{"id":2890,"date":"2016-05-31T12:44:08","date_gmt":"2016-05-31T12:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/?p=2890"},"modified":"2025-09-05T14:46:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T14:46:19","slug":"multi-layered-cube-like-facade-achieves-diversity-in-residential-hi-rise-design-with-alucobond-plus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/multi-layered-cube-like-facade-achieves-diversity-in-residential-hi-rise-design-with-alucobond-plus\/","title":{"rendered":"Multi-Layered Cube-Like Facade Achieves Diversity In Residential Hi-Rise Design With ALUCOBOND PLUS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A big compliment to architects is hearing that one of their building designs has become a recognizable landmark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the case for architects at the Los Angeles office of Arquitectonica<\/a> International Corp. who designed the Olume residential building in San Francisco\u2019s Mission District with a unique multi-layered cube-like metal fa\u00e7ade featuring a total of five custom earth-toned colors of ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS aluminum composite material (ACM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Arquitectonica was brought in to re-design the fa\u00e7ade of the building after the project\u2019s entitlement process had been completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 The resulting fa\u00e7ade design for the L-shaped building appears as an abstract series of colored metal cubes created from ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS ACM and installed at five variable depths \u2013 ranging from minus-8 inches to plus-8 inches \u2013 with the building\u2019s glazing set back 2 inches to 8 inches from the metal panels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 \u201cKPS gave us an extensive set of shop drawings that basically served as an erector set,\u201d said Jeff Young, project manager, Pacific Erectors. \u201cOur biggest challenge was installing all of the colors. We were able to assist the design team in determining where colors should transition in the articulation. \u2026 This color scheme was a complete departure from the original fa\u00e7ade design. It really looks unique. It\u2019s a great-looking building.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Project Name:<\/strong> Olume Residential Building

Project Location: <\/strong>San Francisco, CA

ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS: <\/strong>Custom Cajun Clay, Custom Burnt Russet, Custom Baked Clay, Custom Pumice Stone and Custom Baked Terracotta

Architect:<\/strong> Arquitectonica

Fabricator: Keith Panel Systems Co. Ltd.<\/a>

Installer:<\/strong> Pacific Erectors

General Contractor: <\/strong>Build Group, Inc.

Photography:<\/strong> Daniel Lunghi Photography<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Architect Leon Cheng, AIA, of Arquitectonica, frequently travels to San Francisco for business and often grabs a taxi or car service there. When he\u2019s mentioned the Olume residential building to drivers, he\u2019s heard: \u201cOh, yeah. That\u2019s the building with the cubes\u201d and other positive reactions.
\u201cIt\u2019s heartening to know that the building already is recognizable as a fixture in San Francisco,\u201d said Cheng.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 12-story 138,512-square- foot Olume multifamily residential community opened in March 2016 with owner Monogram Residential Trust, Inc., of Plano, Texas, offering 121 luxury rental units \u2013 including studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments \u2013 as well as two levels of subterranean parking. Monogram Residential Trust partnered with Martin Building Co., of San Francisco, to develop the boutique-style community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arquitectonica was brought in to re-design the fa\u00e7ade of the building after the project\u2019s entitlement process had been completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were asked to re-think the exterior,\u201d said architect Ilon Keilson, who shared project management duties with Cheng at Arquitectonica. \u201cThis building is located on a prominent corner (Mission and 10th streets). We were asked to create a more vibrant landmark. \u2026 We needed to maximize square footage for the client while also creating depth in the elevation to get a sense of relief.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Added Cheng: \u201cThe aesthetic of relief is often tricky to successfully incorporate in sales-driven projects. Doing so has a direct correlation with sellable square footage in the interiors, so we began playing with the exterior skin to maximize the perception of depth and movement without impacting sellable area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The resulting fa\u00e7ade design for the L-shaped building appears as an abstract series of colored metal cubes created from ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS ACM and installed at five variable depths \u2013 ranging from minus-8 inches to plus-8 inches \u2013 with the building\u2019s glazing set back 2 inches to 8 inches from the metal panels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom a thematic standpoint, we wanted to introduce dynamism through depth,\u201d said Cheng. \u201cWe wanted to reflect diversity in the neighborhood and in residential buildings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The varying fa\u00e7ade depths \u201cwere accentuated with the color palette,\u201d according to Cheng, who said the architects wanted to incorporate red in the building as one of San Francisco\u2019s more prominent colors associated with both the city\u2019s Golden Gate Bridge and its NFL 49ers professional football team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe wanted to take the idea of redness but turn it more toward earth tones so there wasn\u2019t an immediate brightness to the building all around,\u201d said Cheng, who described the custom colors of the ALUCOBOND\u00ae panels installed onsite as \u201cspot on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe referenced a lot of colors as well as a lot of variations of colors as well as combinations of colors,\u201d said Keilson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A total of 40,700 square feet of 4mm ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS ACM was installed on the Olume building in five custom colors, including: 19,200 square feet of Cajun Clay, 5,500 square feet of Burnt Russet, 3,400 square feet of Baked Clay, 6,200 square feet of Pumice Stone and 6,400 square feet of Baked Terracotta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Alucobond Plus wall panels have a flame-spread index of less than 25 and a smoke-developed index of less than 450 when tested in accordance with ASTM E 84, and have a Class A interior finish classification.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3A Composites USA worked closely with the architects and fabricator Keith Panel Systems Co. Ltd.<\/a> (KPS), of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to match the custom colors in the 1,400 ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS panels fabricated by KPS for the fa\u00e7ade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe varying depths and multiple colors of this fa\u00e7ade made this project extremely complex,\u201d said Paul Dalzell, operations manager, Keith Panels Systems. \u201cWe used 3-D modeling to determine the shape and appropriate color of returns. The part count on this project was enormous. This was a very labor intensive job. \u2026 We created a detailed set of shop drawings that not only showed the location of each color but how the parts and pieces fit together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS panels were installed by Pacific Erectors, Inc.<\/a>, of Rocklin, Calif., with the KPS System A Pressure-Equalized Rainscreen System.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKPS gave us an extensive set of shop drawings that basically served as an erector set,\u201d said Jeff Young, project manager, Pacific Erectors. \u201cOur biggest challenge was installing all of the colors. We were able to assist the design team in determining where colors should transition in the articulation. \u2026 This color scheme was a complete departure from the original fa\u00e7ade design. It really looks unique. It\u2019s a great-looking building.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

KPS and Pacific Erectors worked on the project with general contractor Build Group, Inc. <\/a>, of San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The architects said they specified ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS for the Olume residential building because they knew it could achieve their unique multi-layered facade design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlucobond is certainly the standard \u2013 if not the gold standard \u2013 of aluminum composite material,\u201d said Cheng. \u201cBeyond its name recognition, it was recommended in partnership with our contractors. ALUCOBOND\u00ae was selected for its product characteristics of flatness and light weight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Added Keilson: \u201cWith the sense of relief we created \u2013 installing the metal panels from minus-8 inches to plus-8 inches \u2013 we knew ALUCOBOND\u00ae wouldn\u2019t create a sense of warp.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnother product might have limited our design opportunities,\u201d said Cheng. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want a product that would produce more noise and be distracting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recyclable ALUCOBOND\u00ae \u2013 which is manufactured with both post-manufacturing and post-consumer content \u2013 contributes LEED credits to building projects. The Olume residential building is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Olume<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In addition to its multi-layered fa\u00e7ade, other unique Olume building design features include a 4,000-square-foot rooftop deck that offers views of Mission Bay and downtown San Francisco and features an entertainment area, fitness center and dog run. A second-level garden area offers 6,000 square feet of usable, open green space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography \u00a9 Daniel Lunghi Photography<\/p>\n\n\n\n