Orange | Zahner

Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium

November 1, 2021/in Exterior Architecture Entertainment, Renovation, Sculpture, Zoo Omaha--Nebraska Smith Bourne & Associates Blue, Green, Grey, Orange, Silver, White M 2019 Featured /by dsegard

Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo

Originally built in 1995, renovations for the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium at the Omaha Zoo were completed in May 2020, featuring a redesigned facade, an updated outdoor cafeteria area, and new entrance features to the aquarium and aquarium conference center. As our third project in the Omaha metro area, Zahner provided various new design elements for this renovation, including the stainless steel wave facade on top of the building, the custom-cut metal coral features and column covers, the dimpled blue stainless steel cladding around the café, and the milled sea creatures that adorn the walls surrounding the space.

Completed Sea Turtle Cafe at the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

Completed entrance sign for the aquarium, fabricated utilizing Zahner's ZEPPS system.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium exterior and Sea Turtle Cafe at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo at sunset.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

Zahner was brought on early in the concept development stage to provide Design Assist, which allowed us to work closely with the project team to refine the design intent, provide guidance on materials and finishes, and construct a comprehensive mockup for review before the project went into full fabrication. Due to this collaboration, there were zero change orders on the scope, and installation ran smoothly in cooperation with the contractor and the other trades’ schedules.

Original sketch for the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium facade, by Mark Bourne.

Photo courtesy of Henry Doorly Zoo

Visual mockup for the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium facade, assembled in Zahner's Kansas City facility.

Night viewing of the mockup for the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium facade.

The freeform wave facade that sits atop the Sea Turtle Café was fabricated using Zahner’s ZEPPS™ technology, which combined the framing structure and the exterior skin into a complete curvilinear system. The individual wave units were pre-fabricated in our shop and shipped to the job site, where Zahner field technicians installed the full facade.

Zahner field workers install the wave facade on top of the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium.

PHOTO © A. ZAHNER COMPANY

Profile of the completed wave facade on top of the Sea Turtle Cafe at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

The face of the waves features a custom etched pattern that provides a reflective, rippling water effect.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

View of the Sea Turtle Cafe outdoor space at sunset with lighting.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

Various multi-color lighting systems were incorporated into the design to emphasize the aquatic theme at night.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

Decorative painted aluminum coral features adorn the edges of the café’s canopy and wrap the supporting columns. These were cut on our water jet before they were hand-rolled to the correct radius.

Custom-embossed blue stainless steel clads the walls of the Sea Turtle Café and mimics the look of rippling water. Zahner fabricated a custom die to create this seemingly random emboss pattern. This feature is further highlighted by the lighting throughout the space, creating a fully immersive experience for visitors.

Zahner also provided the various metal sea creatures that decorate the walls of the café and the entrance sign. Each sea creature was individually milled out of aluminum on our CNC equipment.

The dual-layered coral feaures were waterjet cut out of aluminum to clad the edge of the canopy.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

Custom rippled blue stainless steel clads the ceiling of the outdoor cafe to create an underwater feel to the space.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

Custom milled sea turtles and starfish against the rippled blue stainless steel cladding.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

Zahner millled out several different sea creatures to decorate the walls of the cafe, including sharks, jellyfish, turtles, stingrays, and starfish.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

All elements of Zahner's scope are further emphasized at night time.

Photo by Alexandra Hoffman, ARKO | © A. Zahner Company

In The Fold

September 27, 2021/in Sculpture Walnut Creek--California HKIT Architects Norie Sato Brown, Grey, Orange, Red, Silver M 2020 Featured /by dsegard

Viamonte at Walnut Creek Senior Living Folding Fence

This artwork entitled “In the Fold” was designed by renowned artist, Norie Sato, for the new Viamonte at Walnut Creek Senior Living Center in California. Zahner was brought on early in the design phase and provided design assist, engineering, and fabrication services for this project.

The fence is over 62 feet long, and over 7 feet tall at each peak. Inspired by the art of origami, the fence is comprised of dual-sided “Frost White” anodized aluminum and dual-sided Zahner Solanum™ weathering steel panels that are alternately folded to provide depth and an intricate profile. The branches pattern in the aluminum panels was waterjet cut while the leaves pattern on the Solanum panels was created using our ImageWall® custom-perforation technology.

"In the Fold" art fence at Viamonte Senior Living Center in Walnut Creek, CA.

Photo by Kevin Shea

The aluminum and steel panels are alternately folded to provide depth and an intricate profile.

Photo by Kevin Shea

Straight-on view of "In the Fold"

Photo by Kevin Shea

The branches pattern in the aluminum panels were waterjet cut.

Photo by Kevin Shea

The leaves pattern on the Solanum panels was created using our ImageWall® custom-perforation technology.

Photo by Kevin Shea

"In the Fold" has no front or back, and is made to be viewed from all angles.

Photo by Kevin Shea

The fence is comprised of dual-sided clear anodized aluminum and dual-sided Zahner Solanum™ weathering steel panels.

Photo by Kevin Shea

The detailed cutouts and patterns make for interesting and ever-changing shadows as the sun rises and sets.

Photo by Kevin Shea

Designed by Norie Sato, "In the Fold" is more than 62 feet in total length, and over 7 feet tall.

Photo by Kevin Shea

Amherst College Science Center

March 17, 2021/in Exterior Architecture Education Amherst--Massachusetts Payette Brown, Orange, Red M 2019 /by dsegard

Amherst College’s new Science Center building opened in the fall of 2018. Designed by Payette, the building provides state-of-the-art facilities and spaces to accommodate the interdisciplinary partnerships that are becoming increasingly more important for new discoveries in science. The exterior is inviting for all faculty and students to gather from all over campus, with surrounding garden and courtyard spaces perfect for casual interaction that draw together the sciences and the wider college community as a whole.

Zahner engineered, fabricated, and installed the Solanum Steel™ façade that clads the building’s exterior. The panels were custom perforated on our laser cutter and then patinated in our Grand Prairie facility.

Custom perforated Solanum screen engineered, fabricated, and installed by Zahner

Photo by Matt Eames, ARKO | © A Zahner Company

Custom perforated Solanum screen engineered, fabricated, and installed by Zahner

Photo by Matt Eames, ARKO | © A Zahner Company

Amherst College’s new Science Center building opened in the fall of 2018

Photo by Matt Eames, ARKO | © A Zahner Company

Solanum is a hand-applied patina on weathering steel that is oxidized to the furthest achievable stage, making it more stable than the leading Cor-Ten trademarked by US Steel.

Custom perforated Solanum™ Weathering Steel by Zahner®

Photo by Matt Eames, ARKO | © A Zahner Company

Custom perforated Solanum™ Weathering Steel by Zahner®

Photo by Matt Eames, ARKO | © A Zahner Company

Queen Anne’s Lace

October 18, 2017/in Art & Sculpture Private Art Kansas City Dierk Van Keppel, L. William Zahner Blue, Brown, Green, Indigo, Light blue, Orange, Red, Rose S 2010 /by cmorris

Queen Anne’s Lace artwork for Private Residence

Queen Anne’s Lace is an artwork made in collaboration with Dierk van Keppel for a private residence, manufactured using Zahner CNC-cut 1/2″ plate aluminum. The artwork draws inspiration from an image of the Queen Anne’s Lace flower found in the collector’s garden.

Zahner worked with Dierk Van Keppel whose studio at Rock Cottage Glass created the glass inlay for the artwork. The metal component of the piece was made in aluminum at the Zahner facility in Kansas City. The aluminum surface is processed with a GB-60 finish, providing a muted reflectivity.

Related Project

Queen Anne’s Lace

Detail of the Queen Anne's Lace artwork, showing how light can pass through the glass inlays.

1401 Lawrence

June 2, 2017/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Highrise, LEED, Parking Structure Denver--Colorado Beck Group Brown, Gold, Orange L 2016 /by cmorris

ne1401 Lawrence in Denver, Colorado

1401 Lawrence is a Beck Group-designed building which features a Zahner-manufactured entry screen facade as well as an interior perforated art wall made using ImageWall by Zahner. The screenwall serves as a natural ventilation surface for the residential tower’s above ground parking.

The new highrise is located in the heart of downtown Denver. The design integrates the historic fabric of Denver’s LoDo district with a refined and contemporary facade. The project is pursuing LEED Gold certification. The building’s exterior entrances are framed by a custom perforated metal manufactured by Zahner. Beck Group has worked with Zahner on a number of projects which require curvilinear forms and perforated metal, including the Harim Headquarters in Seoul and the Irving Convention Center in Dallas.

Related Project

Harim Tower

The Harim Group wanted its new corporate headquarters to reflect its focus on sustainability and caring for its employees and the public. Beck provided a unique design solution which introduced 86,000 SF of mid-rise office tower on a small but high-value site. The project includes a boardroom for Harim Group, high-end restaurants, and a café in addition to a range of office spaces.

Detail of the perforated and corrugated metal surface at 1401 Lawrence.

Interior perforated metal at the front desk for 1401 Lawrence.

Elevation showing the perforated metal soffit entrance at the 1401 Lawrence building.

Detail of the perforated and corrugated metal surface.

Two perforated metal entry facades for the 1401 Lawrence tower in Denver.

The building is a winner of the Design-Build Institute of America’s National Award of Merit in the Commercial Building Category and the NAIOP Colorado Office Development of the Year Award.

Irving Courtyard

January 5, 2017/in Exterior Architecture, Landscape Architecture Education, Passive Security Kansas City Gastinger Walker Harden Brown, Orange L 2006 /by cmorris

Irving Courtyard Screenwall at Kansas City Art Institute

The Irving Courtyard Screenwall is a large gateway, entry and artwork designed by Gastinger Walker and made by Zahner for the Kansas City Art Institute, completed in 2006. The architecture firm worked with Zahner engineers and fabricators to design, build, and install the sculptural screen which protects the school’s northwest entrance.

The design uses a custom die and unique pattern. Zahner software translated the architect’s pattern into a machine language to custom perforate the panels. The material is a preweathered corten or weathering steel surface.

Related Project

Irving Courtyard

Exterior view of the perforated metal gateway entry for Kansas City Art Institute.

Custom obround die-shapes were used to create the oval perforation patterns in the weathering steel.

The large gate provides a sense of privacy while allowing for open events at the school.

The perforated metal gate motif continues onto the brick wall as an wall-mounted metal artwork.

Children’s Hospital VCU

January 4, 2017/in Exterior Architecture Healthcare, LEED, Parking Structure Richmond--Virginia HKS, HKS Line Brown, Orange, Red L 2015 /by cmorris

Parking Structure for Children’s Hospital of Richmond Pavilion

The Children’s Hospital of Richmond Pavilion (CHoRP) is an HKS-designed building featuring Zahner perforated and patinated zinc throughout its exterior parking facade. The new building serves as a 15-story ambulatory pavilion built on East Broad Street between Tenth and Eleventh Street. The building consolidates existing pediatric clinics into a single urban location in downtown Richmond, Virginia.

Zahner worked with the HKS Line team to provide a custom-perforated skin on three types of patinated zinc. The second, third, and fourth floors of this new building feature a perforated facade which provides airflow into the parking contained within.

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.

Custom patinated zinc and aluminum panels adorn the parking facade for Children's Hospital Richmond Pavilion.

Night photo of the Children's Hospital of Richmond Pavilion.

Dusk at the Children's Hospital of Richmond Pavilion.

Detail of the perforated metal facade for Children's Hospital.

Diagram of the Children's Hospital Richmond.

Ball State Artworks

December 30, 2016/in Art & Sculpture Sculpture Muncie--Indiana Kevin Klinger Brown, Orange M 2006 /by cmorris

Ball State University Student Artworks

Ball State University students created a series of custom artworks which were each manufactured by Zahner in Kansas City. Professor Kevin Klinger’s immersive design studio at Ball State University in Indiana gives students first-hand experience in translating digital designs into permanent installations. The students worked directly with A. Zahner Company, learning about the collaborative process used by architecture firms working with custom manufacturers.

Related Project

reBarn

As part of the designer's intent, Zahner developed a series of etched patterns into the aluminum plate. In all, five water-jet aluminum plates were cut for the outer shell and over 350 aluminum joints were cut which align the sculptures form underneath the surface.

The students used generative processes to design perforation and folding patterns, which were applied to a sculptural ribbons of weathering steel and stainless steel. The sculptures were installed in two locations: one at the Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, Indiana; and the other at the Indianapolis Art Center campus. In addition to these two projects, which are pictured below, a third project was completed with the students at Ball State: the reBarn project made in wood and aluminum.

Ball State artwork at the Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, Indiana.

Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, Indiana

Design students were able to observe the weathering steel patina develop into the protective layer of oxidation, preventing the steel from further corrosion. The second installation, at the Indianapolis Art Center, used black interference stainless steel in addition to the weather steel forms:

Diagram of the installation at Indianapolis Art Center.

Installation at the Indianapolis Art Center.

Midland Theatre

December 15, 2016/in Art & Sculpture, Exterior Architecture Historic, Performance Center, Renovation, Restoration Kansas City BNIM Tom Corbin Gold, Orange S 1987 /by cmorris

Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland

Midland Theatre is a historic 3,573-seat theater located in the Power & Light District of Kansas City, Missouri. The building was originally designed by Boller Bros, and has at various states been restored and renovated.

In 1987, Zahner was brought in by BNIM and and artist Tom Corbin to develop the custom architectural metal for the historic theater’s restoration.
Working from historic photographs, Zahner worked to carefully detail new fabricated components for the building’s metal marquee. Zahner artisans fabricated these parts in sheet brass and muntz, working to integrate the molded brass features cast by Tom Corbin in his foundry.
The end result is a golden marquee which resonates with the building’s original 1927 appearance.

Midtown Theatre Marquee restored to its 1927 appearance.

Restored Midland Theatre in the early 1990's.

Zahner fabricators put the finishing touches on the Midtown canopy

Detail of the cast bronze, brass and sheet Muntz Metal fabrication.

AECOM Cleveland Office Interior

December 6, 2016/in Interior Architecture Workplace Cleveland--Ohio AECOM Gold, Orange, Red, Violet S 2016 /by cmorris

AECOM Corporate Office at Penton Media Building

AECOM Buildings and Places division was responsible for developing the new offices at the Penton Media Building in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The design team used Zahner ImageWall to develop a bold interior panel system for its foyer.

For its interior entrance, it was important to establish a rich and yet contemporary setting. The design team selected Dirty Penny, a copper alloy with custom patina developed by Zahner. The material has an iridescent appearance, a result of its interference effect from the mineralized patina oxide layer on its surface. In addition to perforations in the metal surface, the designers went one step further. The copper metal system is further punctuated by a series of custom emboss/deboss punches pressed into the surface of the panels.