Metalwërks® provided design assistance and materials for highly-customized, vertically-oriented exterior louver fins for the South Boston Waterfront Transportation Center. Located in the dynamic Seaport District of Boston, MA, and partially spanning the existing I-90 tunnel structure, the new facility covers 650,000 square feet and contains around 1,500 parking spaces across nine levels.

“This complex, highly-customized project would not have been possible without close collaboration with all teams,” says John Scorsone, Sales Engineer, Metalwërks. “We were thrilled to develop this unique structural element and help the design team determine a viable and attractive solution.”

Working in tandem with architects Fennick McCredie Architecture from the project’s onset, Metalwërks developed 650 louver fin assemblies coated in 12 custom colors. The facade was ultimately designed using solid 3/16” thick, aluminum plate, vertically oriented fins that extend 4’ off of the face of the pre-cast structure. There are 5 varying profiles for the fins, each with a different angle in relation to the pre-cast, each of which had to be fabricated, painted, and then assembled into individual units up 20’ long.

The fins were then supported using custom-designed extruded aluminum brackets. All of the brackets were painted the same gray shade as the precast to create the appearance that the fins were floating in space. In order to support the fins against windloads, strategically-placed stainless steel rods were used to connect the fins back to the precast.

Because of the project’s complexity, the Metalwërks team worked closely with all involved parties: The architect, general contractor, installer, and manufacturer were able to communicate continuously with one another on this project, and the shop drawings were developed simultaneously by the manufacturer and the architect.

“During the entire Design-Assist phase, Metalwerks worked tirelessly with the façade team, Fennick McCredie, Skanska, and the installer, Sunrise Erectors Inc, to develop the means and methods to turn the design into a reality,” says Scorsone. “Daily web meetings were held during the process to discuss and share details and confirm the functionality of the design.”

Metalwërks solid metal plate panels are an ideal exterior cladding material, due to their thickness and strength. Metal plate’s robust nature also makes it far more resistant to denting than ACM or sheet metal, whether caused by people or the forces of nature. At the South Boston Waterfront Transportation Center, Fennick McCredie leveraged metal plate’s high strength and formability, and Metalwërks’ expertise, to deliver a remarkable exterior façade.

The South Boston Waterfront Transportation Center was completed in May 2018. The architect was Fennick McCredie Architecture LTD, and the general contractor was Skanska. Sunrise Erectors provided installation services.