Red | Zahner

MoPop Museum

Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

Jimi Hendrix inspired the name, Frank Gehry designed the project, and Zahner produced the stunning curvilinear forms and structure. Residing in the shadow of the Seattle Space Needle, the Experience Music Project (now the Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPOP) was completed in 2000.

Gehry’s unique design required a creative approach to engineering and fabrication. The Museum was one of the first projects to use ZEPPS, the Zahner technology for producing curvilinear and complex structures. The process resulted in 3,300 unique structural assemblies clad in 21,000 metal sheets — for a total surface area of more than 140,000 square feet of curving metal. No two sheets and no two panel assemblies are the same.

Surface techniques are similarly varied, and include Angel Hair stainless steel, red interference-coated stainless steel and fluorocarbon-coated aluminum.

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The most complex exterior skin ever devised for a building.

Civil Engineering MagazineSteve M. Huey.

Constructing the Building Envelope

Working with Gehry’s design, the Zahner team developed a process for reducing curves into large, pre-fabricated assemblies which could then be easily shipped and rapidly installed. Thus, the Zahner Engineered Profiled Panel System (ZEPPS) came into being.

At its core, the ZEPPS process consists of an aluminum support structure, clad in a layer of sheet metal. A final metal layer (of the designer’s selection) completes the assembly and is usually installed onsite. The ZEPPS process efficiently produces complex forms with minimal waste, reducing a building’s ecological footprint.

Since the EMP Museum’s completion, the ZEPPS system has undergone several iterations, growing more powerful, accurate, and refined. The process continues to be the preferred method for manufacturing sculptural form.

Dome on the Plaza

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Historic Kansas City Gastinger Walker Harden Brown, Orange, Red, Yellow M 2008 /by cmorris

The Dome on the Country Club Plaza

Working with Gastinger Walker Harden Architects and Highwood Properties, Zahner produced the subtly spiraling domed roof for Baja 600 Restaurant on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. Zahner designed, engineered, fabricated, and installed the Dome using zinc with custom patina.

The Dome on The Plaza uses Roano Zinc, a preweathered zinc with custom patina. The Roano Zinc surface is an aged patina whose variegated tones vary from panel to panel, creating an aged aesthetic suitable for both contemporary and historic architecture.

Domed roofs are complex feats of engineering, and this one is no different. Constructing the dome’s cladding required sophisticated planning and layout. Each row of panels is characterized by a unique panel shape, requiring over twenty panel types. Zahner engineers mapped the thirty foot diameter dome so that the complex surface would be easily installed.

Roano Zinc patina featured as part of the Dome on the Plaza.

Photograph of the Dome on the Plaza after decade of aging.

Roano Zinc-clad Dome on the Country Club Plaza during installation.

de Young Museum

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Museum San Francisco Bay Fong & Chan Architects, Herzog & de Meuron Brown, Gold, Green, Red XL 2005 /by cmorris

M. H. de Young Memorial Museum

Named for San Francisco newspaperman M. H. de Young, this building is a completely reworked redesign from the original museum, which opened in 1895 as an outgrowth of the California International Exposition of 1894. After the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 which completely ravaged the original building’s structure, the de Young board began working to fund a restructuring of the building, and the resulting winner of the competition for its redesign in the late 1990’s was acclaimed Swiss architects, Jacques Herzog & Pierre de Meuron.

Herzog & de Meuron developed the idea of a variably perforated screen exterior which would mirror the green foliage and forestry of the surrounding Golden Gate Park, San Francisco’s central park. The architects worked with Zahner whose engineers and software specialists developed a system which would allow unique perforation and patterned dimples, variably sized and placed throughout the exterior. This included near 8000 unique facade panels — the collective whole which formed patterns of light as seen through trees. This was the first iteration of the Zahner Interpretive Relational Algorithmic Process, or the ZIRA Process.

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Craftsmanship in large buildings is supposed to be dead, killed by Modernist ideology and cost considerations. What this building says is that maybe craftsmanship has a high-tech future after all.

Time MagazineNone.

Aerial view of the de Young Museum in San Francisco, California

Aerial view of the de Young Museum roof.

Inverted Seam roof system and channel design for the de Young Museum roof

Outdoor cafe under the de Young Museum canopy awning

At the time, this mosaic algorithmic process was emerging, but was undeveloped in the use of perforated and embossed metal. Zahner assembled a team of software developers and engineers to assist in this technological advancement.

The architects came up with a photo taken pointed up through the trees, and in several parts of the museum, light filters through the perforated system of holes, revealing shadows similar in shape and form to those of actual trees. ZIRA technology was developed to streamline this complex series of variable holes in the copper, allowing engineers to run chosen imagery through the algorithmic system, translating it to the thousands of copper plates.

Source imagery and installed panel system for the ‘Children’s Entry’ at the de Young Museum.

Above left, the surface of the ‘Children’s Entry’ was created using imagery from a photograph provided by the architects (right). The vantage point looks up into a sky obscured by trees. Similarly, the section of the Museum featuring this surface was initially open, recreating the effect on metal. Since installation, the area has been covered for moisture control.

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… A sensual copper skin that will evolve over time.

Sarah Amelarauthor, Architectural Record..

Architects originally called for a light golden-hued appearance for the Museum. However, as the intentions evolved, a desire for the Museum to blend and emerge from its forested surroundings like an ancient indigenous structure.

De Young Museum cover feature in Architectural Record

The November, 2005 issue of "Architectural Record" magazine has placed the New de Young Museum on their cover and, in a section devoted to museum projects around the world [pages 104—115].

Patina transition over time on the de Young Museum

Zahner helped to guide this decision for the client. Understanding how copper alloys weather over time, and understanding the integrity and durability of the material is key to its selection process. Zahner brought the clients into the fold of this knowledge, educating the design team on how over the next few decades, the copper facade and roof would transition from its bright golden red, to a dark brown, to a black, and finally, after a decade or more, it will slowly emerge into earthy greens.

In clean air environments — which San Francisco generally has great air quality — this process can take much longer. Copper oxidizes quickly in polluted areas. In cleaner environments, this process could take twenty to thirty years.

The following information is a snapshot of the building statistics:

Area of copper panels on the building: 129,900 square feet of copper panels.
Area of copper on the roof cladding: 55,500 square feet of copper panels and 6,500 linear feet of custom battens.
Area of copper on the tower: 33,218 square feet of copper panels.
Number of panels — Main building: 5,757; Roof: 3,513; Tower: 1,845.
Number of perforations — Building: 920,699; Tower: 803,229
There are approximately 1,500,000 bumps of the surface. This includes the four levels of bumps that go in and four levels that come out. These bumps, along with the flat plane, results in nine different levels of surface texture.
Pounds of copper utilized. . .1,121,992. This translates too. . .2,201 cubic feet or 1 sheet of copper that is 1 meter wide by 21.6 miles long.
The 70,000 pounds of the custom alloy, custom bronze extrusions utilized for the tower system were also designed and engineered by Zahner.

Daeyang Gallery

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Museum, Residential Asia, International, Seoul--South Korea E.Rae Architects, Steven Holl Architects Red M 2011 /by cmorris

WRNS Studio is an architecture and planning firm that provides sustainable design for education, healthcare, transportation, civic and urban mixed-use. The award-winning firm is recognized nationally, and is based in San Francisco with offices in New York City and Honolulu.

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.

Daeyang Gallery and House

Designed by Steven Holl Architects with architect of record E.Rae Architects of Seoul, this unique structure serves dual purposes, as both a residential guest house as well as an art gallery for visitors. JongSeo Lee of Steven Holl Architects was the associate in charge, and the project was completed in 2011.

The structure’s geometry is inspired by a John Cage sketch for a music score by the composer Istvan Anhalt, ‘Symphony of Modules,’ which Cage illustrated in an abstract form. The unusual shaped composition has now been reimagined as the plan layout of the Daeyang residence, continuing the chain from music, to art, to architecture.

This state of continued change and process informs many aspects of the building. Zahner worked closely with both the owner and the design team to develop a custom patina for the copper panel system that would match the desired coloration with natural warmth and texture.

Related Surface

Daeyang Gallery

Because of the unique range of tones and the material’s rich aging process, copper holds a special significance in the hearts and minds of those at Zahner. The material’s tone and color is perpetually in a state of flux, changing with each location based on the temperature, moisture, and pollutants in its environment.

This constant state of change will add character and soul to the gallery’s surface. The custom deep red tone that was developed will likely darken over time, and eventually may even begin to green and blue. The difference between copper and other materials, is that this constant state of ‘corrosion’ is actually the process of forming a stunningly beautiful protective barrier which will outlast any sealer, paint, or protective coating.

View through the slats of the Daeyang Gallery entrance.

Architect's model of the Daeyang Gallery and House.

Front gates of the Daeyang Gallery and House.

Detail of the copper patina for the Daeyang Gallery and House.

Panoramic of the Daeyang Gallery and House during construction.

Bamboo form construction for Daeyang Gallery and House.

Copper wall panel for the Daeyang Gallery and House.

Daeyang Gallery and House during construction.

Installation of wall panel systems for Daeyang Gallery and House.

The custom panels were installed by local workers in Seoul, South Korea. Zahner supplied the pre-engineered panels which securely locked into the substructure. Photographs of the completed building can be viewed at Steven Holl Architects website.

Clyde Frazier NYC

August 15, 2016/in Interior Architecture Restaurant New York City Morphosis Black, Blue, Blue-grey, Brown, Charcoal, Gold, Green, Grey, Indigo, Light blue, Magenta, Orange, Red, Silver, Violet, White, Yellow M 2012 /by cmorris

Clyde Frazier’s Wine & Dine in New York City

Clyde Frazier’s Wine & Dine is a new construction high-end sports bar and eatery designed by Morphosis. The space features a Zahner-manufactured ceiling, made using generative design and automated fabrication.

Designed by Morphosis for NBA Champion and former New York Knicks Player Walt Clyde Frazier, this New York City restaurant expands a full city block in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. A swarm of suit jackets dominates the central corridor of Clyde Frazier’s Wine and Dine, a 10,000 square foot experience which mixes American and Asian cuisines.

Zahner provided the ceiling architectural feature. This ceiling is made up of custom cut and folded aluminum plates, 544 in total. The aluminum plates are printed from photographs of Mr. Frazier’s suit jackets. These parts are segmented into six unique shapes, where are placed at intervals of increasing distance. This interval placement creates the illusion that every part is unique.

Clyde Frazier's Wine & Dine in New York City.

The colors in the model categorize the panels according to breaks and sizes. Between the differing anchor placements, prints, panel sizes, and panel shapes, all 544 aluminum panels ended up being unique.

Even more complex were the ribs which held them in place. Because the panels were anchored at different angles, every drill hole had to be custom placed. Thus, each of the 69 ribs had 6 segments for a total of 463 segments, each with 3 unique faces.

3D model for Clyde Frazier's Wine and Dine.

“The transformative feature in the room, however, is suspended from the ceiling, where a 170-foot-long assemblage of colorful, patterned, flat and folded aluminum fins floats over the dining area, bar, and lounge. Morphosis found the stripes, plaids, and prints for this polychromatic sculptural reef in Frazier’s closets.

The architects photographed their contents and, working with Zahner’s metal fabricators, digitally printed images for a film adhesive applied to 544 aluminum panels of six shapes. The palette varies from blue to brown-gold to charcoal, with red painted undersides enhancing the gestalt. ‘It’s mesmerizing,’ says Frazier.” — Suzanne Stephens, Architectural Record.

Five threaded rods support each rib. The central columns do not hold the weight of the panels.

Aluminum fabricated-metal forms with custom printed and mounted graphics.

Installation process at Clyde Frazier's Wine and Dine

Installation of the printed aluminum fabrications.

Arkansas House

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Residential Northwest Arkansas Marlon Blackwell Architects Brown, Orange, Red M 2004 /by cmorris

Private Residence in Northwest Arkansas

This major home renovation in Northwestern Arkansas by architect Marlon Blackwell Architects is clad in an accelerated weathering steel facade system manufactured by Zahner.

The residential project’s interior wood and metal surfaces act as an interior liner to the building’s rough-to-the-touch Solanum Steel exterior architectural monitors. Flooring of rift-sawn cherry and walnut also act to form an interior liner. Taut and highly crafted, this refined surface acts as an interior liner to the exterior monitors clad in weathering steel shingles.

The architect’s challenge for the project was to reassemble a fire-damaged home while introducing possibilities for the transformation of the house’s spatial character. The design was defined in three weeks and the details were settled after construction began. The architect could work only in areas damaged by the fire, leaving the rest untouched for insurance purposes.

Related Surface

Arkansas House

Details of the Solanum Steel exterior cladding on the Arkansas House.

The Solanum Steel surface was used to clad the window seals.

Detail of the Solanum Steel facade against the windows.

Detail of the Arkansas House interior with detail of the Solanum Steel feature wall.

Starlight Theater

October 21, 2010/in Art & Sculpture, Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture Historic, Performance Center Kansas City Gastinger Walker Harden Blue, Brown, Green, Red L 2000 /by cmorris

Starlight Theatre and Stagehouse in Kansas City

Zahner has been involved in a range of scopes for the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, ranging from the roof and cupola turrets, as well as the Donor’s Circle completed with artist Dierk Van Keppel.

Starlight Theatre has a rich history, which dates back to 1925, when a Romanian Queen visited Kansas City. The city’s Federation of Music worked to bring a musical showcase which raised nearly ten thousand dollars, which began the movement for an outdoor theatre space. In 1951, construction was completed.

Building the Stagehouse for Starlight Theatre

In the late 1990s, they theatre company recognized a need to fortify For the Theatre’s centennial, a new building was completed to improve that quality of productions which could be performed at Starlight. In 2000, Zahner was responsible for manufacturing the new roof system for the amphitheater. Named the Jeannette and Jerome Cohen Community Stage, the new stage also included a roof for Starlight theatre, and increased its technical capability, making it one of the largest roadhouses in the country.

Starlight Theatre in Kansas City.

Photo courtesy of America’s Roof.

Photos of Starlight Theatre during construction.

Photo A. Zahner Company.

In addition to producing their own shows, Starlight began presenting major national tours in 2000 so they could bring more recent and contemporary Broadway musicals to Kansas City as well as share their productions with indoor theaters around the country. This increased production versatility has continued to make Starlight Theatre a summer favorite for residents and visitors alike.

Detail of the metal ceiling system made for the Starlight Theatre Donor's Circle

Related Project

Starlight Donor’s Circle

Zahner engineers and artisans worked with Gastinger Walker Harden, with Bob Rohlf and the Starlight Theatre Association of Kansas City to engineer, fabricate, and install the artwork. The surface features glass cast by local Kansas City artist Dierk Van Keppel.

Zahner manufactured the roof, cupolas, and turret towers in raw unpatinated copper, also known as “red copper”. This material quickly went from the golden-orange tones above into a warm darker tone. This material will continue to patina, and one day develop into a green verdigris patina on the building’s roof.