Industrial | Zahner

DTE Dearborn Central Energy Plant

DTE Dearborn Central Energy Plant is a new energy plant on Ford Motor Company’s campus in Dearborn, Michigan. The new facility is part of a modernization of the campus.

OPN approached Zahner as a design assist partner to help “beautify” the new Central Energy Plant by adding a series of twisted fins developed to clad the precast building with large windows. Zahner responded by providing design iterations for the twisted fins, engineering input, and multiple mockups. The fins provide an aesthetic signifying visual movement desired by the design team as well as shading the window areas and providing thermal comfort for occupants.

The DTE Dearborn Central Energy Plant, featuring a fin facade system by Zahner.

Photo by Andre Sigur | ARKO

Detail of the Fin Facade on the DTE Central Energy Plant

Photo by Andre Sigur | ARKO

DTE Central Energy Plant

Photo by Andre Sigur | ARKO

Fin Facade on the DTE Central Energy Plant

Photo by Andre Sigur | ARKO

Angel Hair Stainless Steel complements industrial elements at the DTE Central Energy Plant

Photo by Andre Sigur | ARKO

DTE Central Energy Plant at night

Photo by Andre Sigur | ARKO

DTE Central Energy Plant entrance

Photo by Andre Sigur | ARKO

DTE Central Energy Plant fin facade

Photo by Andre Sigur | ARKO

Lake Whitney

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Industrial South Central Connecticut Steven Holl Architects L 2005 /by cmorris

Whitney Water Purification Facility and Park

Designed by Steven Holl Architects, this project features a custom facade and roof system developed by Zahner. The building is a long key-hole or water droplet shaped structure which measure 360 feet in length. The project pumps 15 million gallons a day for the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority.

Located in South Central Connecticut, the project features the largest green roof in Connecticut, zero off-site storm water discharge, and geothermal heating and cooling. It also includes expanded wetlands for biodiversity, and was chosen as one of the top ten green projects in 2007 by the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on the Environment (AIA/COTE).

The building is clad in 24 Ga. Angel Hair stainless steel, 316 alloy. The building envelop system uses a custom S-pocket flat-seam roof and siding paneling.

Related Project

Daeyang Gallery

The firm has developed a growing number of works with Zahner, starting with the the Studio Libeskind-designed Contemporary Jewish Museum in which WRNS served as Architect of Record. Since then, Zahner has worked with WRNS on a number of projects, develop their unique design concepts into custom architectural systems, featured below.

Kansas City Star

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Industrial, LEED Kansas City Austin Group Green L 2006 /by cmorris

Kansas City Star Production Facility

The production facility for the Kansas City Star includes a locally manufactured, custom-patinated copper, created by Zahner for the building’s facade. The new production facility for the Kansas City Star was designed and developed by The Austin Company, an engineering design firm specializing in large-scale industrial facilities.

Zahner developed a preweathered copper patination system for this building. An estimated 4155 pre-patina copper panels were installed on the building’s surface to create the 80,000 SF surface area. The building’s green surface is mottled and variegated, a patina designed to age the building’s copper surface by 200 years. The natural patina will continue to grow and change in appearance as it ages. The patina provides a layer of natural protection for the copper alloy.

Related Surface

Custom Patinated Copper

Zahner has developed proprietary techniques to preweather copper and copper-alloyed sheets with deep, rich patinas not unlike those that formerly took several decades to develop naturally. Some of these techniques can develop the rich green and blue tones of cupric nitrate on the copper surface. Other techniques will develop browns, yellows, and oranges in various hues.

The Kansas City Star Production Facility.

Crosstown Substation

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Industrial Kansas City Pendulum James Woodfill Brown M 2013 /by cmorris

Crosstown Substation Renovation for the KCP&L

The architects at Pendulum developed a synthesizing design which combines elements of public art, architecture, and kinetic motion-based visual arts to create a low-profile barrier wall wrapping the KCP&L Substation.

Prior to the new design, the corner of 18th and Locust was deteriorating. KCP&L replaced the wall with a new design, including commissioned artwork, that would reflect the Crossroads’ artistic community spirit.
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The winning design by Pendulum included a space for the light artist James Woodfill to create a kinetic display. As the sun sets, an animated display of lights takes over: 10,500 color-changing LED lights alternate to create an illusion of motion, powered by 117 solar panels.

Photograph of the Crosstown Substation west facade at dusk.

Crosstown Substation designed by Pendulum, featuring Solanum weathering steel metalwork.

Custom cylinder sidewalk lights cast unique shadows through perforations.

The Crosstown Substation, featuring a prepatinated weathering steel custom wall system.

Detail of the Crosstown Substation during daylight.

Manufacturing the Weathering Steel Facade for Pendulum Architects

Zahner was brought on to provide a weathering steel surface that would endure all four seasons in Kansas City, as well as provide a worn steel aeshtetic with minimal corrosion and staining of adjacent surfaces. Using the Solanum Steel process, Zahner was able to provide a warm steel patina. Zahner also worked closely with the project team to provide all structural steel and fabrication required for the project.

Rendering of Crosstown Substation, designed by Pendulum Architects in Kansas City.

Mockup of Crosstown Substation, installed on-site at the previous park.

History of the Crosstown Substation

Originally the KCP&L station was the site of the Holmes Square Park. Designed by George Kessler, the park was originally opened in 1897, the same year A. Zahner Company was founded by Andrew Zahner. The park was directed by Elenore Canny, who was sworn in by the Kansas City Police Department in 1910, becoming the first woman to serve and protect as a police officer in Kansas City, Missouri, and also one of the first female police officers in America.

KCP&L has decided to place a plaque on the gate of the substation commemorating the Holmes Square Park and the accomplishments of Elenor Canny. The material and construction of the plaque was generously donated by A. Zahner Company.