The idea of function over form tends to rule the day when it comes to the design of observatories. The Gemma Observatory, however, decided to forgo the typical domed structure and opted instead for a more angular approach.
To help achieve this aesthetic, Anmahian Winton Architects decided to clad the project’s exterior in VMZ Flat lock zinc panels. The weathered-gray QUARTZ-ZINC panels easily conformed to the geometry of the project and helped the building achieve a look that resembled the granite bedrock outcroppings of the surrounding landscape. The observatory’s pattern of lock-seamed zinc cladding alternates between the irregular site topography and the building’s geometry.
The aesthetics provided by the zinc panels were important, but the most important quality they provide returns to the idea of function over form. The panels have the ability to dissipate the heat of the day after sunset, which eliminates nighttime air distortion that would otherwise compromise the entire purpose of the building.
Related Stories
Sponsored | Cladding and Facade Systems | Aug 30, 2019
Multi-Story Design Considerations When Using Horizontal Insulated Metal Panels
Horizontally installed IMPs require a healthy amount of coordination with the project’s design team.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Dec 14, 2018
Bangkok’s latest mega shopping mall features one of the world’s longest pillarless all-glass facades
Iconsiam’s completion required special glass and installation techniques.
Office Buildings | Jul 25, 2018
New study on occupant comfort advances Saint Gobain’s design approach for renovation and new construction
The building products giant gauges its employees’ perceptions of old and new headquarters environments.
Sponsored | Cladding and Facade Systems | Oct 5, 2017
Richland Two Institute of Innovation
Five colors of metal wall panels highlight design of multigenerational learning center.
Retail Centers | Jul 24, 2017
Miami retail structure’s honeycomb façade fluctuates between opacity and transparency
The building will rise three stories in Miami’s Design District.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Jul 20, 2017
FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Cleveland Browns, may be covered in the same cladding as Grenfell Tower, AP reports
A luxury Baltimore hotel, a mixed-use building in Denver and an Alaskan High School may also have used the cladding.
| Jun 13, 2017
Accelerate Live! talk: Next-gen materials for the built environment, Blaine Brownell, Transmaterial
Architect and materials guru Blaine Brownell reveals emerging trends and applications that are transforming the technological capacity, environmental performance, and design potential of architecture.
Products and Materials | Apr 10, 2017
Composite siding revivifies Ohio luxury community
Following severe hailstorm damage, this Sandusky, Ohio, community replaces its high-maintenance cedar siding with a composite solution.
Sponsored | Cladding and Facade Systems | Oct 11, 2016
Nichiha helps breathe life into Philadelphia mixed-use project
Blackney Hayes Architects undertook a project to restore and modernize an existing mid-rise building on Chestnut Street, located near Thomas Jefferson University, and turn it into an expansive mixed-use space.
Sponsored | Cladding and Facade Systems | Sep 15, 2016
Healing has a new home: Parkland Hospital
ALPOLIC® materials contribute to a life-affirming experience.
