Annually, Metal Architecture highlights architectural projects that promote design excellence through the incorporation of metal. The following residential, municipal, recreational, cultural, educational, and transportation projects make up the 2025 Design Book.
Residential
Weathering Steel Home
Nestled in a wooded area in Maine, a private residence prominently features weathering/Corten steel (A606) as both its roofing and walls. This project exemplifies designs that embrace the natural qualities of metal not only as a structural asset but as a focal point.
Paul Bonacci, AIA, LEED AP at ARQ Architects of Kittery, Maine, says, “The weathering steel just fits so nicely in all seasons with the surrounding landscape of native woodland and exposed ledge.”
The structure embodies the material’s warm, colored aesthetic appeal, reflecting the surrounding landscape and achieving overall design simplicity with impact. Beyond offering a distinctive appearance with its attractive reddish-brown hue, the natural patina that forms on the material is protective, meaning the exterior of the home is durable and low-maintenance.
Architecture firm: ARQ Architects, www.arqarchitects.com
Metal installers: Natural Metal Associates, www.naturalmetalassociates.com; Brendan King Construction: www.bkbuildings.com
General contractor: Brendan King Construction, www.bkbuildings.com
Metal supplier: Sheet Metal Supply, www.sheetmetalsupplyltd.com
1040 New York Street House
This primary residence and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in Lawrence, Kan., totaling 278.7 m² (3,000 sf), is a LEED Platinum-certified home featuring key sustainable features, including a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. Designed by Studio 804, a program with the University of Kansas’ Master of Architecture, this project exemplifies the success of hands-on architectural learning. The building’s exterior prominently features metal with a white composite metal exterior cladding and a 22-gauge matte black standing seam roof. Stark white walls paired with black metal fixtures and roofing create a juxtaposition that offers a modern aesthetic. The metal panel cladding lends the design a clean, bright appeal, complemented by large windows that provide natural daylighting. Supported by S-5!, the project features donated snow guards and solar mounting systems that equip the design for efficiency and safety.
Design-build firm: Studio 804, www.studio804.com
Metal suppliers: ALPOLIC, www.alpolic-americas.com; S-5!, www.s-5.com
Municipal
Visalia Navigation Center
In Visalia, Calif., this 1,978.8 m2 (21,300 sf) structure hosts support services for the community’s unhoused population. With infrastructure to support short-term overnight accommodations and general rehabilitation, the project is the result of a collaboration of Tulare County Hope, and Community Services Employment Training and Self Help Enterprises. The structure encompasses 1,179.9 m2 (12,700 sf) of metal, including soffits and wall panels that not only promote privacy, and safety, but also sustainability.
Comfortable, sleek, and inviting, the center uses green, black, and white metal wall panels to create an optimal environment for the community in both aesthetics and functionality. The rich, dark green metal panels complement the surrounding light green of the grass and trees in the surrounding landscaping. A board member of Tulare County Hope says the facility is “designed with the strongest, most durable materials we can afford. And above all, this building should be dignified and provide that sense of dignity to anyone who enters this facility.” This exemplifies how metal not only serves as a source of low-maintenance structural strength but also reflects the values the project upholds.
Architecture firm: garcia architecture + design, www.garciaarchdesign.com
General contractor and metal installer: BJ Perch Construction, www.bjpconstruction.com
Metal supplier: McElroy Metals, www.mcelroymetal.com; MBCI, www.mbci.com
Lake Forest Library Dome
A 94-year-old dome in Lake Forest, Ill., acts as a focal point for the community’s library and features new metal renovations that promote longevity in the landmark. This structural feature consists of metal and a skylight, providing a highly visible, iconic aspect to the building from the exterior and allowing natural light to enter the interior. In 1984, a restoration project involved repurposing the structure’s original lead-coated copper.
More recently, further renovations were necessary to prevent existing water leakage and mitigate potential associated damage and structural issues. Architects from Wiss, Janney, Elstner (WJE) Associates included gray zinc-coated copper metal sheets, roofing saddles, and a gutter system to ensure necessary water runoff. The aesthetic properties of the metal were ideal for the project, maintaining the structure’s eye-catching, distinctive charm and appearance. This metal retrofit project displays the historical preservation and structural support that metal offers.
Architecture firm: Wiss, Janney, Elstner (WJE) Associates, www.wje.com
General contractor and metal installer: L Marshall Roofing & Sheet Metal, www.lmarshallroofing.com
Metal supplier: Revere Copper, www.reverecopper.com
Sports and Recreation
Acrisure Stadium VIP Seating
At Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., VIP Pittsburgh Steelers
and Pitt Panthers fans enjoy premium-view seating supported by a new installation of aluminum platforms, framing, guardrails, and handrails. Beyond housing Steelers and Panthers home games, the stadium supports concerts, international soccer exhibitions, and the NHL Winter Classic. Offering sports and concert fans alike a luxury and exclusive viewing experience, this project features approximately 100 new seats in the venue, showcasing the adaptability of metal in accommodating an ever-increasing fan base.
This retrofit involved custom aluminum support platforms and frames, fabricated specifically for easy installation with a forklift. Designing with prefabrication and adaptability, the project eliminated interference with the stadium’s regular activities and introduced exclusive seating to a previously unoccupied space. 3D modeling and scanning technology expedited the custom design process. In this state-of-the-art sports center, metal guardrails and handrails support safety, capacity, and accessibility, and are certified to the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) standard.
Metal supplier: Sightline Commercial Solutions, www.sightlinecommercial.com
Baptist Health IcePlex
This large-scale project is a 16,815.5 m2 (181,000 sf) new practice facility for the Florida Panthers hockey team, owned by the War Memorial Benefit Corporation. The building features two regulation-sized indoor hockey rinks, as well as practice and training zones, along with community and residential areas. Offices, stores, and dining areas are also incorporated into the design of the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., facility. Metal is at the heart of the design, with framing, wall panels, roof panels, canopies, and mezzanines used to maximize the building envelope’s efficiency and interior capacity. Various shades of gray in insulated metal panels (IMPs) and exposed fastener metal roofing panels (R-panels) promote a modern look in the exterior facade. The design thoughtfully incorporates a pre-engineered metal building system (PEMB) to minimize costs and prioritize efficiency, while ensuring an eye-catching shape in the structure by using various
framing systems.
Architecture firm: Rossetti, www.rossetti.com
General contractor: Lemartec, www.lemartec.com
Metal installer: Commercial Metal Building Services Corporation
Metal suppliers: American Buildings (an independent building brand of Nucor Buildings Group), www.americanbuildings.com; AWIP, www.awipanels.com
Education
Mesa County Early Childhood Center at Clifton Campus
Promoting a safe, welcoming, and positive learning environment, the design of the Mesa County Early Childhood Center embodies the natural local environment of Clifton, Colo., in its metal design features. The 4,208.5 m² (45,300 sf) project features various corrugated and ribbed metal wall systems that include visually stimulating perforations and colors, such as reds and blues, which serve both as an aesthetic reflection of the environment and a functional wayfinding aid. Metal supports comfortable indoor-outdoor transitional spaces throughout the community, and fosters sustainability with the durable longevity of the material and its effectiveness in reducing heating and cooling demands.
The project’s design is grounded in both its community heritage, with deliberate color and material choices that help it fit seamlessly with its surroundings, and in innovation through modern aesthetics, including metal finishes. Housing a library, a community hall, a workforce training center, 12 classrooms, outdoor learning spaces, administrative offices, meeting rooms, and a computer lab, the structure serves as a versatile community hub and learning space for children from six weeks to five years old.
Architecture firm: RDG Planning & Design, www.rdgusa.com
General contractor: FCI Constructors, www.fciol.com
Metal installer: Douglass Colony, www.douglasscolony.com
Metal supplier: Petersen, a Carlisle Company, www.pac-clad.com
University of Nevada, Advanced Engineering Building (AEB)
The cutting-edge design of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Advanced Engineering Building (AEB) supports an equally innovative program, with metal contributing to a durable, modern aesthetic. Metal accents customized in the school’s Red Raider Red complement the building’s sleek appearance. The 4,807.7 m2 (51,750 sf) structure provides maker spaces with large equipment, a wire mesh-enclosed drone aviary, labs, offices, and meeting spaces, all adaptable to evolving learning needs.
Designed for Nevada’s extreme climate, the structure features an airtight facade of metal composite material (MCM) and structural silicone glazing (SSG). Aluminum composite material (ACM) sunshades help mitigate solar exposure and support sustainability. The building is LEED Silver certified and demonstrates metal’s role in delivering a stylish, durable, and sustainable educational environment.
Architecture firm: SmithGroup Design, www.smithgroup.com; Architect of Record PGAL, www.pgal.com
General contractor: Core Construction, www.coreconstruction.com
Metal installer: Southwest Specialty Contractors, www.swscontractors.com
Metal suppliers: Uneeke, www.uneekeinc.com; Clover Architectural Products, www.cloverarchitecturalproducts.com; OGI Architectural Metal Solutions, ogiarchitectural.com; ALPOLIC, www.alpolic-americas.com
Museums and Cultural Centers
Da Vinci Science Center ATAS Innovation Studio
This studio, located within the science center in Allentown, Pa., offers a space for hands-on experiences and engagement within a cultural environment of community and learning. This creative design for creative minds spans 6,224.5 m² (67,000 sf) and supports a low-maintenance, long-lasting aesthetic due to the durability of the metal materials used. Designed with visually stimulating diamond-shaped shingle aluminum panels coated with 70 percent polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) paint, the white, green, and blue colors evoke a refreshing and engaging atmosphere.
Architecture firm: MKSD Architects, www.mksdarchitects.com
General contractor: Alvin H Butz, www.butz.com
Metal installer: Duggan & Marcon, www.dugganandmarcon.com
Metal supplier: ATAS International, www.atas.com
Muskegon Museum of Art Expansion
Metal brings strength and expression to this art museum in Muskegon, Mich., with anodized aluminum. The material pays homage to the historical value of the pre-existing structure with synergetic tones, while its longevity, durability, and dynamic appearance nod to the future and growth.
Art captures the culture of the past and evolves with communities to explore the styles of the future. This design captures the adaptable and transcendent spirit of art through its eye-catching exterior, using 3,614 m2 (38,901 sf) of aluminum for a strong visual impact and an efficient building envelope. Light and medium bronze finishes offer an alluring warmth to the metal facade. As the museum is situated in a coastal environment, the material also offers the benefit of corrosion resistance, meaning it requires minimal maintenance and retains its visual appeal over time.
Architecture firm: Annum Architects, www.annumarchitects.com; Mathison Architects, www.mathisonarchitects.com
General contractor: Erhardt Construction, www.erhardtcc.com
Metal installer and supplier: Lorin Industries, www.lorin.com
Transportation
Rienda Interim Fire Station 67
In Rancho Mission Viejo, Calif., infrastructure is needed to combat the threat of wildfires, and this metal modular fire station rises to the challenge with its adaptable and safety-oriented design. The 433.6 m2 (4,667 sf) steel structure was designed to foster a supportive emergency support environment with quick installation and strength. The mostly black corrugated steel siding is fireproof and durable, making the transportation of the fire station’s 10 modules to areas in need as seamless as possible.
Presently, the structure rests beside an approximate 9,307.8 ha (23,000 acres) area that hosts historical ranching operations, modern-day rodeos, and a substantial open-air ecosystem. The facility supports administrative, recreational, and on-the-job residential spaces for firefighters, which are designed in more muted tones to allow visual focus to remain on the abundant natural surroundings. The firetruck bay, however, is bright red in contrast. Brandon Patterson of Wittman Estes explains the impact of the color works by “serving as a beacon to the community.”
Architecture firm: Wittman Estes, www.wittman-estes.com
Design team: Wittman Estes; 2G3R, www.2g3r.com
Builder: Xtreme Cubes, www.xtremecubes.com
14th Street Sixth Avenue Subway/PATH Train Station Complex
Substantial renovations of a Manhattan, N.Y., public transportation hub use metal to boost accessibility and upgrade technology. To support the approximately 130,000 daily users of the station, stairways, elevators, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant ramp access, entry points, and mezzanines were renovated to meet the needs of the population.
The design involved expanding multiple mezzanine levels, creating new entry points for stairways and elevators, and upgrading emergency infrastructure. The project included the installation of 25 new stairways, as well as the renovation of 39 pre-existing ones, which promotes easier access to the transit station. Iron emergency gates and high rails support access control centers,
and 14-gauge stainless steel framing supports the glass doors in elevator hoistways with the installation of nine new elevators. Sections of the pre-existing station have existed for more than a century, and the significant positive changes of this design help escort the station’s legacy into the modern day.
Design-build team: MTA Construction & Development, Urbahn Architects, urbahn.com; www.mta.info; Citnalta, www.citnalta.com; Forte Construction, www.fortecc.com; GFT Infrastructure, www.gftinc.com.
