John Peter Van Ness Elementary School, Washington, D.C.

by Christopher Brinckerhoff | February 1, 2023 6:00 am

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Perforated and solid metal panels were an essential material in ISTUDIO PLLC’s design for an addition and renovation of John Peter Van Ness Elementary School in Washington, D.C.

The project is a case study for adaptive reuse, integration of a new, modern addition and the preservation of a historic fieldhouse. The building has a teaching garden with an outdoor classroom on the roof. A canopy and stair tower wrapped with perforated metal provide shading.

POEX Construction Inc. fabricated and installed metal composite material (MCM) panels from Mitsubishi Chemical America–ALPOLIC Division. POEX also installed Petersen Aluminum Corp.’s single-skin, corrugated, perforated aluminum wall panels.

With a tight, urban site and myriad of NFPA’s (National Fire Protection Association) AHJ (authority having jurisdiction) requirements, the design team used stormwater management to engage students with the cycles of nature.

 

Owners: District of Columbia’s Department of General Services and District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, D.C.

Architect: ISTUDIO PLLC, Washington, D.C., www.istudioarchitects.com[2]

General contractor: Broughton Construction Co. LLC, Washington, D.C., broughtonconstruction.com[3]

Structural engineer: Simpson Gumpertz and Heger (SGH) Inc., Washington, D.C., www.sgh.com[4]

Fabricator/installer: POEX Construction Inc., Washington, D.C., poexconstruction.com[5]

Metal composite material: Mitsubishi Chemical America–ALPOLIC Division, Chesapeake, Va., www.alpolic-americas.com[6]

Metal wall panels: Petersen Aluminum Corp., Elk Grove Village, Ill., www.pac-clad.com[7]

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/projects/van-ness-elementary/

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