University Center of Lake County
Grayslake, Ill.
A primary design challenge involved distinguishing the 91,500-square-foot (8,500-m2) Center as a distinct entity on a community college campus, and appealing to a key audience of working professionals. The south facade, which curls around the courtyard, features a glass curtainwall and metal panel system that departs from the traditional forms and materials of other campus buildings to reinforce the Center’s sophisticated image. The panel system includes 16,000-square feet (1,486 m2) of 6-mm aluminum panels in a custom dark champaign color from Alpolic, and 11,200-square-feet (1,040 m2) of 6-mm, anodic satin Reynobond panels from Alcoa Architectural Products.
College of DuPage: Homeland Security Education Center
Glen Ellyn, Ill.
The HEC is the first facility of its kind in the Midwest. Registered for LEED-NC certification at the Silver level, the 61,100-square-foot (5,676-m2) facility serves as a “tactical village” to prepare multijurisdictional emergency personnel to respond to international and domestic terrorist acts, as well as man-made and natural disasters.
At the intersection of two busy roads, the HEC displays two volumes: a rectangular glass and steel-gridded event space, and an auditorium whose metal-clad walls undulate. The metal wall consists of 24,000 square feet (2,230 m2) of aluminum panels from Citadel in three custom bluegreen colors that were selected as a cost-effective way to relate to the industrial quality of other campus buildings, yet push the HEC in a new direction.The panels’ random arrangement and bluish-green colors merge technology and nature.
Village of Wilmette: Public Works
Wilmette, Ill.
A 12,900-square-foot (1,198-m2) and 15,000-square foot(1,394-m2) renovation responds to the Wilmette community’s intensified commitment to energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly facilities. The envelope for the additions includes 3-inch (76-mm) thick insulated metal panels.The 1,378-square-feet (128-m2) of aluminum panels from Centria include a rigid closed-cell insulated interior with a horizontal flat finish in an off-white color and the high thermal resistance value helps keep out heat in summer and cold in winter. Wilmette’s Public Works Facility has become the first village facility to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The facility joins only a handful of public works buildings in the country to achieve LEED certification at the Gold level.
Wauconda Community Unit School District 118: Wauconda High School Wauconda, Ill.
After three additions totaling 118,000 square feet (10,962 m2) and 58,000 square feet (5,388 m2) of renovations, the old school is nearly unrecognizable. A palette of masonry, glass, and smooth and textured metals [metal details to come, metal details to come, metal details to come] matures the north façade, which formerly resembled that of a middle school. A variety of aluminum panels were used on this project from Kingspan Benchmark, Morin and Alcan Composites. Copper-colored, metal-clad screening walls connect the main entry to the additions, and conceal the dated brick and pitched roofs of the existing building. Bands of vibrant yellow metal unite old and new to identify “School” and “Events” entries.
Kent State University Tuscarawas: Performing Arts Center
New Philadelphia, Ohio
This is a project we are doing with our Ohio partnership, Legat & Kingscott. The 50,000-square foot (4,645-m2) Performing Arts Center’s centerpiece is a 1,100-seat theatre with a main floor, mezzanine level, tiered balcony, and communicating balcony wings.
A glass and metal façade curves to display the facility to the campus and the community. The sense of fluid movement through material echoes the activity within. The swooping metal component focuses internal views to adjacent campus landmarks.
