flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Golden Gate Bridge Celebrates 75 Years With the Opening of New Bridge Pavilion

Golden Gate Bridge Celebrates 75 Years With the Opening of New Bridge Pavilion

With features such as Nichiha's Illumination series panels, super-insulating glass units, and LED lighting, the new Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion not only boasts the bridge's famous international orange, but green sustainability as well


June 22, 2012
The Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion marks the famous bridge's 75 years.
The Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion marks the famous bridge's 75 years and utilizes Nichiha USA's Illumination Series panels.

The Golden Gate Bridge is acclaimed as one of the world's most beautiful bridges. With its tremendous towers, sweeping main cables, and great span, it is a sensory beauty featuring color, sound, and light. Celebrating 75 years, the bridge can be a very busy place; it is estimated that about nine million people from around the world visit the bridge each year.

When asked by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to serve as the lead architect for the 3,426-sf Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion, Project Frog was in search for a fiber cement product that included a moisture management system. Looking at several different manufacturers, price points, and aesthetics, Project Frog landed on Nichiha’s Illumination Series panels through a client who had recently used the product on one of their buildings.

The Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion was developed with the latest technology and innovation available. The building’s cladding will serve to call attention to the structure itself, with the famous international orange color on three sides and a storefront consisting entirely of glass, floor to ceiling.

Project Frog was intrigued by the plethora of physical properties of Nichiha panels, including durability, panel proportions, clipping system, texture/finish, V-groove panel joints, and the ability to utilize Nichiha’s Color Xpressions System, where Nichiha will match any paint manufacturer’s colors in satin finish. The patented clip system allows for panel joints to fall off stud locations as well.

“When you have a landmark with such strong national recognition and commitment, you know you have the right combination of product advantages,” states Doug Kennard, territory manager at Nichiha USA. “This Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion project typifies all the aspects of the Nichiha brand... providing quality exterior cladding solutions that deliver on high performance and bring to life the look our clients desire. Plus if we can also lower the installed cost and shorten the installation process, we’ve done our job.”

The new Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion is made from environmentally responsible materials and has abundant green features including: high-performance, super-insulating glass units incorporating suspended film technology; abundant natural daylight; complete LED lighting system for artificial light; ultra-high efficiency furnace with economizer function; and low-flow commercial plumbing fixtures; in addition to Nichiha’s sustainable Illumination Series panels, which contain 40 percent recycled content.

The new Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion will include interpretive display elements and artifacts alongside retail merchandise. Not only will it teach its visitors about the historical significance of the building, but it will also provide educational information about sustainable building techniques, energy performance, and environmental responsibility. +

Related Stories

| Oct 11, 2011

AIA introduces five new documents for use on sustainable projects

These new documents will be available in the first quarter of 2012 as part of the new AIA Contract Documents service and AIA Documents on Demand.

| Oct 11, 2011

Onex completes investment in JELD-WEN

With the completion of the JELD-WEN investment, Onex Partners III is approximately 40% invested.

| Oct 7, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: UL Environment releases industry-wide sustainability requirements for doors

  ASSA ABLOY Trio-E door is the first to be certified to these sustainability requirements.

| Oct 7, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Transparent concrete makes its North American debut at Greenbuild

  The panels allow interior lights to filter through, from inside. 

| Oct 6, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Dow Corning features new silicone weather barrier sealant

Modular Design Architecture >Dow Corning 758 sealant used in GreenZone modular high-performance medical facility.

| Oct 5, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Sustainable construction should stress durability as well as energy efficiency

There is now a call for making enhanced resilience of a building’s structure to natural and man-made disasters the first consideration of a green building. 

| Oct 5, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Roof hatch designed for energy efficiency

The cover features a specially designed EPDM finger-type gasket that ensures a positive seal with the curb to reduce air permeability and ensure energy performance. 

| Oct 4, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Large diameter polypropylene-random pipe unveiled

Available in North America for large scale piping applications including high-rise buildings, large chilled water systems, district energy, and water mains. 

| Oct 4, 2011

GREENBUILD 2011: Wall protection line now eligible to contribute to LEED Pilot Credit 43

The Cradle-to-Cradle Certified Wall Protection Line offers an additional option for customers to achieve LEED project certification.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category


Codes and Standards

Updated document details methods of testing fenestration for exterior walls

The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) updated a document serving a recommended practice for determining test methodology for laboratory and field testing of exterior wall systems. The document pertains to products covered by an AAMA standard such as curtain walls, storefronts, window walls, and sloped glazing. AAMA 501-24, Methods of Test for Exterior Walls was last updated in 2015. 



halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021