When architect Dan Demland received a request from his long-term client, Jody Clute, to design a new building for Small People Preschool, he knew he had to take on the challenge. The design goals included meeting a tight budget and achieving optimal energy efficiency. The exterior aesthetics were also crucial. The client wanted the building to have a clean, industrial-inspired look to it, but also be an inviting and appealing space for preschool students and their parents.
The building’s exterior achieved the desired effect by incorporating vertical and horizontal metal wall panels in light and dark gray and red to add whimsical elements to complement the 10,000-square-foot steel and masonry block structure.
Designing the Building
Demland’s personal practice has been varied over his career, spanning both residential and commercial projects. He’s currently a senior architect at Arizona State University and teaches courses at the Arizona State’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (HIDA). He also sits on the enforcement and advisory committee for the Arizona Board of Technical Registration. “I’m a specialist in regulatory, and at HIDA I teach on building codes and facilities management,” he notes. “I also wrote a book on facility management, The Complete Facilities Manager.”
Demland prides himself on his attention to detail, and this project was no exception. “My background in facilities and forensics makes me a different detailer — and that’s what this project was all about,” he says. “I designed the building to be as low-maintenance as possible.”
For the walls, Demland specified Petersen’s PAC-CLAD Flush Panels in Cardinal Red and Highline C2 Panels in Silversmith. “We used a mixture of horizontal and vertical panels,” Demland noted. “Jody wanted the red accent color. The horizontal panels are softer and more rounded, and for the red portions, we wanted them to be smooth and wrap around those built-out metal corners.”
The exposed areas of masonry block were softened with a light gray paint formulated to match the panels. “I actually worked with Sherwin Williams to match those colors to paint other parts of the building,” Demland notes.
A standing seam metal roof was installed. It is comprised of panels made from PAC-CLAD 24-gauge galvalume in Bone White. For the fascia, the same white edge metal was chosen to provide a smooth-looking transition to the white roof. “We just extended the deck out and we boxed a fascia down and around it to put a kind of cap on the building,” Demland says.
Installing the Panels
Flynn BEC installed both the metal roof and wall panels, notes Luke Brandt, branch manager of Flynn’s Mesa, Arizona location. “We are a total building envelope contractor, meaning we handle everything from all types of commercial roofing — built-up, TPOs, PVCs — to architectural metals, including all types of wall systems out there, as well as glass and glazing,” he says. “Our versatility is definitely a strength.”
The roof system features 3 inches of polyiso insulation, Soprema Lastobond Shield HT underlayment, and the 18-inch-wide metal panels, which were mechanically seamed.
“We manufactured the roof panels ourselves under our Ultra Seam brand,” Brandt says. “We purchased the metal from PAC-CLAD in their Bone White. The panel is the Ultra Seam US 200.”
Panels were lifted to the roof deck with a crane. “It was an extremely straightforward roof,” notes Brandt. “There were very few penetrations. That gable and the eave trim is actually part of the roofing system that we just transitioned to the walls.”
Various PAC-CLAD wall panels were installed on walls and soffits. “There were multiple colors on the walls and multiple systems as well,” Brandt says. “The systems varied slightly depending on the areas they were on, but most of the installations used hat channels that were installed directly on the substrates. A few different areas had an insulation board behind it.”
Safety was a top priority on the project. “From a roofing standpoint, because there was zero parapet, it required 100% tie-off at all times,” Brandt says “We used temporary anchor plates prior to the panels, and then after the panels were installed, we tied off to seam clamps. Most of the wall work was done using man lifts, and you’re tied off in the man lift as well.”
Small Project, Big Success
On this project, both the architect and the installer hit their marks.
“Flynn installed the metal panels and I’ve got nothing but kudos for them,” Demland says. “They did one hell of a job on the installation. It was very clean, and the details were magnificent.”
“This project showcases our ability to execute the complete envelope, from roofing to wall applications,” Brandt says. “This one was on the smaller end of our projects, but it highlights our ability to excel at multiple things.”
“My job when I design a facility like this for a client is to help them build their business,” Demland says. “Within a week of opening her doors, my client had 10 new students. That speaks for itself.”
After all, meeting the needs of the client is what it’s all about. “When a client comes back to me with another project or refers me to someone else, that’s what I’m most proud of,” Demland says.
TEAM
Architect: Daniel Demland, R.A., Phoenix, Arizona, architectdan.com
Roof and Wall System Installer: Flynn BEC LP, Mesa, Arizona, flynncompanies.com
MATERIALS
Wall Panels: PAC 850 Bone White, PAC Highline C2 Silversmith, PAC-CLAD HWP Musket Gray, PAC-CLAD Flush Cardinal Red, Petersen, pac-clad.com
Roof Panels: Ultra Seam US 200 Panels made from PAC-CLAD 24-gauge Bone White, ultraseam.com
Underlayment: Lastobond Shield HT, Soprema, soprema.us
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