosan/Construction Dynamics, Qatar.
Metal Roofing
Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Value, Tampa, Fla.
Conceived in response to the University of Tampa’s commitment to the holistic development of its students, the project’s program and architecture support fosters awareness and respect for the world’s many religions and spiritual practices while serving the overall campus student population and the local Tampa/Hillsborough County community. With design sensitivity to special volume, human scale, daylight, selection of warm and durable materials, the building evokes the same positive emotions experienced in the beauty of nature.
The 15,000-square-foot chapel/center accommodates programmed needs in carefully designed spaces that can flexibly serve multiple uses. Doublelock standing seam panels, vertical reveal panels and zinc composite material from RHEINZINK America Inc., Woburn, Mass., were selected by Atlanta-based architect tvsdesign for long-term durability for the life of the structure.
According to the MCA judges, the project was chosen as the metal roofing recipient because the roof design is the defining feature of the architecture; it serves as the identity of the building.
Peter R. Brown Construction Inc., Tampa, is the general contractor and the fabricator is MetalTech- USA, Peachtree City, Ga. General Works of Tampa and Morrell Architectural Systems, both based in Tampa, are the installers.
Commercial/Industrial
Duke Energy Center, Charlotte, N.C.
The Duke Energy Center is a 786-foot-tall, 48-floor skyscraper. When completed in 2010, it was the largest building in Charlotte in square footage. Atlanta-based architect tvsdesign noted that the building was designed to have a bright, light feel that culminated in a unique sculptural piece. Metal was the only way to accomplish this and the panels allowed for playing with the geometry and achieve the desired effect.
The project features 127,400 square feet of Eastman, Ga.-based
Alcoa Architectural Product‘s Reynobond aluminum composite material along with Austell, Ga.-based Miller Clapperton’s System 500, a back-ventilated rainscreen system, up the sides of the building.
The MCA judges took note of the innovative use of metal for the rainscreen and guttering system at the building top.
Miller Clapperton remarked that the most challenging aspect of the project from a metal perspective was designing the panels at the building’s crown in a bond pattern while they also tapered and sloped downward towards a rainwater collection point. Effective 3-D modeling by the architect, and the cooperation and involvement of the construction team was the key.
Batson-Cook Co., West Point, Ga., is the general contractor and Juba Aluminum Co., Concord, N.C., is the metal installer on the project.
Municipal
Nebraska Public Power District: Norfolk Operations Center, Norfolk, Neb.
Nebraska Public Power District’s Norfolk Operations Facility houses working crews, materials storage, and a customer service center. It’s a model of sustainable energy and environmental commitment, and includes public exhibits describing the latest technologies and efficiency strategies. But when the Omaha, Neb.-based architect HDR Inc. designed the building, they wanted to highlight the simplest elements of electricity. The copper clerestory rises and curves away from the charcoal zinc walls, evoking electrical wire itself: copper stands within an insulating black sheath.
The building incorporates real world sustainable features that result in a LEED Gold certification and estimated 35 percent reduction in energy use annually- the metal panels with recycled content and their post consumer recycled content can be used forever. Umicore Building Products USA Inc., Raleigh, N.C., provided VMZINC’s Anthra Zinc material.
For this project, the MCA judging panel admired that the material choices for the building were meant to echo the purpose of the building. Copper was used to give an ode to copper wiring used with electricity.
The general contractor is JE Dunn Construction Co., Kansas City, Mo., and the metal installer is SGH Inc., Omaha.
Institutional
Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture, Charlotte, N.C.
The new Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture is built on a narrow plot of land in an urban renewal area in Charlotte. The design reflects the center’s mission: “to present, preserve and promote African American art, culture and history for the education and enlightenment of all.”
The structure has two design elements-Jacob’s Ladder and quilting. The “fabric” of the quilt is the perforated metal panels. Hefti-Rib horizontal exposedfastener panels from Lancaster, Pa.-based Fabral give the building depth, character and dimension.
The MCA judging panel recognized this project because of the interesting exploration that used a combination of metal techniques to create a unique visual character to the skin. The project uses a unique double screen wall to clad the building-perforated panels on top of solid panels.
The architect for this project is The Freelon Group, Research Triangle Park, N.C. Contractors are Batson- Cook Co., West Point, Ga.; H.J. Russell & Co., Atlanta; and R.J. Leeper Construction LLC, Charlotte. The metal installer is CR Installations Inc., Denver, N.C.
Educational
Westchester Community College, Valhalla, N.Y.
Designed by New York City-based ENNEAD Architects LLP, the Gateway Center is a 70,000-squarefoot academic building at the Valhalla campus. The LEED certified three-story building houses a welcome center and classrooms.
The team pursued a modular design, using prefabricated elements in a kit-of-parts approach. The team settled on a customized approach: 233 architecturally exposed structural steel (AESS) “boxes” were assembled to create a light, transparent volume. The boxes, based on eight basic templates to maximize repetition and efficiency in the shop, were fabricated from channels and plates.
The MCA judging panel admired the elegant and lightweight design, and the use of metal above the ordinary application.
Umicore Building Products USA Inc., Raleigh, N.C., supplied 30,000 square feet of VMZINC flat lock panels for the project, including a 60-foot-tall tower built of steel.
The contractor for the project is Worth Construction Co. Inc., Bethel, Conn., and the metal installer is Barrett Roofing, Millington, N.J.
Residential
Greenville House, Greenville, N.C.
The clients and design team envisioned this private residence as a model of environmental sensitivity. Material selection for the exterior was critical to the project success. Zinc was used on the double height volume of the residence as a key element of the composition of exterior materials. The project team wanted to use materials that would make a statement about sustainability. Raleigh, N.C.-based Umicore Building Products USA Inc. supplied 1,500 square feet of VMZINC flat lock panel, which were selected because of its lower embodied energy than other metals and it is a naturally occurring element. It is now a LEED for Homes Silver certified and Energy Star-rated home.
For this project, the MCA judges applauded the choice to use zinc, given the sustainable characteristics the builder was going for. The palette of wood was a nice counterpoint to the other materials used and the use of metal panels was ideal to creating the focal point of the home.
The architect and contractor for this project is Raleigh-based Tonic Design/Tonic Construction and the metal installer is Metalworx Inc., Summerville, S.C.
Honorable Mention Awards
- LearningSpring Elementary School, New York City, for its use of sunscreens. The MCA member manufacturer and exterior building enclosure contractor, respectfully, are Alsip, Ill.-based Doralco Architectural Metals and Jordan Panel Systems Corp., East Northport, N.Y.
- GSA Sault Ste. Marie Canadian Bridge Plaza-International Bridge Crossing, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, for most unique project element. The member manufacturer is Alcoa Architectural Products, Eastman, Ga.
- Larimer Corporate Plaza, Denver, for retrofit. CENTRIA, Moon Township, Pa., is the member manufacturer.
For more information on the MCA Chairman’s Awards, visit www.metalconstruction.org.