Metal roofing applications offer a mix of flexibility, durability, and attractiveness. Walls surround the three learning gardens at Community Consolidated School District 59’s (CCSD59) Early Learning Center. In each garden, one of those walls is covered in metal panels. It tilts inward, and its window patterns jog up and down as if imitating the activity […]
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The Magic of Metal in Architectural Design – Part 3 (No More Thermal Bridging)
Insulated metal panels enhance building envelope performance, prevent thermal bridging, and promote sustainability. My previous post on the use of metal in architectural design focused on the material’s aesthetic flexibility. Though designers place a high value on the looks of a facility, they must also consider more practical matters, such as how a material impacts […]
Train Station Translation: A Lesson in Design Vocabularies
A train station’s style has a lot to say. Literally and figuratively, train stations connect municipalities. The station is the gateway to the tracks that lead people to other places. It is the face that a city or village shows to commuters, and, in many cases, an embodiment of a community’s values. Midwestern stations adopt […]
Train Station Architectural Design Fundamentals – Part 5 (Accessibility: Making the Grade with Universal Design)
If safety is the number one priority for train stations, then accessibility comes in at a close second. Have you ever wondered about those little bumps you see on sidewalks just before you get to a cross street? Those of us in the architecture/engineering/construction industry call them truncated domes, and they’re there for a reason: […]
Train Station Architectural Design Fundamentals – Part 4 (Tough and Timeless Materials)
When it comes to train station materials, durability isn’t enough. Every weekday, harried commuters clatter and bang their way through the typical train station. Their clasps, umbrellas, and coffee mugs scrape and grind against its walls. On weekends, the assault continues: downtown-bound families with children who love to roughhouse, skateboarders attempting new tricks. I’ve even […]
