Described as “one of the nicer looking elementary schools in the Kansas City area,” the new 68,000-square-foot Indian Hills Elementary School in Independence, Mo., is part of the Fort Osage R-1 School District and was designed by DLR Group, Overland Park, Kan.
To contribute to the design success, the project features approximately 2,700 square feet of Citadel ProCore plastic core panels in Silver Metallic from Indianapolis-based Citadel Architectural Products.
According to Ken Graham, designer, the school district challenged DLR Group to utilize low-maintenance and durable exterior materials comparable in cost to face brick. “In response, we used cold-rolled metal framing and the Citadel metal composite material panels rather than load-bearing masonry and face brick.”
“We specified the two-piece extruded aluminum low-profile system for ease of replacement and to minimize shadows in order to provide a more monolithic appearance,” Graham said.
The DLR Group team searched for ways to easily mark the entrance to the single-story building. The result was a wedge-shaped entry canopy clad in the Citadel panels that provides a sense of arrival The Citadel ProCore panels extend into the lobby and interface with brightly colored interior accents. The school is divided into two unique areas: an activity area and an academic area that includes 34 classrooms in three wings.
Fraizer Roofing, Grandview, Mo., installed the ProCore panels. “We’ve used just about every Citadel system there is,” said Robert Frazier Jr. “The installation went very smoothly and the ProCore material really presents the building well. It’s certainly one of the nicest looking elementary schools in the area.”
The general contractor was Straub Construction, Shawnee, Kan., and the Citadel sales representative was J.D. Day & Co., Overland Park, Kan.
