Copper shingles extend life of Traffic Tunnel Administration Building in Boston

The neoclassical Traffic Tunnel Administration Building was built on the northern edge of downtown Boston in 1931. But, like many buildings its age, the years had begun to take their toll on the structure, and the original porcelain-coated metal roof tiles started to leak. The task of re-roofing the historical building was not one that the city took lightly.

Officials commissioned Boston-based Spalding Tougias Architects to find an aesthetically compatible roof for the building. “The building had a unique roof to begin with,” said George Tougias, AIA, one of the firm's principals. “So we looked for a system with visible variations in its appearance—such as the copper metal roofing—and had a similar shingle look, one that would take on that green color once it began to patina.”

Dave Gardner Contractor and Supply from Farmington, Mass., installed 70,000 sf of Vail Majestic Copper shingles from Custom-Bilt Metals to extend the life of the building.

Designed to last more than a century, the copper shingle roof features an interlocking tab system that creates waterproof channels and aligns panels during installation, as well as a patented hem design that prevents wind uplift.

Custom-Bilt Metals

Input No. 230 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse