Increased technology and improved processes help metal building systems meet a variety of demands
No longer do metal building systems only fill the needs of agriculture and manufacturing markets, although they continue to serve those arenas. You can find metal buildings in retail, restaurants, sports and education. In fact, metal buildings provide solutions for architects working in every construction segment in the country.
The following four case studies show the sophistication metal building systems offer in resolving the demands of a wide variety of clientele. And they do so efficiently and with increasingly complex designs.
A Catalyst for Revitalization
The Alamo Beer Co. complex is a lynchpin in a growing urban neighborhood
Winner of multiple awards, the 18,000-square-foot Alamo Beer Co. building complex and outdoor bier garten in San Antonio provides a gateway to a growing urban neighborhood and a catalyst for revitalization. Appearing as an extension of the historic Hays Street pedestrian bridge, its red rust color and warehouse-like façade are consistent with the building’s industrial surroundings and blend into the neighborhood’s existing historic fabric.
For this project, a community of metal buildings creates a versatile space that accommodates diverse production and retail expectations. The complex is organized around a central gathering space, connecting brewery operations, administrative offices and beer hall structures, all crafted by incorporating a customized metal building system. The three structures with different uses function as a cohesive unit that meets both functional and aesthetic expectations.
San Antonio-based Lake|Flato Architects’ design assures a low-maintenance façade that can weather South Texas storms and withstand a variety of climate impacts. Architectural elements were added to the building skin, such as large, perforated, corrugated and light transmitting panels. Steel reclaimed from a nearby historic manufacturing facility was used to fabricate the brewery’s iconic big barn doors and other trimmings. The brewery has a 64-kilowatt photovoltaic array, which reduces heat transfer into the building and provides approximately 23% of the operation’s power.
For more distillery and brewery case studies, go to www.mbma.com/media/Case-Study-Distilleries-Breweries.pdf
A Metal Building Campus
A thriving center of community activity made possible by metal buildings
When developer Barney Aldridge purchased a derelict former apple processing facility in Sebastopol, Calif., with the goal of redeveloping it as a chic outdoor marketplace called The Barlow, he called on designer Thad Geldert, Geldert Residential & Studios, Sonoma, Calif., to help make his vision a reality. Geldert got to work on the concept renderings to determine how to seamlessly integrate the six original buildings with 12 new structures that needed to look like they belonged in the agricultural community. That was something he felt only metal buildings could effortlessly accomplish.
The Barlow became a sprawling 18-building campus that provides a home to over 30 merchants, creatives and artisans. The campus is a thriving space for creativity and production, offering the community of Sebastopol everything from specialty retail to wine tasting, restaurants, local distilleries, crafts, live music and more.
“There’s something timeless and utilitarian about metal buildings,” Geldert says, noting his admiration for architecture that hybridizes rural and contemporary metal designs inspired by their natural environments. “These designs offer an agrarian, industrial aesthetic that fits so well into wine country.”
In addition to metal buildings’ more practical benefits, such as their solid structure and cost effectiveness, Geldert points to their long, sweeping, column-free spans that accommodate both large-volume industrial and retail activity, as well as their flexible layouts that can be reconfigured for retailers and artisans over time.
For more case studies of commercial community projects, go to www.mbma.com/media/MBMA_Commercial%20Communities_Case%20Study_FINAL.pdf
A Warehouse Retail Giant
Improved technology and processes reduce costs and speed production
According to Ali Moayeri, senior vice president of construction for Costco Wholesale Corp., Issaquah, Wash., the technology used for fabricating and constructing metal buildings has improved so substantially over the past few decades that the multinational retail corporation now uses metal building systems to construct 90% of its new warehouse stores.
“Costco first tested using a metal building system 32 years ago in California,” Moayeri says. “Since then, the technology and the process for completing metal building projects have improved considerably. For example, metal building manufacturers can now achieve 60-foot spans between rafters. That has enabled us to eliminate three bays, 200 joists and 33 columns. These changes result in a cost savings of about $150,000 per warehouse store and increase our flexibility for merchandising.” Speed of construction, durable and attractive exterior finishes, innovative coating processes and the ability to achieve a lightweight, strong structure are also key benefits described by Moayeri and others involved in the design and construction of Costco stores.
“We can enclose a metal building in 45 days,” says Ernie Brandi, vice president of Span Construction and Engineering Inc., Madera, Calif., a firm that’s built more than 100 million square feet of space for Costco. “Once the roof is on, the building is 100% watertight. The installation of electrical, plumbing, fire protection and lighting systems can proceed while the exterior details and features are being completed. We have a very aggressive schedule. We can build a metal warehouse store—from foundation to opening—in 110 days. Compare that to 160 to 180 days, which is the typical schedule for a conventional construction project of this size.”
For more case studies of retail and wholesale projects, go to http://www.mbma.com/media/case-study_retail-wholesale.pdf
A Community Center of Activity
In an area underserved by public recreation and fitness amenities, a metal building system serves a need
The Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Center at Rancho Cienega Park fills an important need in South Los Angeles for quality public recreation and fitness amenities, serving a population of approximately 100,000 people. The 24-acre park features a variety of buildings, outdoor sports areas and an extensive infrastructure network to support community activities.
To better assist the historically underserved population, the Council District 10 of Los Angeles and the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks worked to define a solution to enhance and expand existing services. Rather than planning a simple update of the existing structures and infrastructure, the city put the challenge before the design community, soliciting innovative design approaches through a design competition format. Three teams participated in the competition and the project was ultimately awarded to SPF:architects, Culver City, Calif., and consulting engineers Buro Happold, Los Angeles Office. SPF was the only firm participating in the competition to propose a metal building solution. A comment on the SPF website states, “We recognized that the most important thing we could bring to the design was ‘more’—and more for less money.”
The chosen design meets the community’s needs through the addition of two metal buildings: a 20,225-square-foot structure that houses an Olympic-size indoor pool and bathhouse and a 16,232-squarefoot gymnasium that accommodates two high school regulation basketball courts, a mezzanine walking track, a fitness annex, a multiuse community room and staff offices. The new facilities opened June 28, 2022.
For more recreation and fitness project case studies, go to http://www.mbma.com/media/CaseStudyRecreationFitness.pdf