Museum | Zahner

Shafran Planetarium

NATHAN AND FANNYE SHAFRAN PLANETARIUM, CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

The Nathan and Fannye Shafran Planetarium in Cleveland, Ohio was designed by architectural engineering firm Westlake Reed Leskosky. Zahner covered the planetarium cone in a custom rose-colored titanium/stainless steel skin, the first outdoor use of the material in North America. Embedded within each panel, fiber-optic lights reference and reinforce the structure’s star-focused purpose.

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Shafran Planetarium

Designing a uniquely functional exterior facade system

In addition to the functional aspects of housing the planetarium, the architects used the building’s design to create an ingenious educational opportunity. The building’s chamfered roof is pitched to 41.5 degrees, in direct alignment for visitors to follow the building lines into the sky to locate Polaris, the North Star.

The planetarium officially opened in 2002, and in doing so, set the bar for planetariums worldwide by blending advanced technology with real-world experiences.

The cone is visible from within the planetarium's interior

Nathan and Fannye Shafran Planetarium during the day

The interior titanium surface reflects less light

Viewers can align themselves with the roof from this angle and locate the North Star

September 11 Museum

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Memorial, Museum New York City Handel Architects, Snøhetta Silver L 2014 /by cmorris

National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion

The National September 11 Memorial Museum resides in the space between where the Twin Towers once stood in New York City. Designed by Snøhetta with Handel, Zahner manufactured the custom facade skin for the building. The architects worked with Zahner engineers and designers in the Design Assist team to develop the facade system. Zahner unitized the metal systems in Kansas City and then shipped everything to the job site for installation.

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911 Memorial Overland Park

911 Museum with waterfall at the WTC Memorial.

Striating stainless steel panel system used on the 911 Museum facade.

South facade for the National September 11th Museum.

Developing the 911 Museum Metal Facade

The panels were tested for wind loads and water permeability at a special facility. The panelization method used for the project required welding studs to the reverse of each panel. Zahner-trained fabricators welded the hardware at ideal penetration so that the stud-welds wouldn’t show on the face of the metal panels.

The surface of the metal shell alternates between GB-60 polish and a No. 4 polish on stainless steel. The No. 4 polish has greater reflectivity along a linear grain, while the GB-60 surface scatters light for a more diffused look. This alternation repeats itself as a motif in not only the stainless steel facade, but also across the fenestration surface.

Detail of the 911 Museum facade in New York City.

Zahner's NS11 mockups were tested for high moisture and winds.

Zahner fabricator installs studs on the backs of NS11 Panels.

National September 11 Museum during construction

Detail of the National September 11 Museum stainless steel surface

Rosenthal Museum

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Museum Cincinnati--Ohio KZF Design, Zaha Hadid Architects Black L 2003 /by cmorris

Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art

The Center for Contemporary Art opened in 2003 and is the first Museum in the United States designed by Zaha Hadid. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the project uses blackened aluminum, an uncommon patina which was produced with great difficulty, and sealed to decrease the need for maintenance. This custom dark aluminum surface was desired by Zaha Hadid to provide contrast against the light concrete above and below, giving the sturcture an almost anthropomorphic resemblance.

These plates of blackened aluminum use a siding system which repels moisture. These were engineered to interlock in such a manner to control thermal movement without compromising the moisture deterrence requirements. This was important due to the installation on concrete, which breathes. The aluminum plate panel system features custom extruded hardware fastened using matching aluminum studs for a visually seamless system. This hardware is attached to the horizontal aluminum hat channel.

Several years after the initial install, streaks were running down it’s surface, and the owners contacted Zahner to provide repair. Upon closer inspection of the material, Zahner discovered that it was moisture from the concrete which was draining across the surface. The aluminum was cleaned without any problem back to its original finish.

Zahner also completed interior metalwork including a blackened aluminum plaque on the museum’s interior, laser-etched with the names of all the donors.

The Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art.

Southwest view of the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art.

Interior photograph of the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art.

Interior detail of the donor list at Rosenthal Center.

Southeast view of the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art.

The Petersen

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Automotive, Museum, Parking Structure Los Angeles--California Kohn Pedersen Fox Red, Silver L, XL 2015 Featured, Related Work /by cmorris

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California:

Situated on Los Angeles’ famous Miracle Mile, the newly renovated Petersen Automotive Museum has achieved an iconic status while creating open spaces which invite community engagement. The design encases the building in a red-painted corrugated aluminum rainscreen system which acts as the backdrop for a series of stainless steel structural ribbons. These scopes were engineered, manufactured, and installed by Zahner.

Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) in New York with the construction management by Matt Construction in Los Angeles, Zahner was brought onto the project early on in the planning and development process. Starting under a Zahner Assist (Design Assist) contract, the construction team developed a fabrication and installation strategy with the engineers at Zahner.

This is the second project completed by Zahner with KPF. The two teams worked together prior on the IBM Headquarters in Armonk, New York.

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IBM Headquarters

Nestled within a landscape of 450 wooded, rocky acres some 50 miles from Manhattan, the IBM World Headquarters exemplifies KPF’s demonstrated ability to respond to the natural context and produce an innovative work of architecture. Completed in 1997, the headquarters is the centerpiece of an existing corporate campus in this wooded setting with deep ravines slicing through the landscape.

Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.

Making the Petersen Automotive Museum

Design development for the Petersen Automotive Museum began in 2012. Principal Trent Tesch knew that the complex shapes would be best defined under a Design Assist contract with Zahner. Examining the forms gave the team an opportunity to approach their design with as much information as possible. Zahner Assist enabled KPF to bring the client into a conversation with Zahner.

Sharing models and preliminary drawings while the design was still conceptual allowed for conversations regarding costs and aesthetics to remain transparent, assisting the client during the decision making process.

The project made use of several Zahner technologies and methodologies: the ZEPPS Process for designing and manufacturing the building’s curved forms; the Angel Hair non-directional surfacing applied to each of the stainless steel skins attached to the curved forms; and Zahner Assist, Zahner’s method for developing complex projects into factory-produced realities. The project also includes an ImageWall custom perforated metal screen which continues the architect’s design, mimicking the stainless ribbons in a perforated metal graphic across the building’s parking structure. The Petersen Automotive Museum is the direct result of a design team confidently departing from convention.

Perforated metal screenwall by Zahner continues the Petersen Automotive Museum's sculptural motif.

Underneath the undulating ribbon facade of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

A perforated parking garage facade continues the stainless steel ribbon motif.

Detail of the facade of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Design Assist Mockup for the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Design Assist Mockup at dusk for the Petersen Automotive Museum.

The Mock Up as a Design Catalyst

As part of the Zahner Assist contract, we included a to-scale visual mockup. Mockups are included as part of this process in order to aid in design decision making and determine the best method for building any given form. The team selected the lower northeast corner of the building’s design to fabricate as a mockup section. This empowered the design team to determine how the ribbons would wrap around the corner, an integral aspect of the building’s design.

The mockup process provided Zahner crucial insight into how to best develop the red-painted structural steel armatures which are used throughout the project. The mockup also helped the design team establish the ideal color for the painted corrugated aluminum surface.

Zahner installers hang a ZEPPS Ribbon Assembly at the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Zahner fabricators create the ZEPPS Ribbon assemblies for the Petersen Automotive Museum.

3D Model of a single ZEPPS Assembly for the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Zahner field installers at the construction site for the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Creating the new Petersen Automotive Museum facade

The existing building, purchased by the Petersen Automotive Museum in 1994, was rectilinear and fairly straightforward in form. It was originally a department store. Six years after the store closed, museum founder Robert Petersen chose the site to house his automotive museum. Since the Museum is nearly devoid of windows, the site was ideal for safely housing Mr. Petersen’s collection without harmful exposure to sunlight.

Because the existing building contained very little glass and was box-like in form, it acted as a blank canvas for the design team. ZEPPS, the Zahner system for developing sculptural forms, was used to build curving stainless steel ‘ribbons’ which wrap the building, giving it a feeling of rapid motion. The result looks similar to the aerodynamic flow diagrams drawn in wind tunnel tests by automotive designers.

Using ZEPPS to Create Dual-Curving Forms

To build complex dual curving forms with the lightest structural loads, Zahner uses the ZEPPS process. ZEPPS stands for Zahner Engineered Profiled Panel Systems, and comprises Zahner’s approach to building complex, curvilinear forms. The crux of the system is the paring down of a complex design into manageable parts for manufacturing.

Using an architect’s 3D model, Zahner’s engineers examine geometry with a manufacturing mindset. Each curve is analyzed and developed into a series of patented aluminum structural components. These components are pre-assembled at the shop and compose the structural form for each ZEPPS Asssembly. Using aluminum extrusions rather than steel allows for a lighter load on the structure of the façade, and also allows for more economical fabrication methods.

The final step in creating with ZEPPS is to clad it in surface material. For the Petersen Automotive Museum, Zahner’s Angel Hair Stainless Steel surface was selected. After the structure is built, each ZEPPS is clad in the desired metal, and loaded onto a truck for field install. By breaking dual curves into units, ZEPPS creates precision within the manufacturing process, and allows for much quicker field installation.

Detail of the Petersen Automotive Museum's Angel Hair Stainless steel.

View of Wilshire Blvd during the construction of the Petersen.

Screenwall at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.

Underneath the Roof of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Structural Steel

A new structural steel exoskeleton was needed to carry the loads from the red corrugated rainscreen as well as the cantilevered stainless steel ribbons which arch over the rooftop to provide shading for a private event space.

Working with the designers’ 3D models, Zahner’s team of engineers developed a series of tree-like forms in structural steel to support the ZEPPS Ribbon assemblies. The structural steel skeleton was inspired by hot rod manifolds to serve the dual purpose of providing aesthetic cohesiveness as well as functional support for cantilevered elements of the design. The structural ‘trees’ support the ribbons that flow over the roof area, as well as the Fairfax Ave ground level ribbons.

The ZEPPS ribbons required custom curved structural steel within each unit. Zahner mapped out each curved radius using the 3D model, allowing for fabrication in the shop to be handled quickly and precisely.

Custom Corrugated Aluminum

Painted aluminum acts as the backdrop for the stainless steel ZEPPS forms, echoing the concept of a sports car in bright red intensity. The aluminum was completely custom, and unlike any standard corrugated pattern. The corrugated profile formed an exact 90 degree angle, versus the typical sine wave that is commonly seen in corrugated metals.

To accommodate for the custom nature of this design element, Zahner formed each of the corrugated panels in house, utilizing a custom die within the press brake.

ImageWall Screenwall for the Petersen Parking Enclosure

As a continuation of the stainless steel ribbons, the design team also selected a painted red aluminum ImageWall for the Museum’s Parking Garage. Using Zahner’s patented technology, ImageWall uses perforated holes to map an image across multiple panels. In this case, the image provides cohesiveness, and ties the parking garage in with the larger facade.

ImageWall Screenwall enclosing the Parking Structure of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Detail of the screenwall facade of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Parking Structure Screenwall at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.

One Sun / 34 Moons

August 15, 2016/in Art & Sculpture Museum, Public Art, Sculpture Kansas City Steven Holl Architects Walter de Maria Gold M, S 2002 /by cmorris

Walter de Maria’s One Sun, 34 Moons Sculpture

In 2001, Zahner was enlisted to work on the master plan for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The building, designed by Steven Holl Architects, is a massive expansion, and Zahner provided various metalwork throughout the new construction and played a role in the renovations to its existing historic building.

In addition to the architectural features, a large scale site-specific artwork by Walter de Maria was commissioned by the Museum. Zahner was brought on as fabricator for the installation by the famed land artist. The work, entitled One Sun / 34 Moons, is made up of thirty-four ‘Moons’ which are realized as illuminated glass fixtures scattered throughout the installation.

These ‘Moons’ are installed at the bottom of a large reflecting pool in front of the museum’s northern staircase. At the artwork’s center is a golden ‘Sun’ fabricated by Zahner in stainless steel, surfaced with gilded bronze.

One Sun / 34 Moons, by Walter de Maria, 2002.

The artwork is a collaboration in several ways. The artwork features a gilded bronze leaf application developed by Walter de Maria partners American Burnish in New York. The vision of Steven Holl can be seen in how the ‘Moons’ provide natural lighting for the parking garage underneath. Zahner’s expertise can be seen as both the massive engineered form as well as the long-term performance of the architectural metal as art.

For the artwork, Walter de Maria wanted a golden color that would appear bright in almost any light, direction, or shadow. Zahner’s team worked with the artist on various color options, and the textured gilded bronze surface was selected as the best option to meet these constraints.

In creating the form of the ‘Sun’, Zahner was able to apply engineering and fabrication expertise as well as an unparalleled understanding of metallurgy.

Selecting and specifying the construction materials for performance and durability required careful consideration of the engineered details, galvanic corrosion, and pH levels for the reflecting pool and water feature design to prevent moisture from deteriorating the surface.

Steven Holl & the Use of Light: 34 Moons

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Walter de Maria’s sculpture is the way that it integrates into the greater architectural vision of Steven Holl & Chris McVoy. Each of the ’34 Moons’ are actually part of a skylight design used to provide natural light to the parking structure below the surface of the park.

The light temperature of the neon illumination matches that of the moon; the architects’ use of both natural and electric light innovates and plays perfectly into Walter de Maria’s vision of the moon in an almost literal sense.

Photograph of the Walter de Maria artwork at dusk.

Detail of the gilded leaf, Nelson-Atkins, Kansas City.

NASCAR Hall of Fame

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Museum Charlotte--North Carolina Pei Cobb Freed Silver L, XL 2010 /by cmorris

NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina

A twisting stainless steel ribbon races around the perimeter of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina. Zahner was brought into the project to build the structural form which wraps its facade. The building opened in May 2010, and it serves as a sprawling museum dedicated to racing and NASCAR history.

The building’s design was lead by architect Pei, Cobb, Freed. The firm envisioned a möbius strip-styled stainless steel roadway racing around the perimeter of the main building. The design of a möbius entails the concept of infinity, indicating a sort of infinite path for racing.

To create the building’s möbius required the design of a unique curvilinear shape. To produce this, Zahner engineers implemented the ZEPPS, the Zahner system for building unique architectural forms. Using ZEPPS enabled the architects to design and manufacture the building’s facade efficiently and within budget. It also enabled simple and straight-forward construction of an otherwise immensely complex shape.

The möbius is clad in Angel Hair stainless steel, a product developed by Zahner to reduce the glare and bright spots while providing a satin finish. Even in bright sunlight, the surface has significantly less glare than mill finishes on stainless steel.

Manufacturing the Unique Facade for NASCAR

The Museum went from design to completion in just over two years. The project’s expedient construction was due to good management by Turner BE&K, as well as a smooth design process.

The design and manufacture of the structural form of the stainless steel was provided by Zahner. Zahner engineers employed a Design Assist method to design the details of the ZEPPS forms.

These ZEPPS forms contain not only the shape and facade, but also electrical, lighting, insulation, and water-proofing. The intelligence of ZEPPS is twofold: you decrease the amount of rigid structural steel which doesn’t like to curve, and you automate aspects of the production of the aluminum forms. In the field, the construction crew receives numbered and pre-assembled parts.

The wall system that makes up the ribbon is constructed from aluminum panels that are approximately 8 foot in width. Wall heights vary with the tallest being in the region of 45 feet. By shipping these forms as preassembled units, the team was able to maximize efficiency in the shop, and maximize efficiency of installing the parts in the field.

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“Zahner held to our budget, schedule, safety, and quality standards… The ribbon will indeed be the feature remembered by all who visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame. I highly recommend A. Zahner Company for any project which demands the qualities referenced above.”

Tom BarnettConstruction Manager at BE&K Turner Construction.at

A step-by-step process employed by Zahner included the method of splicing plates into specific dimensions and then joined together. Each panel is individually numbered, so construction knows exactly what spliced plate goes between designated panels.

CAD View of the moebius structure Zahner designed compared with the installed view.

Hanging a single NASCAR Hall of Fame ZEPPS Panel.

Detail of the metalwork also provided on the doors for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

ZEPPS structure that Zahner designed and built for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Museum of Science and Industry

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Museum Tampa--Florida Antoine Predock Architect PC Blue, Silver L 1995 /by cmorris

The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Florida

Completed in 1995, this spherical theater is the key organizing element of the entire facility. Zahner was involved in the design-engineering, fabrication, and installation of several interior and exterior elements within the complex, including the lush blue reflective dome itself. Antoine Predock, the architect who designed MOSI, began working with Zahner design engineers early in the schematic phase to develop a curvilinear system that would support the project.

MOSI was the first project Zahner produced by Antoine Predock, and the first project by Zahner to include dual curvatures. This marked a turning point in the way that Zahner produces its metal surfaces. Zahner had just completed the Weisman Museum with Frank Gehry, one of the earliest projects with Gehry and Zahner. The demands on the metal surface were many, but none of compared to what the Tampa dome would require.

Aerial imagery of Tampa Museum of Science and Industry.

Detail of the MOSI dual curvature roof panel system during installation.

Manufacturing the complex facade for MOSI

The Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa introduced new hurdles for the performance of sheet metal on curvilinear buildings. The dome of the spherical shape of the dome would require the metal surface to curve in two directions at once, which is the definition of dual curvatures. Similar to a sheet of paper, metal sheets do not want curve in both directions.

To overcome this obstacle, Zahner and Predock developed a triangulated panel system which would allow smooth dual-curving of the metal surface. This project was completed a few years before Zahner would go on to influence the Zahner ZEPPS technology. This system provides both the structure and the surface. However, this project was pre-ZEPPS, and as such, the project was accomplished using a more rudimentary aluminum substructure.

Roof of the MOSI Dome in Tampa — Dual Curvatures.

Detail of the MOSI dual curvature roof panel system.

Detailed drawings of the dual-curving MOSI facade were made.

Detail of the MOSI dual-curvature dome panel system in Tampa, Florida.

The mirror-polish stainless steel used for the project was chosen by the architects to evoke the sky and waters of Tampa Bay, less than twenty miles from the museum. The reflective finish creates unexpected lush colors reflected from both the green grounds surrounding the building, as well as the range of tones seen in the skies.

The mirror surface of the museum creates opportunities for luscious sunset tones across the surface of the metal, as seen above. In this case, the triangular panelization of the metal creates visual interest by dividing up the reflected planes, much like pillowed glass or the oil-canning of metal.

Zahner’s expertise was also required for a few other aspects of the museum, including the perforated drop ceiling systems, the aluminum peepholes in the south elevation, and the museum shop which is clad in a reflective stainless steel surface.

Morphosis Exhibit

August 15, 2016/in Interior Architecture Exhibit, Museum Paris--France Morphosis M 2006 /by cmorris

Morphosis Exhibit at Centre Pompidou

On display from March through July 2006, a sweeping exhibit entitled ‘Continuities of the Incomplete’ was displayed at the acclaimed Centre Pompidou in Paris, France.

The exhibition includes designs by Morphosis and features a Zahner-manufactured aluminum/glass floor and custom guardrail system. Zahner was brought into the project to produce the complex metal system which encases the glass floor as an exportable aluminum and glass system.

The design’s inclining floor encases a series of models, videos, and the entire thought-process of the architects at Morphosis and it’s founder, Thom Mayne. The structural raised floor begins at ground level and gradually raises to two feet. The structure was engineered to withstand the hundreds of people who would traffic the show.

Raised glass flooring with slow-pitch at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Video screens show Thom Mayne of Morphosis underneath the glass flooring.

Visitors walk across the raised glass floor in custom shoe-covers.

Various exhibit materials displayed underneath the raised floor.

The custom engineered fin structure was designed and produced by a small group of engineers, and the entire floor was shipped to France where it was installed, without ever pre-assembling it in the Zahner facility in Kansas City. Upon delivery in France, the same engineers who designed the structure also erected it, and the aluminum floor came together seamlessly.

Zahner has worked with Morphosis on a number of project. In Oregon, Zahner produced the stainless roof and wall panels on the Eugene Federal Courthouse; in New York City, Zahner provided the custom perforated stainless steel facade for the Cooper Union New Academic Building. See all of the projects completed by Zahner for Morphosis.

DESIGNING AND EXPORTING THE ALUMINUM AND GLASS FLOOR ASSEMBLY

The Morphosis Exhibit in Paris includes a structural raised aluminum and glass floor. The system is on a slow incline, which begins at ground level and gradually raises to two feet. The structure was engineered to withstand the hundreds of people who would traffic the show.

Zahner engineers worked closely with the Morphosis design team to craft a system which would support the weight and provide ease of assembly for the non-technical install team in Paris.

In Kansas City at the Zahner facility, a mockup was erected, which provided insight into the system and confidence in the design plan. The custom engineered fin structure was manufactured as parts, and a small group of engineers installed the project France. The system was entirely built in a digital model and shipped without ever pre-assembling it in the Kansas City facility. There in France, the same engineers who designed the structure also erected it, and the aluminum floor came together seamlessly.

MOCA Cleveland

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Museum Cleveland--Ohio Fashid Moussavi Architecture, Westlake Reed Leskosky Black, Blue-grey L /by cmorris

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland

The new Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Cleveland comes from the architects at Farshid Moussavi Architects. The architects designed an elegant prism to house the museum’s collection in a new space that will maximize the 34,000 square foot structure. Zahner was brought on to provide complete facade services for the project, including design assist, engineering, fabrication, and installation of the building envelope & facade of glass and metal.

The design is deceptive in its complexity, appearing at first to be a hexagonal shape. When viewed from above, it becomes clear that the core of the structure is actually 92′ by 92′ cube. This addresses and resolves the common criticism that many of the newer museums with dynamic forms often face — that the space is not actually conducive for the display and viewing of art. This well-thought out museum brings the best of both worlds, with its visually striking design and ample space to display art.

The building’s hexagonal base gives the museum multiple entries, while the building’s square top lends itself to the museum’s rotating collection, allowing the space to be easily divided into flexible temporary spaces. Because the museum has no permanent collection of its own, it was important that the building’s interior lend itself to many different kinds of work.

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Cleveland.

Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland.

Zahner is closely involved with the construction of this shape and surface. Zahner produced a mock-up for the project in June of 2011 pictured below, and will work with the architects to translate the design of this intelligently conceived museum into an efficient and tightly engineered series of components.

TIMELAPSE OF THE MOCKUP FOR MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CLEVELAND

FILM © A. ZAHNER COMPANY.

Design Assist for MOCA Cleveland

Zahner provided Design Assist services for the architect. This team of engineers developed the design into a fully defined facade system. The contract entails a design charette, engineering, and a manufactured mockup to test performance details.

This design assist contract enables designers to meet their aesthetic and performance goals, while also working within a prescribed budget. It also puts the owner in control of costs because the entire facade has been defined digitally.

To meet the budget and design constraints required for the project, the team developed a mega-panel; pre-fabricated panels comprised of the finished interior skin, insulation, structure, sheathing, and waterproofing in a single unit.

The Cleveland MOCA’s smart angular design requires a highly engineered and crafted surface. In many ways, the building is as complex to build as some of our more curvilinear projects. The tight corners and edges have acute tolerances, leaving little wiggle room.

During May and June 2011, DAG and Operations teams worked with the architects to produce a mockup. This mockup served as a reference point for the design decisions as the project rolled out into production.

Photograph of the MOCA Cleveland nearing completion.

The mockup was built to simulate a corner-section at the top of the building. The mock-up for MOCA Cleveland was completed in June of 2011, and a few images of the architects’ visit are featured below.

Photograph of the MOCA Cleveland Mockup at Zahner.

Farshid Moussavi speaks with Zahner engineers about the MOCA Cleveland Mockup.

MOCA Cleveland Mockup during the FMA Visit.

Detail of the reflected sky in the MOCA Cleveland Mockup.

The material that was selected for this is a seductive dark mirror-polish stainless. Zahner has used a similar finish on a few projects, including a Libeskind-designed residence in the northeast United States. This metal surface is essentially a dark-tinted mirror, reflecting a darker image of its surroundings with perfect mirror accuracy, and imbuing the imagery of the sky and general surroundings on its dark polished surface. The image immediately above shows a detail of the reflected surface of both the inset glazing and the slightly darker reflective metal surface. The Zahner product that enables the flush glass and metal surfaces is called the Inverted Seam™ Glass System.

The building’s upward design was calculated to minimize distraction from reflected surfaces. The design was also tested using computer-modeled simulations of the sun as it arcs across the sky to prevent unwarranted glare and hot-spots.

This is the first museum by FMA, and its first major structure in the United States. Production is slated to begin late 2011, where the operations team and union artisans will begin the process of in-house fabrication and assembly. The custom-designed parts that result from this process are numbered, categorized, and shipped for rapid installation during the final phase of construction on-site. The $26.3-million project is part of a major redevelopment of Cleveland’s uptown area by Case Western Reserve University and MRN, Ltd. as well as others to revitalize the area. The project is managed by Donley’s in Cleveland, and is scheduled to break ground in late 2011.

Hunter Museum

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Museum Chattanooga--Tennessee Derthick-- Henley & Wilkerson, Hefferlin + Kronenberg Architects, Musalli-- Shakir-- and Mandilli, Randall Stout Architects Blue-grey, Grey, Silver L 2005 /by cmorris

THE Hunter Museum of American Art

Designed by architect Randall Stout Architects, the Hunter Museum of American Art is Zahner’s first project with the renowned firm. Mr. Stout grew up in Tennessee, so to be chosen to design Chattanooga’s new wing of the Hunter Museum was particularly meaningful for both the community as well as the architect.

The Museum sits on an 80′ tall bluff above the Tennessee River where the building’s dynamic lines and twisting curves provide a contrast to the original museum’s classic style, adjacent to Randall Stout’s contemporary design. In 2002 the Hunter Museum of American Art partnered with the City of Chattanooga, the Tennessee Aquarium and the Creative Discovery Museum to finish the 21st Century Waterfront Plan.

Zahner produced the geometric zinc metal surface as well as the curvilinear Angel Hair stainless steel roof forms, interior stainless steel stairway, and various metal details throughout the building.

Related Project

Taubman Museum

Designed by Randall Stout Architects, the building includes a range of metal components manufactured and installed by Zahner engineers and artisans. Zahner was responsible for engineering, fabrication, and installation of the exterior secondary structure and facade. Zahner also provided interior metal surfaces for the project.

View of the Hunter Museum of American Art at sunrise.

Detail of the New Hunter Museum entrance.

Visitors on the outdoor deck of the Hunter Museum.

Selecting the Surface

The architect’s specifications originally called for a limestone exterior in additional to the stainless steel curving roof. Limestone would have cladded the vertical walls as well as many of the slanting angles throughout the building. As the project progressed, it became apparent that installing limestone was implausible in many areas due to the structural weight of the material.

At this point, Zahner was already contracted to produce the stainless steel roof. The architect asked Zahner to come up with some textured surfaces to match the limestone aesthetic.

Zahner had already been developing a wide range of custom patinas on many alloys of metal. The design team worked through several options, and decided to replace the limestone with a light gauge Hunter Zinc panels system. The preweathered zinc surface has a tonality which closely resembles the limestone surroundings. This material was used throughout the museum, on both the interior walls and the exterior building envelope.

Building the Hunter’s Curves

The bright curving stainless steel surfaces on the Hunter Museum use two signature Zahner systems, ZEPPS and the Inverted Seam system. These systems combine to make a roof which curves exactly as the architect’s original drawings. This curving surface is visibly seamless and completely protects the building against the elements.

The stainless steel is treated and processed with the Angel Hair mechanical finish, which reduces the glaring hotspots common on more reflective stainless steel, and enhances the sheen and glowing bounce of light that it generates.

Contractors standing below several recently installed ZEPPS® Panels during construction.

The most efficient and effective way to build these curves is with large ZEPPS assemblies which are produced in the fabrication shop and shipped to the site as preassembled massive panels, as pictured above the construction workers in the reference image, above.

Each of these ZEPPS lines up with adjacent panels, and includes flexible connections which allow for tolerance if the structural steel that it bolts onto is misaligned. Ensuring the subtle curvatures is crucial, so building in these types of safeguards is an effective way to save time and money during the installation process.