The new Natural Sciences Building at South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA, features 6,592 square feet of Kalzip TF800R on its exterior walls and color-matched extruded aluminum flashings.
The 52,000 square foot three-story structure was designed to complement an existing science lab and classroom building on the western edge of the campus. The Kalzip 0.040-gauge aluminum décor helped fulfill both aesthetic and functional needs.
The project was completed in October 2008. Ben Dalton of the Miller Hull Partnership, Seattle, WA was the project manager during construction and the firm was architect of record on the project.
“Our design started with a fiber composite panel that was rather high end. The change to metal was actually a value-added decision initiated by the owner. We chose Kalzip because it was unique and reinforced the linear building elements. It was something we hadn’t used before and turned out to be less expensive,” Dalton said. “The panels were very easy to install and the panel profile does a great job of concealing the fasteners. We’re very pleased with the final result.”
The Kalzip TF800R system offers a twin-triangular micro ribbed profile that creates a sleek appearance through the interplay of light and shade to highlight the individuality and character of a building. Kalzip aluminum products provide color fastness, adhesion and resistance to extreme weather conditions and are available in a wide variety of colors and coatings. The Kalzip panels also can be reused or recycled at the end of the building’s life cycle.
South Puget Sound Community College is a comprehensive community college that sits in a wooded natural environment. Its buildings, surface parking lots and other improvements are designed to sustain a close relationship between natural and built elements. According to Dalton, the building is targeting gold level certification in the USGBC’s voluntary LEED® program.
The new building provides specialized instruction for geology, physics, anatomy, chemistry, and microbiology. It also helps create a Natural Sciences Complex that is purposefully clustered around a storm water detention pond, which encourages using the site’s water management as an active educational tool.
Mortensen Construction, Ocean Park, WA, was the general contractor; and Architectural Sheet Metal, Inc., Puyallup, WA installed the Kalzip metal products.