Last-Minute Stone Solution for a Modern Design

Words: Margaret FosterArchitects for the BBVA Compass bank envisioned a modern façade, clad mostly with metal panels. However, the city of Kingwood, Texas, rejected the plan during the building permit phase, as all new buildings there are required to be clad with a defined percentage of masonry to preserve the design and architectural integrity of the community. The original design did not come close to meeting this requirement, so a last-minute solution was needed.

This unexpected requirement so late in the process presented a significant challenge. The architects knew that masonry simply wouldn’t do what the metal panel would. Typically, masonry is not hung off the substrate, as it’s too heavy. Natural stone was a brief consideration, but since the budget had already been set for the metal panel option, it was far too expensive.

Fortunately, Arriscraft’s ARRIS·clip Renaissance was an option for the design team. This thin stone product could be hung off the substrate, like metal panels, and would be less expensive than a natural stone assembly. Thin units are clipped to a substrate using a pre-engineered channel system, offering an easy and efficient means of installation.

Due to the challenging design, the Arriscraft team worked closely with the designers to maintain their original vision – taking them step by step through this process of using stone instead of metal. Following are a few specific areas that had to be addressed with the design teams:
  • Sloping wall: required sloping corner units.
  • Alignment (between sloping and vertical walls): units in the sloping wall had to align with the straight vertical units in the non-sloping walls (all units are produced in standard heights, and when you slope them, they’re shorter in the vertical direction).
  • Soffit conditions: transitioning from the vertical walls to the soffit and running the stone over the ribbon windows.
ARRIS·clip Renaissance Units offered the installers scheduling flexibility, as they did not have to be installed sequentially. Because the city of Kingwood has a tendency toward extreme weather, ARRIS·clip Renaissance Units provided protection against various extreme conditions, allowing heat and cold to became minor factors in the construction of the veneer. ARRIS·clip Renaissance Units maintain a drainage cavity behind the units, making them suitable for wet or dry areas, as well as those exposed to freeze-thaw cycles. Replacement of broken, damaged or graffiti-stained material is easy and quick, further enhancing the cost-efficiency and benefits of this system.

Arriscraft collaborated with the design team to work through all of the building’s challenges and details. Technical staff created shop drawings for the entire stone façade, laid everything out and detailed it to make sure nothing was left to chance. Arriscraft’s staff mason visited the site for the first few days of construction to ensure the installers were on the right track and installing the material properly.

This project is a great example of Arriscraft’s customized service and collaborative nature. This product also shows the design community that stone is not “rustic” or “old-fashioned”; it suits modern designs and can be used in a similar fashion to metal panels. Arriscrafts’s thin products allow designers to use the lighter-weight stone in areas where full-bed stone may not be the best option.

For further information, visit www.arriscraft.com.
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