Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Petroleum Traders Corp. is the largest pure wholesaler of gasoline and diesel fuels in the United States, delivering 1 billion gallons (3.8 billion L) of petroleum products annually. The company’s new headquarters used 3,600 square feet
(334 m2) of 0.080-aluminum panels in Slate Gray and Charcoal Gray from Dri- Design, Holland, Mich.
“We used the Dri-Design panels on strategically prominent components such as entryway canopies, flanking portals and column covers,” said Jeremy Hatfield, project manager for Design Collaborative Architects, Fort Wayne. “Our firm designed the original Petroleum Traders building, which is adjacent to the new headquarters. The original structure was all EIFS with ribbon storefront windows all around. The owner wanted the new building to have the same architectural language but wanted a much more modern feel. We reserved the metal panels for highlighting key elements that would deliver the contemporary look.”
The two-story, 25,000-square-foot (2,323-m2) headquarters includes executive and administrative offices, an art gallery, break room, two conference rooms and an exercise room with shower and locker facilities. The $3.8 million building also features FortWayne’s first green roof on an office building.
The steel-framed structure is clad with a perimeter glass wall with pyramidal “bump outs” near the entrance. The pewter-toned Dri-Design panels provide contrast against the gray EIFS, giving a contemporary feel throughout. Accent lines were carved through the EIFS to align with horizontal mullions on the perimeter glass wall and reliefs in the metal panel system. The corporate office’s design complements the adjacent 1992 office facility with the addition of modern elements, including glass walls and the Dri-Design panel accents, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing office campus.
W.A. Sheets & Sons, Fort Wayne, was the general contractor, and Spohn Associates, Indianapolis, was the distributor.
Dri-Design
