Tag Archives: Zinc

Zinc Encloses Private Retreat Ensconced in the Woods

Metal Construction,

Dark grey, gabled zinc roofs and cladding enable the five-building Canoe Point private retreat to blend into its forested surroundings on the shore of Lake Huron in Ontario.

“Their dark color allows the cabins to recede into the shoreline forest, thereby intentionally diminishing the presence of the structures when viewed from the water,” said Booth Hansen’s principal, Christopher Guido, AIA.

The 4,500 square-foot private residence is made up of a series of “cabins” connected by glass and metal-enclosed walkways, with five bedrooms, a study/library and dining spaces, opening onto a waterfront deck. Another structure serves as a garage and glass-enclosed dance studio with 360-degree views of the terrain, trees and water.

Three of the five quaint cabins are enclosed with RHEINZINK-GRANUM basalt-colored, matte-finished, architectural-grade zinc, and installed as angled standing-seam wall cladding and roofing.

Canoe Point marks the first North American project to use RHEINZINK-GRANUM. While zinc building materials have been used for European homes and buildings for centuries, North America is only recently tapping into the metal’s many benefits.

Zinc is a weather-resistant, self-healing, corrosion-resistant material with a potential lifespan of 100 years. At the end of its useful life on the buildings, the metal remains 100% recyclable. Air and water resistant, zinc has also been tested to withstand high winds and hurricane conditions. 

Zinc walls and roofing also serve as a finish material with no additional paint, varnish or sealants required. Aesthetically, the material changes color over time as a natural patina forms.

 “Our resilient, basalt-hued, RHEINZINK-GRANUM provides an immediate, distinctive dark-gray finish. Over time, the dynamic qualities of the finish and the zinc alloy naturally patinate to a lighter toned gray,” said Richard Strickland, RHEINZINK America’s regional sales manager. “The ever-changing, unique coloration and character of this elemental material will continue to evolve and enhance the buildings’ design throughout the decades.”

The structure sits on a raised pier foundation. This effectively maintains the natural topography and allows the snow to melt and rainwater to drain naturally into the lake.

The sustainably-designed retreat also employs passive house insulation strategies to optimize heating and cooling through a tight building envelope and energy efficient windows. In the summer, the operable windows are aligned with one another to promote cross ventilation through the cabins.

The windows are “located near the peak of each gabled volume and allow for natural stack effect to remove heat from the cathedral ceiling volumes as well as to allow diffuse light to enter,” explained Guido.

The window system was designed with another unique feature, added Guido. “Custom zinc-clad operable shutters are recessed into the walls in a concealed track to secure the building and protect the windows when it is not in use but recede from view and provide additional insulation to the walls when open.”

By sizing the windows and zinc shutters exactly the same, the seams terminate next to the opening. The zinc systems’ flat-lock tiles were also fabricated to precisely frame the openings.

WHAT’S HOT FROM THE SUMMER MEETING: International Zinc Association Advocacy Effort

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MCA is part of a Zinc Coalition that was formed by IZA in the aftermath of the Washington Department of Ecology rainwater runoff project that was concluded in 2014. Misuse of the information related to zinc from the runoff report is influencing the Governor’s office and the legislative bodies.

Letter-writing advocacy, with guidance from IZA, is showing positive impacts. Several meetings have been scheduled with IZA and Coalition members to discuss the shortcomings in the runoff report and the outdated clean water regulations. MCA members that have facilities in Washington were asked to get involved in the effort. Similar issues are being seen in California, the Great Lakes region and in Canada.

In a Green World, Distinguishing New Metal Roofs from Old is Hard

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St. Catherine’s Church, in Reutlingen, Germany

By: Jane Martinsons, Metal Construction Association

We may know the start of 2014 down to the exact second, but the lines between old and new metal design and building materials will continue to blur well into the New Year and beyond. Here are two examples of how metal manufacturers are helping to redefine the true age of metal roofs in a green world.

First, let’s look to Europe where 100-year-old zinc roofs are commonplace, and in particular, at the recently renovated 120-year-old zinc roof on St. Catherine’s Church in Reutlingen, Germany. This roof restoration called for dismantling and removing all the zinc tiles from the roof in order to inspect, clean, and salvage as many as possible. Tiles that were too damaged for reuse were recycled, but inspectors found  the tiles that were not exposed to the main west-facing wind and weather were nearly all reusable. The remaining roof was re-clad with RHEINZINK  0.7mm square tiles, using 1,500 PrePATINA blue-grey 330mm x 330mm tiles.

Located at the old cemetery, the Gothic Revival-style church is now preserved to its original state, circa 1890. RHEINZINK says that with the service life of zinc products expected to last 80–100 years for roofs and 200–300 years for walls, the roof tiles will be around for New Year celebrations for generations.

“When our client said ‘give me a roof that I will never have to replace,’ we thought metal immediately,” said Nathan Kipnis, AIA.

Stateside, a new LEED Platinum home in Glencoe, IL, features an unusual look for a LEED home—traditional rather than modernist design, allowing the home to complement its neighborhood. The standing seam metal roof was a key element of the sustainable design. About 600 sq ft of 24-gauge PAC-CLAD  material from Petersen Aluminum, Elk Grove Village, IL was used. The Silver Metallic Kynar 500 coating offers high reflectivity and SRI (solar reflectance index) ratings and is Energy Star approved.

Private Residence, Glencoe, IL

The roof provides many green features. Its shape is asymmetrically arranged to collect as much storm water as possible. It is also sloped at two different angles—a summer and a winter angle. The steeper, south facing roof supports solar thermal panels, which are optimal for the low winter sun. The shallower south facing section of the roof includes solar PV panels, which maximize electrical production during hot summer days.

“When our client said ‘give me a roof that I will never have to replace,’ we thought metal immediately,” said Nathan Kipnis, AIA, principal of Kipnis Architecture and Planning, Evanston, IL. Meanwhile, general contractor, Scott Simpson, president of Scott Simpson Builders in Northbrook, IL, says that, beyond this project, he recently used an old metal barn roof on the interior walls of a renovated—and much beloved—bakery in Evanston.

In Atlanta, Grab a Moment of Zinc

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Holy Innocents Episcopal Church, Atlanta, GA

By: Jane Martinsons, Metal Construction Association

While in Atlanta attending METALCON on Oct 1–3, you may want to check out the recently renovated and expanded Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church. The sanctuary’s new roof features flat lock zinc panels by Umicore Building Products USA., Inc.,  to help bridge the existing building’s mid-century architecture and  its modern chapel features.

06-2013 Holy Innocents 04d WEBAccording to project architect Bob Balke of TVS Design, Atlanta, zinc was selected to replace an existing asphalt shingle roof because of its longevity and clean, authentic appearance. As one of the few metals to naturally develop a protective patina, zinc also

• promotes a lengthy structural lifespan through its ability to withstand harsh elements

• “self-heals” imperfections, which keeps the metal looking better longer

• is recyclable at the end of its useful life.

06-2013 Holy Innocents 17d WEBWhile there, be sure to note the complex roof slopes and valleys, and gutters at the prow of the roof. (Zinc gutters formed by using masked stainless steel clips conceal the gutter system.) Other notable features include the sanctuary’s exposed steel structure, structural red oak wood in the decking and ceiling, an aluminum veneer curtain wall system, and a continuous ribbon vaulted skylight.

Once inspired, it’s time to head back to the show to network with colleagues and learn more about the latest in metal. See you there!

Zinc Wall Panels, Poetry, and the Public

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Poetry FoundationBy: Jane Martinsons, Metal Construction Association

How do you design a Chicago cultural destination that will carry out the mission of the building owner, the Poetry Foundation, to celebrate the best poetry and put it before the largest possible audience?

Certainly, it’s no easy task. But renowned architect John Ronan of John Ronan Architects, Chicago, chose to wrap much of the new Poetry Foundation Building in a black zinc perforated screenwall, fabricated by VMZinc and installed by Tuschall Engineering Co., Inc., so that, when viewed from the front, the metal building becomes transparent and invites those on the street into an open-air garden to hear poetry and enjoy a place of quiet contemplation.

The garden is an urban sanctuary of sorts—a space that, according to Ronan, “mediates between the street and the building, blurring the hard distinctions between public and private.”

Ronan said the design of the building and the use of materials, such as perforated zinc wall panels, are intended to mirror the way in which people read poetry. “Just as good poetry doesn’t always divulge all of its meanings on the first reading, the new building will engage the public’s curiosity and unfold in states,” said Ronan.

Chicago Poetry Foundation New Building

Opened in June 2011, the Poetry Foundation’s new 22,000-sq.-ft., LEED-Silver home is one of only a few public spaces in the country built exclusively for the advancement of poetry.

The Transformative Power of Zinc

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Zinc Wall PanelsWith the help of zinc wall panels, you’d never guess that this retail building, located in Hyde Park on the south side of Chicago, was formerly a Borders bookstore. The black and patina-blue VMZinc flat lock panels are not only versatile and extremely durable, but they add visual interest, even an edginess, to the building design, say Jim Tuschall of Tuschall Engineering Company Inc., Burr Ridge, IL, and architect Wil Bruchmann of Antunovich Associates, Chicago.

Zinc Wall Panelling

The project serves as an anchor to a revitalized retail street corridor near the University of Chicago campus. Slated to open in June, the building houses a women’s clothing store and yoga studio in the front portion colored blue, and a high-end restaurant and music venue in the black- colored back.

“I was drawn to the patinaed zinc because itsWall Detail Close-Up WEB color changes slightly with the time of day, weather, and seasons. Every time you look at the building, it has a whole different color that can range from gray to aqua blue to anywhere in between,” says Bruchmann. “The panels are uniform height but random lengths. Adding detail to the wall also created a dynamic transition between the two colors, which mimic the differing uses within the building.”

Bruchmann also notes the long life of zinc. “It ages well over time and is very resilient,” he says. “There’s no question in mind that this was the best product for this particular project. There’s no other material out there that could create this sort of look and feel.”

Pre-Zinc Metal Panels On Chicago Building
Before

Metal Chicago Building Adds Zinc
After