The AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design takes the overall winner By Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director
BUILDING AND ROOFING AWARDS OVERALL WINNER A Standard for Sustainability
When Frank Harmon, FAIA, founder of Frank Harmon Architect PA, Raleigh, N.C., landed the honor of designing the new AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design after a spirited design competition, he got the opportunity to show- case the merits of sustainable architecture while staying true to the roots of design in North Carolina. The result of that effort garners the building the Overall Winner award in the Metal Construction News Building and Roofi ng Awards. The judges admired everything about the proj-
ect, from its inspired siting on an awkward patch of earth to its extensive use of sustainable building practices to its devotion to energy effi ciency to its dramatic open spaces and defi ning use of a stand- ing seam metal roof that transitions to a wall.
A Roof of Note A defi ning aspect of the design is the 20,000- square-foot VMZINC double lock standing seam roof from Raleigh-based Umicore Building Prod- ucts USA Inc. The natural metal employs a red PIGMENTO zinc coating, which gives the building an earthy look, while still offering a texture and depth that give the building more interest. The roof drops over the edge of the north elevation and runs down nearly to street level where it is interrupted by a balcony-like ledge that diverts rainwater. Harmon says of the roof, “It’s made of real materials.” That honest approach bolsters the roof’s
sustainability quotient as well. Zinc requires little energy to manufacture, provides a roof that will last 80 to 100 years, and utilizes 100 percent recyclable
Gilbertson Photography Timothy Hursley Photography 16 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS December 2012 www.metalconstructionnews.com