L | Zahner

Hoi Polloi

August 15, 2016/in Art & Sculpture, Landscape Architecture Public Art, Sculpture, Urban Design St. Louis--Missouri HNTB Lindsey Stouffer L, M 2006 /by cmorris

Hoi Polloi at Forsyth Metrolink Station

Hoi Polloi is a public artwork by Lindsey Stouffer, located at the Forsyth Metrolink stop in the greater St. Louis area. The artwork was manufactured by Zahner in Kansas City.

The Forsyth St. Louis MetroLink stop is a below-grade, open-air station located at the intersection of Forest Park Parkway and Forsyth Boulevard on the border of University City and Clayton, Missouri in the greater St. Louis metro area. The public artwork is one of nine commissioned for the St. Louis railway extension as part of the HNTB-designed Cross County Metrolink Extension.

Related Project

Capitol Federal Hall

The building features various exterior and interior metalwork, design-engineered and manufactured by Zahner. The project was completed in 2015. Zahner worked with architects Gensler and Gastinger Walker, under the construction management of JE Dunn.

Hoi Polloi public artwork for the St. Louis Metrolink at Forsyth Station.

The artwork consists of four large metal screen assemblies which face one another, divided by the metro’s train tracks. Perforations in the screens create an optical illusion, a moire effect which appears to shimmer as viewers descend into the amphitheater-like space.

The Manufacturer Behind Public Art

Zahner was selected by the artist to produce this public artwork for the St. Louis Metrolink. The artist’s plans were translated to constructible schematics through Zahner’s Design Assist program, a process whereby Zahner engineers work within a budget to develop a customized plan for building art and architecture.

After the design assist phase, the project went through a more typical engineering for production, and was then manufactured at the Zahner plant in Kansas City. The parts were crated and shipped to the jobsite, where the sculpture was assembled and installed by Zahner’s fabrication team.

Related System

Guardrail Systems

Custom guardrail systems are a critical component of providing a design which is both safe and friendly for unique architectural environments. Zahner works with designers to provide bespoke handrail and guardrail systems for their projects.

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It’s intended to feel intimate and monolithic, durable and penetrable, relevant and timeless, specific and general.

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Perfectly Perforated

Over the early 1990's, patterned usage of perforated metal began to appear. At the time, the pattern were limited by programming. It wasn't until the early two-thousands, when Herzog & de Meuron designed the de Young Museum, that perforated metal would truly enter into its own.

Hoi Polloi explores the way a person thinks and feels entering a public space. ”It’s intended to feel intimate and monolithic, durable and penetrable, relevant and timeless, specific and general.“ — Lindsey Stouffer, the artist behind Hoi Polloi, a large-scale public artwork for the Forysthe Metrolink Station.

Zahner created the two main artworks on the site, which measure 20’ h. x 15’ w. (South), and 26’ h. x 30’ w. (North). Zahner was also responsible for crafting a custom railing system which integrates into the hardware of the perforated metal artwork.

Zahner’s involvement with the art community for both public and private artworks has steadily increased as the company produces ever-more complex and artistically innovative works of architecture.

As many works of public art do, the Hoi Polloi environmental sculpture straddles the line between fine art and architecture, and pushes the boundaries of both in the process.

Pueblo Library

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Library Pueblo--Colorado Anderson Mason Dale, Antoine Predock Architect PC Black, Violet L 2003 /by cmorris

Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library

The Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library in Pueblo, Colorado is an Antoine Predock-designed building featuring Zahner fabrication. The library is a new construction project which provides 109,000 SF of facility for residents of the Colorado town.

Built on the site of the original library, the design by Predock rises five stories to allow view of surrounding mountains and the Arkansas Valley. The building incorporates portions of the existing library and spans across Bates Lane to additional property to the South.

Zahner provided the interior and exterior copper metalwork with a preweathered patina. The building’s dark patinated copper tones allow it to absorb into its natural regional landscape.

Related Surface

Pueblo Library

Manufacturing Details for Pueblo Library

The copper wall panels made by Zahner are 30 inches wide by 142 inches tall and number 1545 wall panels and 739 soffit. The building elevations were completely laid out as a digital model for accurate layout of custom panel expansion joints.

A total of 1,545 wall panels and 739 soffit panels were provided by Zahner. The copper panels were custom manufactured from 1.5mm thick copper plates and installed using the Inverted Seam Wall System.

The facade is clad in a darkened custom patinated panel system using the Dirty Penny patina on copper, an artistic patina with significant variation.

Harold Washington Library

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Library Chicago--Illinois Hammond-- Beeby and Babka Kent Bloomer, Raymond Kaskey Green L 1991 /by cmorris

Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago, Illinois

Rising amidst the iconic buildings of Chicago, the Harold Washington Library stands 10 stories high and has been noted as one of the largest libraries in the United States. The architects responsible for the building, Hammond, Beeby and Babka are known for producing designs which employ modernism with historical allusion, often described as belonging to the postmodern movement of design.

Zahner’s involvement on the project was in regards to the architectural forms and building cornices designed by artists Kent Bloomer and Raymond Kaskey. These works form the iconic figurehead of the building, a modern take on the gargoyle iconography and the flourishes of baroque sculptures in patinated copper tones. However, the sculptures produced were actually manufactured using contemporary materials, plates of aluminum, riveted and finished with a polyester finish in the traditional verdigris tone.

The aluminum leaf forms and steel cornice railing are each powder coated with a green-toned polyester finish. Zahner provided the larger forms of these acroterion, using a foam placeholder for the smaller sculptures welded to these artworks. The animal sculptures were produced by the artist studio, and attached by Zahner.

Harold Washington Library photographed in 2015, twenty-five years after manufacturing.

Architectural forms for Harold Washington Library in the Zahner shop.

A shipment of the cornices for Harold Washington Library leaves the Zahner shop.

The aluminum cornices for the Harold Washington Library in Chicago, Illinois.

A foam placeholder stands in for the cast owl acroterion sculpture prior to installation.

A single panel of the Harold Library cornices at the painter.

Grace Farms

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture LEED, Worship Center New Canaan--Connecticut, Northeastern United States Handel Architects, SANAA Silver L 2015 Featured /by cmorris

The River at Grace Farms in New Canaan, Connecticut

Descending into a valley at Grace Farms in New Canaan Connecticut, The River consists of five volumes linked together by a single curving roof. SANAA designed the project with Handel Architects serving as the executive architect. The new building provides a sanctuary, library, court, commons, and pavilion, all under an aluminum roof by Zahner.

Zahner’s Design Assist team was brought into the project for their expertise in engineering and manufacturing systems for custom building envelopes. The panel system provides a subtle dual curvature, and yet consists of standard-sized sheets of exterior anodized aluminum. Zahner developed the roof in close collaboration with the architects, who provided feedback and requirements for its aesthetic performance.

“Our goal with the River is to make the architecture become part of the landscape. We hope that those who are on the property will have a greater enjoyment of the beautiful environment and changing seasons through the spaces and experience created by the River.”
— Sharon Prince, Grace Farms Foundation President.

The River at Grace Farms, in New Canaan, Connecticut

The building's reflective roof appears as a river below the feet of visitors on the hill.

Roof detail for Grace Farms, designed by SANAA.

The River at Grace Farms, exterior anodized aluminum.

Wood panel ceiling provides a canopy for The River at Grace Farms

A landscape painter at Grace Farms in New Canaan, Connecticut.

The Sanctuary at Grace Farms in New Canaan, Connecticut.

The River at Grace Farms, New Canaan, Connecticut

Profile of the roof detail at Grace Farms.

PHOTO © A. ZAHNER COMPANY.

The building's wooden soffit provides a contrast to its reflective aluminum roof.

Grace Farms roof winds its way up the hill.

Grace Farms roof has a warm soffit manufactured in wood.

Creating the Grace Farms dual-curving serpentine Roof

To achieve dual curvatures and other complex shapes, many roof systems use ZEPPS, a Zahner system for achieving sculptural forms in architecture. However, for the Grace Farms project, the dual curvatures of the roof were subtle and didn’t require dramatic curves. So the engineering team at Zahner developed a light-weight system to achieve the shape, without the need for a custom ZEPPS specification.

The roof system was made by the use of several custom aluminum extrusions. These form a channel system between the aluminum skins. Within this channel, a floating aluminum plate snaps into place, which provides a smooth visual transition between the aluminum panels.

Details of the Grace Farms roof system during construction

One of the economic advantages of this custom roof system, is that it allowed for the use of a standard-sized aluminum plate, 20′ in length. The only custom roof panels required are along the roof’s edge, which were cut at custom angles to provide the roof’s contoured edge.

Zahner field installers were also involved in putting together the system, and provided feedback to the engineering team in Kansas City. The system was also simple to install, and provided flexibility for the field operators who put it together — flexibility without sacrificing aesthetics.

Detail of the panels to create the dual curve roof on Grace Farms.

Installers place the structural steel supports for the Grace Farms roof.

The decision to allow the the aluminum roof panels to overhang the building’s edge created an intriguing aesthetic effect. Because of the way that the aluminum interfaces with the building’s edge, the spacing between panels becomes visible against the sky above. This void between panels is further accentuated by the shadows that they cast along the soffit. The shadow provides a kind of sun dial, creating diagonal marks across the building’s profile, visible in many of the photographs of the building.

The sliver of light which passes between the panel’s void provides a unique aesthetic effect, appearing as a sharp diagonal line between the shadows. This sunbeam’s angle changes as the sun passes across the sky.

Installers lay the panels to create the dual curve roof on Grace Farms.

Grace Farms was designed by SANAA with Handel Architects as its architect of record. Sciame managed the project, and Zahner engineering and manufactured the exterior roof system, coordinating the enclosure system with Dahill who provided the waterproofing for the roofing components.

Gates Hall at Cornell

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Education, LEED Ithaca--New York Morphosis Orange, Silver L 2014 /by cmorris

Bill & Melinda Gates Hall at Cornell University

Gates Hall is a new computer science building for students of Cornell in Ithaca, New York. Designed by Morphosis Architects, the building features Zahner custom systems for the soffit, interior entry foyer, and exterior facade. The building, named for Bill & Melinda Gates, is a dedicated building for Cornell University’s Computing and Information Science (CIS) program.

The project’s facade is designed using generative processes developed by Morphosis. Its unique appearance also serves the building’s environment performance, reducing heat gain while providing natural light into the offices and classrooms.

The complex facade appears to be made up of unique parts, but there are several typical forms which are cleverly spaced to give the appearance that each part is unique. This technique of using the negative space to create complex visuals is a hallmark of the architecture firm’s genius, and can be seen on other Morphosis projects such as Emerson College LA and Bloomberg Center.

Related Project

Emerson LA

Working with Zahner's Design Assist team of engineers, designers and fabricators, this generative design was developed for manufacturing. A team of Zahner installers completed the project in Los Angeles, providing the campus with a visually compelling, efficiently envisioned, and rapidly completed building envelope system.

Zahner worked with Morphosis to optimize the frame panel system, reducing it to the fewest number of components. By switching from bulky hollow frames to a combination of angles and plates, Zahner minimized the leading edges and simplified its compound joint conditions, resulting in sharper lines and cleaner forms at a reduced cost.

Photograph of the Gates Hall main entrance and soffit system.

Metal panel system provide the building's offices with natural light and shading.

Field time and layout were reduced immensely by using a three-point attachment scheme and coordinating anchor locations beforehand, which were fabricated into the mullions. There are 450 total framed panels using 90 panel types, fabricated by Zahner for the facade. Each panel was pre-designated and automatically numbered with its specific location and pre-installed mullion incorporated anchor-tabs awaiting their arrival.

The facade project team included Zahner working directly with glass installer W&W to optimize the panel system. Thornton Tomasetti provided the structure’s engineering, and Welliver was the construction manager that coordinated and ensured the project’s success. The project team’s delivery of the angular sunshades should contribute to the building’s expected LEED Gold certification.

Reducing the cost of the Gates Hall facade with Design Assist

Because Zahner not only fabricates but also engineers its facades, Design Assist is often employed for complex facades such as Gates Hall at Cornell. By managing the project under a Design Assist contract, Zahner was able to refine the façade elements with Morphosis to arrive at a system that achieved the aesthetic intent and was streamlined for fabrication and installation.

Interior foyer with stainless steel entrance metalwork.

Detail of the exterior galvanized steel facade connection.

Detail of the orange-painted aluminum soffit system used on Gates Hall at Cornell University.

The design team members examine the Zahner mockup as part of the Design Assist contract.

Detail of the interior metalwork on the Gates Hall at Cornell.

Engineering rendering and construction photograph of the completed facade.

Using Zahner’s Design Assist process allowed Morphosis to hone the costs of their design while meeting its visual requirements. Once the design intent was solidified, Zahner clarified the forms, both aesthetically and functionally. This resulted in reduced waste and construction delays, as well as a reduction in the overall cost.

The facade was designed to create the illusion of movement through a series of rigid forms. By varying the shape and angle that panels integrated into the panel system, Morphosis was able to create smooth transitions across the surface. Each panel is mounted on a staggered galvanized steel frame, and skinned with perforated stainless steel.

The design team members overlook the window unit integration of the completed facade.

Gates Hall facade seen from the adjacent baseball field parking structure.

Photograph of students entering the overhanging panel at Gates Hall.

Detail of the custom metal panels used on Gates Hall at Cornell.

Building the Entrance Soffit

In addition to the building’s generative facade, Zahner also engineered and manufactured the bright orange soffit under the main entrance. The sloping curves of the painted aluminum soffit contrast against the angularities of its framed panels.

Zahner used the ZEPPS assemblies on the soffit to achieve this flowing surface. Systematic production of seven internal fin members per panel created the continuous curves and minimized the number of joints. Support members follow the profile of the soffit to ensure the efficiency of the final surface and optimal installation.

Zahner's soffit layout and design for the main entrance.

Photograph of orange-coated aluminum soffit panel system at Gates Hall.

Atrium at Gates Hall, shows the interior feature wall installed and fabricated by Zahner.

Detail of the shaded perforated metal panel system at Cornell's Science Center.

Student Lounge at Gates Hall, shaded by the perforated panel system by Zahner.

Building with Morphosis

Zahner has worked with Morphosis on several projects including Cooper Union and Clyde’s Wine and Dine in New York City, and the Eugene Federal Courthouse in Oregon, and Emerson LA in California. Because of these successful collaborations, Morphosis brought Zahner onboard during the planning stages to provide Design Assist.

Freedom Center

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Museum Cincinnati--Ohio Blackburn Architects, Bora Architects Brown L 2004 /by cmorris

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

A new copper and stone building rises in downtown Cincinnati, an icon in its own right in the midst of other grand architectural works such as Libeskind’s Ascent at Roebling’s Bridge and Zaha Hadid’s Rosenthal Center.

The Freedom Center features copper flat seam wall panels and associated flashings. The material was installed as raw copper panels and allowed to age naturally. This authentic process meant that the bright red copper quickly developed a dark reddish-brown patina, which will mature into its final form of light blues and greens. The museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Museum, which means that the Freedom Center has access to the immense stored collection of The Smithsonian.

The architectural team for the Freedom Center was designed by BORA with Blackburn Architects. Design of the new building began in 1998, broke ground in 2002, and was completed in 2004.

Related Surface

Freedom Center

Upward view of the Freedom Center copper panels which have patinated to a dark red-brown.

Detail of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Photograph of the curving paths which cut through Freedom Center.

The location of the project is just north of the Ohio river, a significant location noted by Brian Libby in the Metropolis Mag:

‘When escaped slaves made their way north to freedom along the Underground Railroad, the Ohio River was a place to celebrate a bit before continuing on. Ohio law banned slavery, but superseding federal law allowed whites to re-capture slaves that had crossed the river and return them to Southern slave owners. As a result, most slaves using the Railroad continued further north.’

The notion of continuing on can be seen in the design of the building, as curving paths cut through the north/south axis of the building, further emphasizing the continued movement for freedom and social rights.

Copper panels will continue to weather at Freedom Center.

installation of raw copper panels at Freedom Center.

Resources and Press

“It takes courage to place a monument to racial harmony and diversity at the doorstep to your city. We had the nerve to do that.” — New York Times, Bruce Webber, August 01, 2004.

“One of my big concerns was that we’d be overshadowed by the stadiums,” says Freedom Center CEO Ed Rigaut. “But the museum really stands tall. I’ve even heard a few people comment that, in a way, we dwarf the stadiums.” — Metropolis Magazine, October 1, 2004.

”I see a museum not as a place that limits our vision, but one that enhances our vision. Museums have traditionally not taken a transformative role, but that’s changing. The Freedom Center, like our museum, can ask itself, ‘Why did we build this?’ Not just to look back, but to shape a different present and future.” — Cincinnati Enquirer, Krista Ramsey, August 1, 2004.

”It’s a learning center whose high-tech, interactive displays allow visitors to witness ongoing struggles for freedom worldwide.” — Town & Country, Annette Weisman, November, 2004.

Fisher Center

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Performance Center Kingston--New York Frank Gehry Partners Silver L 2003 /by cmorris

Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College

The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts is the latest addition to the Bard College campus. Featuring a curving roof and structure manufactured by Zahner, the building is nestled amongst the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.

The performance center was completed in 2003, designed by Frank Gehry Partners. Zahner has been involved with Gehry’s firm since the beginning, and has been involved in a number of featured Gehry projects over the years. The Bard College was finished a year after Weatherhead at Case Western, and a year prior to the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, Chicago. All three were built using Zahner engineering-design, fabrication, and installation.

Related Project

Weatherhead School

The 22 ga stainless steel surface resembles an undulating, unbroken ribbon. Finished in #4 satin, the surface is more reflective than Angel Hair or GB-60 but less diffuse than a mirror-finish.

Photograph of the setting sun on the Fisher Center at Bard College.

Creating the Surface of Fisher Center

Angel Hair stainless steel clads the entire surface of the secondary structure (which was also produced by Zahner, explained below). The stainless steel skins were lapped and fastened using a custom-engineered counter-sunk fastener. The finish of this surface is unlike any other surface in its ability to create muted tones, ambiently reflecting its surroundings.

The Richard B. Fisher Center Performing Arts Center at Bard College.

Detail of the Angel Hair stainless steel surface on the Fisher Center at Bard College.

Photographs of the Fisher Center at Bard College.

Photograph of the western entrance to the Fisher Center at Bard College.

Detail of the Angel Hair Stainless Steel and structural steel for Fisher Center.

Designing, Fabricating, and Installing with ZEPPS Technology

Working in CATIA and Pro-Engineer and utilizing Gehry Partners master model, Zahner developed a workable surface using the ZEPPS Technology to form the walls and roof of this dynamic set of structures.

Using the dual-curving panels made possible by ZEPPS eliminates several construction steps because it requires no additional supports or finishing due to its exclusively structural aluminum components. Over 3,200 stainless sheets were installed on top of 710 unique ZEPPS assemblies — each panel interlocks with the next to form the dynamic but uniform surface of the roof and sides.

Using the ZEPPS assemblies allowed the entire EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems) wall and glazing to be embedded in the dual curving forms. This provided options for the interior wall surfaces of the building to closely mirror the exterior of the building. Along with EIFS walls and glazing, Zahner’s system formed the entire roof, wall and much of the building envelope for the performing arts center.

The panels consist of a high strength aluminum frame structure profiled to form the shape desired by the architect. Per the architect’s request, the interior side of the panel was left uncovered to expose the intricate framing members.

Fabricating the Fisher Center stainless steel and aluminum panels at A. Zahner Company in Kansas City.

History of Fisher Center: The Design Team looks at the dual curvature metal panel system at A. Zahner Company Headquarters | Bard College student sign 'Make huge silver crumpled buildings, not war.'

A. Zahner Company field crew install the panels at Bard College.

Construction photo of the south entrance of the Richard B. Fisher Center at Bard College.

Photo of the south entrance of the Richard B. Fisher Center at Bard College.

Photographs of the Fisher Center building and landscape.

Interior and exterior of Fisher Center, viewed through the massive glazing system on the front entrance.

The Bard College canopy is the first design by Frank Gehry Partners to leave the ZEPPS understructure exposed, a decision made to celebrate the complex construction that goes into buildings.

The engineers at Zahner and the architects at Gehry’s office enjoy a dynamic working relationship that continues to evolve and push the boundaries of what is possible to design and build. Learn more about how Gehry’s team works with Zahner to build complex buildings.

Fairmont Pacific Rim

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Hospitality, Parking Structure Canada, International, Vancouver BC James KM Cheng Architects L, M 2010 /by cmorris

Fairmont Pacific Rim in Downtown Vancouver BC, Canada

Located in downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada, a 44-story hotel was designed by James KM Cheng, just blocks from the Pacific Ocean. Zahner became involved when the architects opted for a perforated screen system which would disguise the first few floors of office and parking structures, while allowing light and air to enter through the thousands of tiny perforations.

What sets this perforated screen apart from standard fare is its unique surface design, a patterned perforated and bumped texture which subtly glistens across the surface. Architects wanted to solve two problems with one solution: creating a parking garage with an open air-flow, and an artistic facade surface that reflected the building’s natural surroundings.

Using Zahner’s patented ZIRA system, architects supplied Zahner with a photograph of the surrounding forest. The image was transferred onto the metal using perforations and dimples in the stainless steel. All across the building’s structure, trees create vertical lines running up and down the facade, and the forest emerges.

Fairmont Pacific Rim designed by James KM Cheng.

Translating the Image to Metal

The architect supplied a photograph of redwood trees taken in the surrounding nature of Vancouver, pictured below. The image was translated using software originally developed by Zahner for the de Young Museum in San Francisco.

The translated image data was applied across the metal surface algorithmically to account for panelization. Each of the perforated metal panels is designed with metal flange details that the ZIRA™ Process had to account for in the process of translating data. The image flows seamlessly across these panels and around the building’s corner edges.

Original Photograph supplied to Zahner for the ZIRA™ Visualizer Process.

The architects wanted to create a rippled effect with the metal, to create a surface both luxurious and functional. Using the ZIRA Process enables the architect to create this surface at a cost not much higher than a uniformly perforated surface.

No panel is the same, and the pattern never repeats itself across the stainless steel surface. Both the perforated surface as well as the bumped and dimpled texture were produced using a system of CNC-controlled punches and dies.

Detail of the custom perforated facade for Fairmont Pacific Rim.

Detail of the perforated metal facade on Fairmont Pacific Rim

Detail of the Fairmont Pacific Rim perforated panels and signage.

Eugene Courthouse

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture Government, LEED Eugene--Oregon DLR Group, Morphosis Silver L 2006 /by cmorris

The Wayne L. Morse Federal Courthouse in Eugene, Oregon.

The Wayne L. Morse Federal Courthouse was the first project Zahner completed with Morphosis architects. The architects were introduced to Zahner through the general contractor on the project, JE Dunn Construction, who managed the project. Located in Eugene, Oregon, the courthouse was completed in 2006, and it serves the District of Oregon as part of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. The building was named in honor of the late senator Wayne Lyman Morse.

The 266,742 square-foot building is six stories tall, with six courtrooms as well as offices for the courts and other agencies. Thom Mayne of Morphosis led the design team, winning the bid to design the project though careful planning and dedication to the project.

The building is clad with Angel Hair stainless steel, which prevents hot-spots from appearing on the metal in direct sunlight. The non-directional surface gives the building a uniform, semi-reflective tone. The sides are finished using 14ga stainless steel with Angel Hair finish rainscreen wall panel and recessed flat-seam system. The entire building team used BIM technology, which ensured that all contractors and subs and the architects were on the same page at all times, and that construction moved smoothly along its rapid 24-month construction schedule.

When it opened it became the first new federal courthouse in the United States to earn LEED Gold status.

The Morphosis-designed Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse in Eugene, Oregon.

View from the south of the entrance to the Morse Courthouse in Eugene, Oregon.

Connection details for the building's stainless steel facade.

Detail of the stainless steel facade for Eugene Federal Courthouse.

Detail photograph of the Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse.

Photograph from the southeastern entrance to the Morse Courthouse.

Building with Green Technologies

The structure earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification for its energy efficiency and sustainability. Zahner worked closely with architects at Morphosis and General Contractor JE Dunn to keep costs down, transitioning from the originally planned zinc facade to stainless steel, and saving $2.1 million in installation costs.

The building is a result of the General Services Administration (GSA), which held a competition for the design of the new courthouse. The building is part of the Design in Excellence Program, a GSA project which seeks to increase the quality of architecture for federal government projects. The total cost to complete the project was $96 million. Due to budget cuts, elements including a rooftop reflecting pool and etching of the Bill of Rights onto the exterior were removed from the project. In 2007, the AIA named the courthouse one of the top ten green projects of the year, citing the minimal maintenance needs of the materials used for the courthouse.

There are a total of approximately 2,400 ribbed panels (main structure) and 2,400 flat pan panels (stair towers) constructed of 14 gage 316 stainless steel with an Angel Hair finish. There is approximately 110,000 square feet of stainless steel on this project.

Aerial view of the Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse.

Design Assist for Morphosis

The design assist process provides an invaluable service to the production of complex buildings and surfaces. For the Morse Courthouse, the challenges were set high for both the engineering team as well as the Zahner artisans who would build the metal components.

Zahner worked closely with Morphosis to assist in the design details for the paneling systems. Throughout 2004 and 2005, the architects and engineers traded drawings, three-dimensional models, and digitally printed three-dimesional physical models (below) to facilitate the fabrication process.

Model of the Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse.

Zahner has since worked with Morphosis on several projects, such as the Cooper Union in New York City, Emerson College in Los Angeles, and Gates Hall at Cornell in Ithaca, New York. See more projects completed by Morphosis with Zahner, and contact Zahner to see how we can work for your team.

Emerson LA

August 15, 2016/in Exterior Architecture, Interior Architecture Education, LEED Los Angeles--California Morphosis Silver, White L 2014 /by cmorris

Emerson College at Los Angeles, California

Emerson College LA is designed by Morphosis with a series of custom facade systems design-engineered, manufactured, and installed by Zahner. The new Emerson College campus in Los Angeles provides a landmark for film and performing arts students of the Boston-based college to study in an immersive environment. The innovative design by the esteemed architects at Morphosis provides an integrated and efficient experience for both visitors and students.

Working with Zahner’s Design Assist team of engineers, designers and fabricators, this generative design was developed for manufacturing. A team of Zahner installers completed the project in Los Angeles, providing the campus with a visually compelling, efficiently envisioned, and rapidly completed building envelope system.

The project was certified LEED Gold in 2014.

Related Project

Gates Hall at Cornell

The project's facade is designed using generative processes developed by Morphosis. Its unique appearance also serves the building's environment performance, reducing heat gain while providing natural light into the offices and classrooms.

View of Emerson College at Los Angeles from across Sunset Boulevard.

Entrance stairs to the Emerson College at Los Angeles.

View of Sunset Blvd and Hollywood Hills through the piazza stairway at Emerson LA.

Evening photograph of Emerson LA, featuring a view of the complex undulating surface created by Zahner.

Photo detail of the louvered display during at the Emerson LA Campus..

Additional aluminum metalwork in the main gathering areas at Emerson LA.

View of the exterior hallway at Emerson College Los Angeles.

Photographs of the mockup, revealing the corridor which cuts through the facade.

Building the Emerson College at Los Angeles

Zahner was brought onto the project based on previous work with the architects on projects such as Cooper Union New Academic Building in New York City, Eugene Federal Courthouse in Oregon, Gates Hall at Cornell and also an interior project which may have been the first Morphosis project to feature this kind of generative design, Clyde Frazier’s Wine & Dine in New York City.

The generative design of its scrim isn’t the only aspect of engineering and manufacture that Zahner worked on for the project. Zahner’s scope of work included both the engineered aluminum scrim wall as well as the dual-curvature forms contained within the building’s square structure.

At the building’s core is a complex form which contains many of the presentation rooms, classrooms and administrative spaces. To create the complex form with Morphosis, engineers used ZEPPS, the Zahner building process for creating sculptural forms. ZEPPS provides a secondary structural facade system which allowed the architects to efficiently put together an otherwise complex form.

Color-coded rendering of the ZEPPS panel layout design.

ZEPPS works by breaking a complex form into smaller assemblies. These assemblies are typically sized based on the shipping container or truck trailer size. The curving form at the building’s center was made using this process.