PROJECT
ACM Panels, Prismatic Finish Focus Community’s Attention
exteriors
Alpolic materials clad a library exterior in dramatic form.
T
he Wolf Creek neighborhood in a southwest sub-
library collections, with integrated yet distinct reading ar-
urb of Atlanta needed a central place for hanging
eas for adults, teens, and children. A sweeping corridor to
out, enjoying the company and creative efforts
the right leads to two conference/classrooms and a music
of one’s neighbors, engaging in civic dialog, and accessing
room suitable for rehearsing, composing, and performing.
resources for people of all ages, backgrounds, and interests.
A café doubles as a cozy space to enjoy author talks.
The Wolf Creek Library, part of a voter-approved
The main library and reading room features an expan-
$275-million program to enhance existing libraries and
sive curved-glass curtainwall that frames the forest and
build eight new branches in Fulton County, GA, has be-
lake behind the building. The glazing brings the outside
come just that. The LEED Silver-certified, steel-frame
in, while, just beyond, a porch-like reading area with ter-
building provides 25,000 sq. ft. of multipurpose spaces, all
raced seating allows patrons to take the library experience
flowing together on a single, pedestrian-friendly level. Its
literally outdoors to a beautiful and peaceful natural set-
dramatic exterior form and setting has come to define the
ting. From this perspective, the building makes a second
neighborhood and provide a gathering point.
upward gesture toward the sky, with fiber-cement panels in
Top. Outside Atlanta, the LEED Silver-certified Wolf Creek Library provides 25,000 sq. ft. of multipurpose spaces, all flowing together on a single, pedestrian-friendly level. Its dramatic exterior form and setting has come to define the neighborhood.
The building dominates the summit of a wooded ridge-
a bronze finish used for the main cladding. Mullions, can-
top that rises above and beyond the road. The front of the
opies, and sunshades have an anodized-aluminum finish
building faces a golf course, while the rear overlooks a
for a raw, metallic look that complements the building’s
small lake in the woods. Avery Sarden, vice president and
red-copper and bronze tones. Tying all these elements to-
director of operations, managed the project for Leo A Daly
gether are walls of stacked stone joining the bold front and
was around it. Copper, with its patina, in the long view,
architects, Atlanta. He recalled the goals for transforming
the more elegant and airy rear of the building, suggesting a
would not have provided that for us.”
the prominent location. “The charge for us was to create an
rocky outcropping of the site’s ridgeline setting.
Above. The main library and reading room features an expansive curvedglass curtainwall that frames the forest and lake behind the building.
The prismatic finish does what copper never could.
iconic image for the community and a destination place,”
Sarden described the effect: “With changing daylight and
Sarden said, “something that would be recognizable and
THE ABILITY TO BE CREATIVE
seasons, the prismatic ‘magma’ finish morphs from an ar-
be part of the catalyst for the community’s future growth.
In this natural setting, material and color selections were
resting red that boldly contrasts with the building’s natural
To reinvigorate and energize the community sense.”
crucial to achieving the right balance between blending
setting to an autumnal orange that complements it. The
in and attracting attention. For the front façade and en-
secondary color of satin-anodized aluminum completes
AN INVITATION TO EXPLORE
tryway, the architects originally considered natural copper,
the connection with nature, transitioning to natural stone
Approaching the building from the road, it is instantly
but didn’t want the green patina that develops as copper
that seems to anchor the building to the earth.”
recognizable in its wooded setting, but seemingly part of
ages. So they turned to other materials and found a per-
Bhrett Kistler, president of Kistler McDougall Corp.,
it. The imposing front façade, clad in a rainscreen of Alpo-
fect choice in the workability and finish selection available
Woodstock, GA, the panel fabricator and installer, agreed,
lic materials from Mitsubishi Plastics Composites America
with Alpolic ACM.
“By using a vibrant and appealing color palette with visu-
Inc., Chesapeake, VA, seems to extend the ridgeline to the
Compared with sheet metal, Sarden explained, “Its per-
ally striking forms, the designers created a compelling ar-
sky in a dramatic upward gesture from right to left. The
formance is outstanding, frankly, when you’re talking
chitectural structure that squashes the notion of drab,
colors of the 4-mm fire-retardant aluminum composite
about building skins. [It gives the architect] the ability to
monolithic libraries of the past. The resulting space draws
material appear to shift from deep red to a coppery orange,
be creative, the ability to generate new forms, the colors.
people in.” CA
depending on the time, the season, and the vantage point.
It’s very nice material.”
It holds a dramatic presence on a broadly wooded land-
Opposed to copper, “Alpolic materials provided a more
scape, but feels like it belongs there. And it invites those
affordable alternative that’s also lighter, more stable, and
outside to enter and to explore.
easier to fabricate,” he added.
As you proceed through the entryway in the building’s
The finish chosen for the front facade and entryway is
main façade, the interior space immediately opens up. The
prismatic “magma” using Valspar’s (Salem, NH) Valflon
swooping roofline houses an expansive community meet-
paint, based on the durable and shade-stable Lumiflon
ing room that seats 125 people, or can be divided into
FEVE fluoropolymer resin. This finish evoked the original
smaller spaces as needed. The other end of the front-facing
copper intent, but offered a more vibrant experience. “We
structure houses videoconferencing and web-based learn-
wanted the shimmer, we wanted the reflectivity, we wanted
ing facilities, as well as offices for the administrative staff.
the shifting colors” Sarden said. “We wanted a material
Further on is an entryway into the main lobby and the
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MARCH 2016
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