Aluminum and Lighting Transform Iconic Skylight

by tristan_marks | April 30, 2025 1:34 pm

Renovated pyramid-shaped skylight atop Baltimore’s National Aquarium with bronze aluminum framing and opaque glazing. — The National Aquarium’s iconic skylight in Baltimore, Md., was renovated with new aluminum framing, glazing units, and bird-safe opaque glass. Photo Prime Meridian/courtesy Super Sky Products Enterprises

To renovate an iconic, pyramid-shaped skylight atop the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Md., aluminum framing and glazing units were replaced, and LED lighting was added on the exterior. Design Collective Inc. specified a durable coating to withstand a coastal environment in a bronze color that matches the existing skylight.

To repair the existing skylight, Super Sky Products Enterprises LLC supplied its aluminum framing finished by Lintec in PPG Industries Inc.’s Quaker Bronze Duranar 70 percent polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) coating.

Skylight Consultants of America Inc. removed 679 existing glazing units and replaced them with new glazing units. Design Collective specified opaque glazing with an acid-etched pattern that deters bird collisions. Additionally, LED lighting surrounds the skylight, illuminating it at night.

Inside the building, the skylight houses the Upland Tropical Rain Forest exhibit. The opaque glazing transmits a diffused light, and its low-e coating contributes to energy conservation.

The skylight renovation project won Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) Greater Baltimore chapter’s 2023 Excellence in Construction Gold Award.

Todd Wilde, renovation manager at Super Sky, says, “This very high-profile, monumental project turned out looking great and was a very successful project. There is great satisfaction in seeing your repair concept come to fruition, get completed without too many issues, look like a brand new product once completed, and know that you helped the owner improve the aesthetics and performance of the buildings, all while minimizing the impact to the occupants.”

Aerial view of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Md., showing renovated pyramid skylights along the waterfront with cityscape in background. — The National Aquarium’s skylight renovation enhances both aesthetics and sustainability in the heart of Baltimore, Md.’s Inner Harbor. Photo Prime Meridian/courtesy Super Sky Products Enterprises

Endnotes:

[Image]: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/5Linetec_MD-NationalAquarium_┬⌐PrimeMeridianPhoto-courtesySuperSky92.jpg
[Image]: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/6Linetec_MD-NationalAquarium_┬⌐PrimeMeridianPhoto-courtesySuperSky26.jpg

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/features/aluminum-iconic-skylight/