{"id":7541,"date":"2021-04-26T14:31:16","date_gmt":"2021-04-26T14:31:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/?p=7541"},"modified":"2025-09-05T14:44:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T14:44:00","slug":"new-bioscience-building-showcases-state-of-the-art-facade-design-in-alucobond-plus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/new-bioscience-building-showcases-state-of-the-art-facade-design-in-alucobond-plus\/","title":{"rendered":"New Bioscience Building Showcases State-Of-The-Art Fa\u00e7ade Design In ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The new Nils K. Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building at Purdue University Northwest<\/a> has been designed not only to serve as a state-of-the-art teaching facility \u2013 housing the university\u2019s college of nursing and department of biological sciences \u2013 but as a new \u201cfront door\u201d to the 167-acre campus in Hammond, Ind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The $40.5-million facility features a contemporary modular design focused on technologically advanced student learning experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The fa\u00e7ade\u2019s material palette was chosen to complement the mid-century architecture on campus that features red\/brown brick on buildings while also providing contrast to the heaviness of nearby structures. While the first floor is clad in brick, the upper two floors feature a lighter, more contemporary fa\u00e7ade clad with ALUCOBOND\u00ae\u00ae<\/strong> PLUS aluminum composite material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shaffner Heaney created detailed shop drawings for the fa\u00e7ade panels, incorporating two panel depths and contrasting material between the windows, according to Mark Haab, vice president of operations, Shaffner Heaney Associates, who said the company accommodated this unique metal fa\u00e7ade design with a custom extrusion system.   <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Project<\/strong>: Purdue University Northwest Bioscience Innovation Building

Location<\/strong>: Hammond, Indiana

ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS<\/strong>: Silver Metallic, Brilliant Silver Metallic

Architect<\/strong>: CannonDesign

Fabricator<\/strong>: Shaffner Heaney Associates

Installer:<\/strong> Crown Corr, Inc.

General Contractor: <\/strong>Berglund Construction Co. and Powers & Sons Construction Co. Inc.

Photos<\/strong>: \u00a9 Mark Kempf Photography<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Located adjacent to the campus\u2019 main parking lot, the three-story 68,000 square-foot Bioscience Innovation Building \u2013 which opened in August 2020 as the first new building constructed on campus since 1998 \u2013 was designed by the Chicago studio of CannonDesign<\/a> to be \u201ca striking symbol of forward-looking student space supporting 21st<\/sup> century education,\u201d according to a CannonDesign statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The $40.5-million facility features a contemporary modular design focused on technologically advanced student learning experiences that are showcased through glass-filled classrooms and labs, offering glimpses of today\u2019s STEM learning to science and nonscience-focused students alike. The building\u2019s fa\u00e7ade design offers exterior transparency into these programs and interior views back to the surrounding campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The fa\u00e7ade\u2019s material palette was chosen to complement the mid-century architecture on campus that features red\/brown brick on buildings while also providing contrast to the heaviness of nearby structures. While the first floor is clad in brick, the upper two floors feature a lighter, more contemporary fa\u00e7ade clad with ALUCOBOND\u00ae\u00ae<\/strong> PLUS aluminum composite material (ACM) by 3A Composites USA and glass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A total of 24,000 square feet of ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS \u2013 including 5,000 square feet of Silver Metallic and 19,000 square feet of Brilliant Silver Metallic both from The Classic Collection \u2013 was installed in a modular design on two planes with varying system depths that set off windows. ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS panels were installed in a repeating pattern mixing the Silver Metallic and Brilliant Silver Metallic finishes within wide modules that span the building\u2019s fa\u00e7ade. Windows are punched openings within these modules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CannonDesign reviewed a wide range of silver-hued samples of ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS in the \u201clighter silver range that would change throughout the day,\u201d according to Brett Lawrence, AIA, LEED AP, associate vice president, CannonDesign in Chicago, who said several flat mock-ups were created to review the ACM samples.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n

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\u201cThis is a long building; we wanted to break up the horizontal spans by adjusting the depth of the metal panels and mixing the silver hues,\u201d said Lawrence. \u201cAs the sun moves across the side of the building, you see a lot of shadows in the fa\u00e7ade.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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In addition to combining two STEM programs, the building was designed to meet the needs of all students who lacked interaction and study spaces on campus and to serve as the university\u2019s new foyer, according to Lawrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThis campus has traditionally served commuter students who would sit in their cars between classes,\u201d said Lawrence. \u201cWe were called to create more student interaction space within this building. We were able to provide more square footage of this type of space through this program by creating nooks and crannies all over this building for students. \u2026 This building is sited at the north end of the university\u2019s main parking lot. We wanted it to become the new front door of the university.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This new campus \u201centrance\u201d is marked with \u201cPurdue University Northwest\u201d signature signage attached to a solid area of ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS panels spanning the upper two floors of the building\u2019s fa\u00e7ade. \u201cThe sign element with metal panels in the background has been well-received,\u201d said Lawrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fabrication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS panels were fabricated by Shaffner Heaney Associates Inc.<\/a>, of South Bend, Ind., and installed by Gary, Ind.-headquartered Crown Corr Inc.<\/a>. General contracting services were provided by a joint venture between Chicago-headquartered Berglund Construction Co.<\/a> and Powers & Sons Construction Co. Inc.<\/a>, of Gary, Ind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u201cWe worked with our ALUCOBOND\u00ae representative because we wanted to push the boundaries as far as metal panel sizes,\u201d according to Lawrence, who said fabricator Shaffner Heaney \u201ctweaked\u201d the final fa\u00e7ade design to achieve maximum performance from the ACM panels.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Shaffner Heaney created detailed shop drawings for the fa\u00e7ade panels, incorporating two panel depths and contrasting material between the windows, according to Mark Haab, vice president of operations, Shaffner Heaney Associates, who said the company accommodated this unique metal fa\u00e7ade design with a custom extrusion system.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe drew joint lines at the top and bottom of the windows and recommended that the client add these joints to accommodate material expansion and contraction,\u201d said Haab, who praised ALUCOBOND\u2019s ability to respond to changing material needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe ALUCOBOND\u00ae worked great on this project; we never have any issues with ALUCOBOND\u00ae from a cutting standpoint because it\u2019s very flat material,\u201d said Haab. \u201cService plays a huge role for us in choosing suppliers. We appreciate ALUCOBOND\u00ae because the company\u2019s sales and customer service representatives are outstanding. That kind of service means a lot; it\u2019s why we prefer to use ALUCOBOND.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Shaffner Heaney fabricated a total of 1,150 panels ranging in size from 14 feet 4 inches tall by 2 feet wide to 3 feet 4 inches tall by 2 feet wide. The majority of horizontal joints in the material are 1.5 inches wide while vertical joints are 2.5 inches wide \u2013 the latter to coincide with the window frame width.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Installer Crown Corr provided precise measurements of the work in place to Shaffner Heaney prior to panel fabrication. Glazing had to be installed prior to panel installation and alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Crown Corr spent approximately six months installing the ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS panels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOur original challenge was upfront in the design phase,\u201d said Devin Muzzillo, project manager, Crown Corr. \u201cWe worked with Shaffner Heaney and the general contractor to make sure that all of the windows and panels would line up correctly. Our layout had to be correct. Shaffner Heaney did a good job of marking the panels to make sure we installed the colors in the right spots.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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All of the panel layout preparation paid off for the ALUCOBOND\u00ae PLUS fabricator and installer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u201cWe were slightly concerned about the complexity of the fa\u00e7ade and the ability of the fabricator and installer to execute it efficiently,\u201d said Lawrence. \u201cThey did an amazing job on this building. It looks fantastic. Even individuals involved in the inception of this project who doubted that contemporary architecture would be their cup of tea admit that this is a handsome design.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Muzzillo also is pleased with the completed project.\u201cThe metal panels are installed in a unique design with different colors that are really noticeable in the sunlight,\u201d said Muzzillo. \u201cIt\u2019s a good-looking building. \u2026 We never have issues with ALUCOBOND\u00ae with any defects. It\u2019s a sharp-looking panel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The new Nils K. Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building at Purdue University Northwest has been designed not only to serve as a state-of-the-art teaching facility \u2013 housing the university\u2019s college of nursing and department of biological sciences \u2013 but as a new \u201cfront door\u201d to the 167-acre campus in Hammond, Ind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[28,476,118,140],"class_list":["post-7541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-case-studies","tag-architecture","tag-contemporary-architecture","tag-education","tag-silver-metallic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7541","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\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7541"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7541\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7731,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7541\/revisions\/7731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alucobondusa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}