Tom Ennis' beach house is chic and modern. And its design reflects the kind of energy conscious efforts going into today's homes. Utilized for its construction were factory insulated metal wall panels from Kingspan Insulated Panels.
The home is located in Venice, CA and features approximately 3,600 square-feet of Kingspan's popular Centurywall vertical wall panels (CWP-V). They were used on both the exterior and interior of the $1.3 million residence.
"The home performs remarkably well and the aesthetic of the panels are beautiful," said David Hertz of David Hertz Architects Inc. He was the principal-in-charge of the project for the firm. "There was worry that the metallic finish might be a little too cold and hard, but there is actually a wonderful softness in the slight undulation of panels as they interact with light and reflect color creating a nice visual, especially during sunrises and sunsets."
Hertz explains that, in order to achieve project design goals, Centurywall was selected as a durable exterior and interior material fitting for beachfront construction. The material's aesthetic quality, ability to absorb and reflect light and low surface area to weight ratio were additional perks.
Prior to construction, a major concern was that the house - consisting mostly of glass - would have proper insulation. Centurywall panels delivered the required necessity.
"One of the best features a Centurywall panel provides is its superior insulating properties," explains Eric Jurus, Kingspan sales manager. "With its high R-value (R-50), the Venice Beach home is kept better insulated and is more energy-efficient overall."
The design of the house captures a post-modern feel. Unique panel features, such as hidden fasteners and an interlocking joint that screws to the closure plate at the floor, contribute to a seamless look.
"As an innovative and unprecedented design endeavor, the biggest challenge was in designing the panel connection details to the structure," continues Hertz.
"The panels are 6" thick with Metallic Kynar paint on both sides," said Jurus. "This makes the structure even more unique in that the panels span the height resulting with no visible attachment showing inside or out."
Centurywall vertical panels are used to create a modern, high-tech appearance where a flat, vertical architectural metal wall system is desired. CWP-V Panels are provided with hidden fastener offset joinery for easy attachment to structural components from the building exterior. They are typically installed over steel studs with horizontal strapping, or directly to girts (wide flange, tube steel or light gauge). CWP-V panels are also easily integrated with sheetrock wall construction for added fire safety.
Other distinct characteristics of the Ennis home include wood-free construction and natural convective cooling, which results in lower energy costs. Additionally, specifying metal for a coastal home rather than wood, asphalt or other roofing materials provides protection against extreme coastal weather conditions.
Construction on the home began in 2006 and was completed in 2007.
David Hertz Architects Inc. Studio of Environmental Architecture, formerly Syndesis Inc., is located in Santa Monica, CA. Ron Senso of Westchester, CA, was the general contractor.