Chandler, Ariz., needed a city hall building that could be a gateway for its downtown area and a model for its development. Because of its effective use of metal and artful architectural design, its new city hall is all that in addition to being a modern, efficient and sustainable building.
The office tower is a multi-story building oriented on an east-west axis maximizing northern and southern exposure while minimizing east-west exposure. Passive shading strategies on the south and west façades block direct heat gain during the summer months and allow for some penetration during the winter. Eighty percent of the total complex’s regularly occupied spaces is day lit.
Conceptually, its design was inspired by the idea of respecting the past and acknowledging the future. It reflects this idea through the planning, massing and use of its materials. Its stone and shade canopies represent Chandler’s history and regional architecture, while its glass and stainless steel acknowledge the community’s innovative technologydriven industry.
Metal made a difference
A key innovation in the project is incorporating public art into the building design. Artist Ned Kahn’s “Turbulent Shade” is a kinetic shading element attached to the curtainwall of the east and west façades. More than 2,500, 6- x 21-inch perforated stainless steel panels, or “pixels,” from Tampa, Fla.-based McNICHOLS Co. make up the second skin of the curtainwall, providing shading and visibility. Each pixel moves independently with the wind creating a dynamic surface literally connected to the environment in a tangible way.
“We initially proposed the second skin and we were looking at perforated metal that would stand off and knock down heat gain,” says Mark Roddy, AIA, LEED AP, design principal, SmithGroupJJR in Phoenix. “It acts like a theatrical scrim, if you were inside the building you could still see out.”
Ribbed stainless steel panels from Chandler-based Kovach Inc. accent two design elements, entrance points and utilitarian volumes. Above all entrance doors, stainless steel wall panels act as transoms. At its main entrance, a four-story ribbon of stainless steel wall panels wrap under at the “porch” to become soffit panels and then track into the lobby interior. LED lighting is randomly inserted into the system, creating a dynamic pattern during the day or night. The second use of the stainless steel wall panels is cladding for the service elevator core and mechanical screen walls.
“The stainless steel panels are beautiful and they reflect the sky’s color; you feel they are connecting to the sky,” Roddy says. “Aesthetically, it is a beautiful contrast to the stone. Our skies are amazing and the intensity of the sunlight makes crisp shadows. The stainless steel changes color throughout the day. At midday it is white, at the end of the day with the sun setting, it reflects the colors of the horizon and turns royal blue.”
The new Chandler City Hall urban design and site strategy reinforce pedestrian friendly activity and by pushing the new buildings to the street edges, a new courtyard was created at the complex’s center. The creation of an “urban edge” along all of the bordering streets reinforces the pedestrian experience, promoting connection and activity throughout the downtown area. And the public is connecting with this new building. “We’ve heard comments about people taking pictures of it and people coming to see the sculpture; it’s a pretty dynamic place,” Roddy says.
Chandler City Hall, Chandler, Ariz.
Completed: October 2010
Total Square Feet: 137,000 square feet
Building Owner: City of Chandler
Architect: SmithGroupJJR, Phoenix, www.smithgroupjjr.com
General Contractor : Sundt, Tempe, Ariz.
Installers: Kovach Inc., Chandler; KT Fabricators, Chandler
Perforated Metal Panels: McNICHOLS Co., Tampa, Fla.,www.mcnichols.com
Ribbed Metal Wall Panels: Kovach Inc., www.kovach.net