Approximately 9,000 sq. ft. of Citadel Architectural Products’ Envelope 2000® aluminum composite material panels were an integral component on the expansion of the Discovery Center in Springfield, MO. The Discovery Center is an interactive, hands-on museum committed to inspiring a love of learning and an appreciation of our world.

The 30,000 sq. ft. addition is the first Gold LEED-certified green building in the southwest Missouri region. The Discovery Center is located in a revitalized, historic area of downtown Springfield. The Citadel panels were finished in three Kynar 500 colors: Almond, Sierra Tan and Sandstone and were installed in a checkerboard pattern.

“We wanted the building itself to be an exhibit,” says Todd Bolin, AIA, associate/senior architect, H Design Group, Springfield, MO. “The metal panels did introduce a material not often used in an older downtown setting. The checkerboard design was established by the design team for two reasons. First, the façade creates a presence for the building that visually generates enthusiasm and establishes a level of anticipation for the excitement of the exhibits inside. Second, as a lightweight material, the Citadel panels allowed us to set each grouping of windows pointed northwest, creating a “saw-tooth” pattern that dramatically reduced solar heat gain and improved interior natural lighting.”

The panels were installed using Citadel’s progressive Reveal System. “We liked the sleek look it provided, “says Bolin. “The fasteners are hidden. And the cost met our budget constraints.”

Installation of the Citadel panels was done by Benchmark Construction Services, Springfield, MO. According to Jeff Medley, “It’s a watertight, attractive system that goes on well and installs quickly. The job required a fair amount of scaffolding and some of the details were pretty intricate but we’re used to that. We enjoyed working on the job and everyone is really pleased with the outcome.”

The general contractor on the project was Dewitt & Associates, Springfield, MO.