More than 14,000 square feet (1,301 m2) of panels from Dri-Design, Holland, Mich., were used to create a contemporary look for the new 33,000-square-foot (3,066-m2) East Park Community Center in Nashville. The 0.050-aluminum panels were finished in three complementary colors: White, Patina Green and Orange. The new facility, located in the historic East Park district adjacent to downtown, provides a gateway to this diverse neighborhood. The center houses an indoor pool, gymnasium, community meeting rooms, fitness/aerobics space and walking/jogging track.
The designer and architect, Everton Oglesby Architects, Nashville, held multiple community meetings to gather public input and coordinate the contemporary design concepts within the framework of the historic district guidelines.
“We wanted to relate to the historic neighborhood but in a contemporary way,” said Tracy Ford, project architect. “We knew from the beginning that metal panels would be a component. They’re durable yet dynamic. And we loved the design flexibility of the Dri-Design product. The rainscreen system was particularly appealing to us because of its high performance. We knew we didn’t want a caulked system because of potential staining issues.”
The mixed-material project also utilized generous amounts of brick and glass.
“We wanted the community to be able to see inside,” Ford said. “There’s lots of interaction between inside and outside.”
JWC Specialties, Nashville, installed the Dri-Design panels. R.G. Anderson Co., Nashville, was the general contractor on the project.
