Cutting-edge Design: Zinc wall panels create a stunning residence
At first glance, this upscale 5,000-square-foot (465-m2) residence in Cincinnati may not be exactly what you expect. Instead of the usual brick and mortar, this ultramodern house features Zinc wall panels from Holland, Mich.-based Dri-Design to create a stunning design that will make the average observer stop and look twice.
“The even quality of all joints and corners give the building a crisp look, precisely the image we were looking for,” Garcia explained. “That sharp look is guaranteed to last over time: Zinc comes naturally in a very beautiful natural grey color, which stays almost unchanged even under harsh weather … very few materials have that nice characteristic. I particularly enjoy how the play of sunlight on the panels makes the building look different at any time of the day, from dark to almost reflective.”
Designed by Cincinnati-based Jose Garcia Design, the residence features approximately 5,400 square feet (502 m2) of metal wall panels constructed with 0.04-inch (1-mm) VM Quartz and Anthra Zinc. The panels are manufactured by Dri-Design with the VM Quartz and Anthra Zinc supplied by Umicore Building Products USA Inc., Raleigh, N.C. More than 110 different custom panel sizes were used to create interesting detailing and reveals on the home’s exterior.
“The modest form of the building really makes one appreciate the Zinc cladding as a surface,” according to one of the Design Award judges. “The exterior is soft and the interior warm, and it looks like a wonderful place to live.”
“The zinc panels give you a fantastic look for a reasonable cost with low to no maintenance,” Garcia said. “Although this was our first experience with Dri-Design, we are very familiar with the rainscreen attachment method. We’ve used it very successfully in numerous commercial and residential projects. The Dri-Design panels were particularly interesting to us because of the look and the superior performance.”
Private Residence, Cincinnati
Completed: 2009
Total square footage: 5,000 square feet
Architect: Jose Garcia Design, Cincinnati, www.josegarciadesign.com
Installer: Kelley & Carpenter Refrigeration
& Sheet Metal, Hamilton, Ohio
Metal wall panels: Dri-Design, Holland, Mich., www.dri-design.com
VM Quartz and Anthra Zinc: Umicore Building Products USA Inc., Raleigh, N.C., www.vmzinc-us.com
