{"id":4104,"date":"2017-09-26T12:49:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-26T12:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/?p=4104"},"modified":"2025-09-05T14:45:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T14:45:52","slug":"nassau-veterans-memorial-coliseum-transformed-with-ethereal-metal-design-system-created-with-alucobond-plus-natural-acm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/nassau-veterans-memorial-coliseum-transformed-with-ethereal-metal-design-system-created-with-alucobond-plus-natural-acm\/","title":{"rendered":"Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum Transformed With Ethereal Metal Design System Created With ALUCOBOND PLUS Brushed ACM"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum had done its duty. Opened in 1972 in Uniondale, N.Y., the Coliseum not only had honored the military sacrifice of local veterans in Long Island\u2019s Nassau County but had served as home to the one-time American Basketball Association\u2019s New York Nets and the National Hockey League\u2019s New York Islanders as well as hosted major events and concerts, including performances by Elvis Presley, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Project Name:<\/th>Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum<\/td><\/tr>
Project Location:<\/th>Uniondale, New York<\/td><\/tr>
ALUCOBOND\u00ae Materials:<\/th>ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS naturAL Brushed<\/td><\/tr>
Architect:<\/th>SHoP Architects<\/td><\/tr>
Interior Architect:<\/th>Gensler<\/td><\/tr>
Developer:<\/th>Forest City Ratner and Brookyln Sports & Entertainment<\/td><\/tr>
Fabricator:<\/th>Sobotec Ltd.<\/td><\/tr>
Installer:<\/th>Crown Corr<\/td><\/tr>
General Contractor:<\/th>Hunt Construction Group<\/td><\/tr>
Images:<\/th>Jamey Price Photography<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\u2022 The Nassau Veteran\u2019s Memorial Coliseum presented by New York Community Bank was updated both inside and out. It re-opened in April 2017 after being closed slightly more than 1.5 years for the $165-million renovation that was privately funded by Nassau Events Center (NEC) LLC, a joint venture between Forest City Ratner and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 The intricate metal design system wrapping the 416,000-square-foot coliseum consists of approximately 4,700 unique aluminum \u201cfins\u201d created with 225,000 square feet of recyclable 4mm ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS aluminum composite material in the Brushed finish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Project:<\/strong> Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Location:<\/strong> Uniondale, NY

ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS:<\/strong> Brushed

Architect:<\/strong> SHoP Architects

Interior Architect:<\/strong> Gensler

Developer: <\/strong>Forest City Ratner and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Fabricator: <\/strong>Sobotec Ltd.

Installer: <\/strong>Crown Corr

General Contractor: <\/strong>Hunt Construction Group

Images: <\/strong>Jamey Price Photography
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The Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But after more than four decades of dedicated service, the Coliseum was showing its age and in need of a major facelift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While some architects and developers might have suggested a total teardown of the dated venue, New York City-based SHoP Architects<\/a> and developer Forest City Ratner Cos., LLC<\/a>, of Brooklyn, N.Y., saw the opportunity to sustainably retain the strong architectural massing of the arena while giving its fa\u00e7ade an entirely new look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Nassau Veteran\u2019s Memorial Coliseum presented by New York Community Bank was updated both inside and out. It re-opened in April 2017 after being closed slightly more than 1.5 years for the $165-million renovation that was privately funded by Nassau Events Center (NEC) LLC, a joint venture between Forest City Ratner and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment<\/a>. (NEC leases the Coliseum from Nassau County.) SHoP Architects facilitated the Coliseum\u2019s exterior renovation and the New York, N.Y., office of Gensler <\/a> carried out the interior update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis building had great bones,\u201d said John Cerone, associate principal and director of virtual design and construction, SHoP Architects. \u201cWith its 4-foot-thick concrete piers, we knew it could hold much more. We took a light approach to the project and decided to clip a metal design element to the existing structure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The intricate metal design system wrapping the 416,000-square-foot coliseum consists of approximately 4,700 unique aluminum \u201cfins\u201d created with 225,000 square feet of recyclable 4mm ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS aluminum composite material (ACM) by 3A Composites USA in the naturAL Brushed finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEach of the elements in this system varies slightly in profile and dimension to create a subtle flow that reflects the big skies of the flat Long Island landscape,\u201d according to a SHoP statement. \u201cThe materiality of the design evokes the area’s history as well \u2013 a reference to the Spirit of St. Louis, which departed a nearby airfield for the first non-stop solo transatlantic flight in 1927.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS consists of two sheets of 0.020\u201d aluminum thermobonded to a proprietary fire-resistant (FR) core and is manufactured in a standard 4mm thickness. ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS provides extraordinary flatness and rigidity, excellent formability, low weight and outstanding weather resistance. ALUCOBOND\u00ae 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

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Coliseum\u2019s 85,000 square-foot concrete exterior was painted entirely in black in order \u201cto serve as a backdrop for this ethereal metal system,\u201d according to Cerone, who said SHoP Architects started work on a master plan for the Coliseum\u2019s renovation in 2013 for Forest City Ratner, which was awarded development rights by Nassau County that same year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALUCOBOND\u00ae was chosen to create the fins for its light weight and flexibility, according to Cerone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEach of these fins has six folds,\u201d he said. \u201cWe knew this would be a complicated folding and routing process. We wanted clean lines and several fields of interest to look at as you walk closer to the individual fins. The ALUCOBOND\u00ae material expresses flexibility. It\u2019s very easy to form into precise shapes. We also loved the natural brushed aluminum finish. It picks up the ambient light and color well during different times of day and reflects the sky and sunset. As the crowd moves into the Coliseum, colors from their clothes and the surrounding trees also get reflected into the material.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating this complex metal system, according to Cerone, was a collaborative effort from design through fabrication and installation with SHoP Architects and project contractors, including: Hunt Construction Group<\/a>, of Indianapolis, which served as the construction manager; Sobotec Ltd.<\/a>, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, which fabricated the ALUCOBOND\u00ae fins; and Crown Corr, Inc.<\/a>, of Gary, Ind., which intricately fit the ALUCOBOND\u00ae fins in a pre-fabricated metal space frame and attached it to the existing structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The metal design system was created through \u201c100 percent digital modeling,\u201d according to Cerone, who said this process required SHoP crews to scan the entire exterior of the Coliseum with 3-D lasers to create digital files that would ensure the metal system fit onto the building while allowing the fins and space frame to be pre-fabricated in controlled environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese scans allowed us to coordinate with the contractors to a fraction of an inch,\u201d said Cerone, who said this cutting-edge digital design process was one that SHoP had prototyped on a previous project. \u201cEveryone working on this project was digitally facile. We had proven this process before and continue to push it to the industry. Inevitably, we expect to see more design and fabrication moving in this direction for its precision, speed and efficiencies. In this project, we were able to accurately coordinate the fabrication of 4,700 uniquely folded fins that were unfolded on the site in pairs. They fit perfectly. We loved collaborating with the manufacturers and contractors on this project.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sobotec crews spent approximately six months fabricating the fins from custom 38-foot-long sheets of ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS, according to Vlad Sobot, president, Sobotec, which utilized the architect\u2019s 3-D models to create shop fabrication drawings that could be read by the company\u2019s CNC router.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese panels were fabricated into such a unique shape \u2013 similar to a shark fin,\u201d said Sobot. \u201cThe fin comes out and then tapers in; the panel then is adjusted and reversed to taper the other way. \u2026 Not one fin is the exact same size as the other. As one fin comes out bigger in the design, the fin next to it becomes smaller.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The overall visual impact of these variably sized fins is \u201can undulating line that looks like an ocean wave,\u201d according to Sobot, who credits Sobotec\u2019s engineering capabilities and ALUCOBOND\u00ae to the unique design\u2019s fabrication success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cALUCOBOND is the only material that can actually produce these shapes,\u201d said Sobot. \u201cIt would be impossible to make these shapes with solid aluminum sheets; they can\u2019t be folded in this fashion. \u2026 Additionally, when you look at renovating an existing structure that is designed for a certain weight load, it might not be able to withstand a heavy material. ALUCOBOND\u00ae is so light that it\u2019s not usually a problem on a retrofit. ALUCOBOND\u00ae is very unique; it\u2019s not your typical metal panel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Crown Corr recommended installing the ALUCOBOND\u00ae fins in a pre-fabricated metal space frame that would be attached to the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was an alternative method to attach a support structure rather than penetrating the walls,\u201d according to Kent Oprea, operations, manager, Crown Corr, which utilized SHoP\u2019s 3-D models to create CAD drawings for the space frame manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consisting of 20 miles of space frame tubing and weighing 20 tons, the frame was designed with 32 bays and features a unique design in each bay. In total, the metal design system includes 6,000 space frame components as well as 2,000 sub-framing components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur biggest installation challenge was the uniqueness of each bay and every fin,\u201d said Oprea. \u201cThe fins were released to Sobotec for fabrication prior to the frame being erected. The accuracy of the finished product was an incredible testament to technology and the people using the technology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crown Corr employees fit the ALUCOBOND\u00ae fins into the space frame bay by bay \u2013 a process that was completed in approximately three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen a bay was built, it was put on the building; then the next bay was put together and put on the building,\u201d said Oprea. \u201cWe had a nearly seamless transition. It all came together. It was a lot of hard work on the part of the crews on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The completed renovation has more than met Forest City Ratner\u2019s goal \u201cto transform a 45-year-old coliseum into a first-class destination for entertainment and sports and to serve the Long Island community,\u201d according to Alexis Lenza, senior vice president, construction and design development, Forest City Ratner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nassau<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe feedback that we\u2019ve received has been very positive; people really like it,\u201d said Lenza. \u201cThis building now is a piece of architecture and part of the community. This definitely was an iconic project. The ALUCOBOND\u00ae material can be used for a variety of functions, but this application really highlighted the material. It\u2019s not often that you get to renovate an existing arena and wrap its exterior in an undulating metal design system \u2013 let alone one in which every single element is unique.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cerone said SHoP Architects not only is proud of the fa\u00e7ade\u2019s completed design but of sustainably renovating the Coliseum rather than tearing it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnvironmental responsibility is part of our practice\u2019s DNA; we believe in adaptive reuse,\u201d said Cerone. \u201cForest City Ratner really does care. Through design and technology, you can have a significant impact on the environment. We\u2019re all really proud of this project and the building\u2019s significant transformation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum had done its duty. Opened in 1972 in Uniondale, N.Y., the Coliseum not only had honored the military sacrifice of local veterans in Long Island\u2019s Nassau County but had served as home to the one-time American Basketball Association\u2019s New York Nets and the National Hockey League\u2019s New York Islanders as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[11,39,67,37,291,373,28,29,176,71,128,42,49],"class_list":["post-4104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-case-studies","tag-acm","tag-acp","tag-aluminum-cladding","tag-aluminum-composite-material","tag-aluminum-facade","tag-aluminum-fins","tag-architecture","tag-design","tag-exterior","tag-public-use","tag-renovation","tag-stadium","tag-sustainability"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4104"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4104\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7513,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4104\/revisions\/7513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}