In 2004, the management of Pac Bell/SBC, California’s largest telephone service provider, charged architect Alieza Bircher of Garcia/Wagner & Associates of San Francisco, with the transformation of their aging facility in Walnut Creek, CA. The facade, an old cement exterior, was dated and did not reflect the high-tech nature of the continually evolving communications industry.

To accomplish a complete transformation of the building without tearing down the existing structure, the architect designed a new exterior shell employing contrasting textures and color to bring the building into the 21st century. Reynobond® Aluminum Composite Materials and Ribbed Metal Panels were specified for the high-tech look they present as well as the consistency of color, flatness of panels and ease of fabrication.

Alumawall Inc., of San Jose, CA fabricated and installed 30,000 square feet of Reynobond® RB160 Aluminum Composite Material, 4 mm, PE Core in Champagne Metallic; 3,000 square feet of Reynobond® RB160 Aluminum Composite Material, 4 mm, PE Core in Shell Yellow; 2,000 square feet of Reynobond® RB160 Aluminum Composite Material, 4 mm, PE Core in Pure White; and 12,000 square feet of Ribbed Metal Panels 22-gauge in Silver Metallic. Roebbelen Contracting of El Dorado Hills, CA was the General Contractor for the project.

The challenge said David Warda, president of Allumawall, Inc. was “to provide the radiused canopies and excellent tolerances with the new panels system over the existing concrete building.”