The new St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Nebraska Omaha’s Pacific campus inspires students to live, worship and play together. The 95,000-square-foot center has 49 apartment-style units for 164 students, as well as a chapel, courtyard, prayer garden, gathering space, library, rectory and an adjacent Oratory.
University’s new religious center inspires students to live, worship and play together
Designed by BVH Architecture, Lincoln, Neb., the goal was to inspire students to live the journey for which they were called in a building that enlightened their college experience.
Adds Dennis Coudriet, AIA, principal with BVH Architecture, “We desired to create a place where a faith community could transcend the building to live as they are called to live. The physical space, including materials, should elevate that experience.”
Interested in a pressure-equalized rainscreen system with a VMZINC finish from VM Building Solutions USA, Cary, N.C., designers selected Holland, Mich.-based Dri-Design’s VMZINC Series panels for their appearance, scale and durability. Coudriet says they desired an economical, durable yet refined material to clad the large student housing exterior. “The immense size of the area to be clad in metal required BVH to search for a material that could reduce the scale through texture and pattern.”
For the installation, a continuous insulation system was installed over the exterior sheathing and weather barrier. SGH Concepts installed 28,142 square feet of 1-mm-thick VMZINC Series panels over horizontal subgirts. “The metal panels add a long-lasting façade that is self-weathering with texture enhanced by the pattern and patina,” Coudriet explains. “The metal panel matches the backup construction life cycle to provide a syncopated building envelope.”
The QUARTZ-ZINC panels create a refined and unforgettable visual experience with its distinctive tones and textures. And, the panel’s natural patina over time shows the true beauty of zinc while complementing the center’s other natural material, limestone.
“The eventual patina will show how the building ages gracefully,” Coudriet says. “Both materials are real, authentic materials that are appropriately durable, economical and correspond well with the client’s goals. The Dri-Design metal panel is intentionally limited to the student housing program, while the limestone is reserved for the sacred elements of the Oratory. The VMZINC adds a long-lasting refined façade that is self-weathering with texture enhanced by the pattern and patina.”
The Newman Center was designed with a core principle of being a good steward of God’s resources and gifts, including the conservation of energy through the use of extra insulation and technology, the proper use of recycled and renewable materials; and including a low-maintenance, long-lasting structure, materials and equipment. “We selected natural materials that are durable and will last the life of the building,” Coudriet adds.