The idea of function over form tends to rule the day when it comes to the design of observatories. The Gemma Observatory, however, decided to forgo the typical domed structure and opted instead for a more angular approach.
To help achieve this aesthetic, Anmahian Winton Architects decided to clad the project’s exterior in VMZ Flat lock zinc panels. The weathered-gray QUARTZ-ZINC panels easily conformed to the geometry of the project and helped the building achieve a look that resembled the granite bedrock outcroppings of the surrounding landscape. The observatory’s pattern of lock-seamed zinc cladding alternates between the irregular site topography and the building’s geometry.
The aesthetics provided by the zinc panels were important, but the most important quality they provide returns to the idea of function over form. The panels have the ability to dissipate the heat of the day after sunset, which eliminates nighttime air distortion that would otherwise compromise the entire purpose of the building.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Seven tips for specifying and designing with insulated metal wall panels
Insulated metal panels, or IMPs, have been a popular exterior wall cladding choice for more than 30 years. These sandwich panels are composed of liquid insulating foam, such as polyurethane, injected between two aluminum or steel metal face panels to form a solid, monolithic unit. The result is a lightweight, highly insulated (R-14 to R-30, depending on the thickness of the panel) exterior clad...
| Aug 11, 2010
Nurturing the Community
The best seat in the house at the new Seahawks Stadium in Seattle isn't on the 50-yard line. It's in the southeast corner, at the very top of the upper bowl. "From there you have a corner-to-corner view of the field and an inspiring grasp of the surrounding city," says Kelly Kerns, project leader with architect/engineer Ellerbe Becket, Kansas City, Mo.
| Aug 11, 2010
AIA Course: Enclosure strategies for better buildings
Sustainability and energy efficiency depend not only on the overall design but also on the building's enclosure system. Whether it's via better air-infiltration control, thermal insulation, and moisture control, or more advanced strategies such as active façades with automated shading and venting or novel enclosure types such as double walls, Building Teams are delivering more efficient, better performing, and healthier building enclosures.
| Aug 11, 2010
Glass Wall Systems Open Up Closed Spaces
Sectioning off large open spaces without making everything feel closed off was the challenge faced by two very different projects—one an upscale food market in Napa Valley, the other a corporate office in Southern California. Movable glass wall systems proved to be the solution in both projects.
