As OPN Architects, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, set out to design a new library for the residents of Moline, Ill., they acknowledged the library as an institution has evolved from a traditional space reserved for individual reading and research into an energizing, interactive, technology-based community resource.
OPN envisioned a design that reflected the library’s modern role in society, while remaining true to its traditional character. The firm concluded that a building of contemporary design featuring time-honored building materials would best achieve their design aesthetic. Hallmarks of conservative design, brick, stone, glass, and copper were selected.
OPN saw an opportunity to break copper away from its conventional use and employ it in an innovative, fresh manner--as a building material. They envisioned using decorative copper panels to create the look of a heavy plate copper shingle. The design objective was impressive, but OPN Architects knew using copper in this unique fashion presented two significant challenges: cost and durability. They turned to ALPOLIC Materials for a solution.
OPN Architects recognized that ALPOLIC’s copper composite material offered five significant benefits:
- The use of genuine copper
- Significant cost savings over the use of copper sheets
- The appearance of heavy-gauge copper in a light-weight material
- Durability
- Reduced production and fabrication time
Another challenge of working with copper is the “oil can effect”--the slight undulations that can occur if the copper is not of sufficient gauge. Due to the rigidity of the ALPOLIC panel, the “oil can effect” problem was eliminated.
Project Summary: Moline Public Library
BUILDING TEAM
Owner/developer: City of Moline, Ill.
Architect: OPN Architects
General Contractor: Russell Construction
Fabricator: Metal Design Systems Inc.
Panel Manufacturer: ALPOLIC
Products: 2mm PE Copper Metal; 4mm Mica Platinum
Amount of Material: 18,600-sf
OPN Architects also enlisted the help of Metal Design Systems Inc. (MDS), a fabricator based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. MDS developed a one-of-a-kind post patina process that provided ALPOLIC’s copper composite with a unique, rich finish. OPN Architects used ALPOLIC’s PE Copper Metal in its un-altered state in tandem with the in-house patina copper. The materials will evolve independently as well as in harmony, creating a distinctive organic finish that will change as the material matures. The copper’s “living” effect mimics the energy of the library itself.
ALPOLIC panels in the Mica Platinum finish were also used on the Moline Public Library project--both on the exterior and interior, providing additional aesthetic appeal and durability.
OPN Architects and MDS agree; ALPOLIC’s copper composite made the Moline Public Library’s innovative design objective possible. BD+C
Related Stories
Building Team | Jun 13, 2022
A mixed-used building to rise above Fort Lauderdale, with views of downtown and the ocean
ODA, a New York-based architecture and design studio, recently released renderings of Ombelle, a project including two residential towers in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Office Buildings | Jun 13, 2022
San Antonio’s electric utility HQ to transform into a modern office building
In San Antonio, Tex., the former headquarters of CPS Energy, the city’s electric utility, is slated to transform into 100,000 square feet of office and retail space on San Antonio’s famed River Walk.
Cultural Facilities | Jun 10, 2022
After 10 Years, Taiwan’s new Taipei Music Center Reaches the Finish Line
RUR Architecture has finished the Taipei Music Center (TMC), turning a 22-acre (9-hectare) site into a new urban arts district.
Building Technology | Jun 9, 2022
GSA Green Proving Ground program selects six innovative building technologies for evaluation
The U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) Green Proving Ground program, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, has selected six innovative building technologies for evaluation in GSA’s inventory.
University Buildings | Jun 9, 2022
IDEA Factory at U. of Maryland defies gravity
The E.A. Fernandez IDEA Factory at the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering has a gravity-defying form: The seven-story building’s solid upper floors emerge above the lighter, mostly glass base.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 9, 2022
Cityview's Adam Perry on multifamily housing innovation in the Western U.S.
Adam Perry, SVP of Development and Construction Management with developer Cityview, chats with Multifamily Design+Construction Editor Rob Cassidy about the latest design and construction innovations for multifamily housing in the West.
Libraries | Jun 8, 2022
Welcome to the hybrid library
Libraries have grown to become the intellectual and social hubs of campus, where, prior to March 2020, students, researchers, and faculty gathered to collaborate and connect.
Building Team | Jun 8, 2022
Alastair MacGregor to lead WSP USA Property and Buildings Business
Alastair (Aly) MacGregor has been named the executive business line leader for Property and Buildings at WSP USA, one of the nation’s largest engineering and professional services consultancies.
Codes and Standards | Jun 8, 2022
Florida Legislature passes bill requiring stricter condominium inspection
The Florida Legislature recently passed a bill to beef up building inspection requirements for many of the state’s condominiums.
Office Buildings | Jun 8, 2022
Former L.A. Times newsroom/printing plant remade into office campus
Phase 1 of The Press, an adaptive reuse project that is converting an old Los Angeles Times facility into a modern office campus, was recently completed in Costa Mesa, Calif.