As programs of study in higher education must evolve to better prepare students for their chosen careers, so also must the environments in which they learn. Ontario’s Fleming College, established in the late 1960s, realized the need for a full overhaul of its main campus to stay competitive and to accommodate nearly seventeen thousand full and part-time students.
Commissioned to renovate the Sutherland Campus A-Wing building, the architectural firm Gow Hastings faced the challenge of renovation while students and faculty continued to use the facilities. Modernizing classrooms to provide updated curricula and common areas for comfort in study required a thorough evaluation of the building.
As originally built, the A-Wing lacked color and opportunities for natural lighting to brighten the interior. The previous dark brown cladding on the exterior, while consistent with the college’s environmental surroundings, appeared outdated and moody. One of the first steps in the revitalization involved stripping away the entire envelope down to its steel frames for a retrofit. During the specification of materials, the architects chose ALPOLIC MCM.
Nearly Limitless Design with Endless Finishes and Fabrication Possibilities
Thanks to a solid partnership with Sherwin Williams Coil Coatings, ALPOLIC’s ability to produce any hue onto their metal composite materials presented the Gow Hastings team with the desired colors for this project. Nearly 40,000 square feet of MCM in nine different finishes–including five different whites, two shades of yellow, charcoal, and Mica Anodic Clear–were fabricated and installed.
Rather than retrofit flat panels throughout the envelope as in the original design, Gow Hastings envisioned sections of the building with the MCM installed at different angles to create a visually stunning accordion effect. Panels installed over smaller windows were also perforated to draw natural light into the building, an attractive complement to the addition of floor-to-ceiling windows in the common pavilion areas.
The result presented a cheerful, colorful exterior indicative of the contemporary image Fleming College wished to project. Since its completion in 2020, the A-Wing Building has received several distinctions, among them recognition as a Finalist in the Public Space Design category of the 2021 SBID Awards and a Merit Award in ARCHITECT’s 2023 Architecture and Interiors Award for Adaptive Reuse.
MCM is Ideal for Retrofit Architectural Projects
Often, the decision to retrofit is inspired by a dedication to green building. To bring an older building up to current energy code standards, wrapping the building in continuous insulation and cladding with MCM delivers both energy efficiency and visual appeal. ALPOLIC’s virtually 100% recyclable materials are manufactured with sustainability in mind and come with some of the industry’s best finish warranties.
Retrofitting projects, as opposed to a complete tear-down and rebuild, is not only better for the environment but it can save money in the long run. Redesign with sustainable MCM and the cost savings can add up quickly—less upfront cost, low maintenance costs, less construction time, and the potential for improved energy efficiency. Composite is the ideal choice because of its design flexibility and the variety of colors and finishes.
Cladding existing facades with ALPOLIC MCM injects new life into a project and contributes to its increased energy efficiency and safety. As exemplified by Fleming College’s A Wing, the application of ALPOLIC metal composite materials modernizes a building’s appearance and the reputation of the campus. With infinite colors available, and the best warranty in the industry, ALPOLIC puts on a fresh, lasting face.
For more information on design and specification of MCM in contemporary architecture, schedule an AIA Lunch and Learn session. ALPOLIC presently offers four free accredited AIA/CES Learning Units (HSW).
Company Information:
ALPOLIC Metal Composite Materials
800.422.7270
info@alpolic.com
www.alpolic-americas.com
Related Stories
| Mar 10, 2011
Steel Joists Clean Up a Car Wash’s Carbon Footprint
Open-web bowstring trusses and steel joists give a Utah car wash architectural interest, reduce its construction costs, and help green a building type with a reputation for being wasteful.
| Mar 8, 2011
ThyssenKrupp Nirosta, Christian Pohl GmbH supply stainless steel to One World Trade Center
Corners of the One World Trade Center 's facade will be edged with stainless steel made in Germany. ThyssenKrupp Nirosta (Krefeld) produced the material at its Dillenburg plant using a customized rolling and heat-treatment process. Partner company Christian Pohl GmbH (Cologne) fabricated the material into complex facade elements for the corners of the New York City skyscraper.
| Feb 22, 2011
Military tests show copper increases HVAC efficiency, reduces odors
Recent testing, which is being funded by the Department of Defense, is taking place in military barracks at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Side-by-side comparisons demonstrate that air conditioning units made with copper suppress the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew that cause odors and reduce system energy efficiency.
| Dec 17, 2010
Gemstone-inspired design earns India’s first LEED Gold for a hotel
The Park Hotel Hyderabad in Hyderabad, India, was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to combine inspirations from the region’s jewelry-making traditions with sustainable elements.
| Dec 7, 2010
Product of the Week: Petersen Aluminum’s column covers used in IBM’S new offices
IBM’s new offices at Dulles Station West in Herndon, Va., utilized Petersen’s PAC-1000 F Flush Series column covers. The columns are within the office’s Mobility Area, which is designed for a mobile workforce looking for quick in-and-out work space. The majority of workspaces in the office are unassigned and intended to be used on a temporary basis.
| Nov 5, 2010
New Millennium’s Gary Heasley on BIM, LEED, and the nonresidential market
Gary Heasley, president of New Millennium Building Systems, Fort Wayne, Ind., and EVP of its parent company, Steel Dynamics, Inc., tells BD+C’s Robert Cassidy about the Steel Joist Manufacturer’s westward expansion, its push to create BIM tools for its products, LEED, and the outlook for the nonresidential construction market.
| Oct 11, 2010
MBMA Releases Fire Resistance Design Guide for metal building systems
The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) announces the release of the 2010 Fire Resistance Design Guide for Metal Building Systems. The guide provides building owners, architects, engineers, specifiers, fire marshals, building code officials, contractors, product vendors, builders and metal building manufacturers information on how to effectively meet fire resistance requirements of a project with metal building systems.
| Sep 13, 2010
7 Ways to Economize on Steel Buildings
Two veteran structural engineers give you the lowdown on how to trim costs the next time you build with steel.
| Aug 11, 2010
AAMA leads development of BIM standard for fenestration products
The American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s newly formed BIM Task Group met during the AAMA National Fall Conference to discuss the need for an BIM standard for nonresidential fenestration products.
