St. John Paul II Newman Center, Omaha, Nebraska

by Rosa Soto | December 1, 2019 12:00 am

In its design for St. John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Nebraska Omaha, BVH Architecture specified a pressure-equalized rainscreen system with a zinc finish. The panels will patina over time, and they complement limestone on the building. The center houses 49 apartment-style units for 164 students. It also has a chapel, courtyard, gathering space, library, prayer garden, rectory and adjacent oratory.

To complete the project, continuous insulation was installed over exterior sheathing and a weather barrier. Over horizontal sub-girts, SGH Concepts installed 28,142 square feet of Dri-Design’s 1-mmthick VMZINC Series Panels with VM Building Solutions USA’s QUARTZ-ZINC.

Dennis Coudriet, principal at BVH Architecture, says, “The eventual patina will show how the building ages gracefully. Both materials are real, authentic materials that are appropriately durable, economical and correspond well with the client’s goals. The Dri-Design metal panel is intentionally limited to the student housing program while the limestone is reserved for the sacred elements of the oratory. The VMZINC adds a long-lasting refined facade that is self-weathering with texture enhanced by the pattern and patina.”

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/projects/st-john-paul-ii-newman-center-omaha-nebraska/

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