Preschools are challenging businesses, even in regions with growing populations. Maintaining adequate staff while keeping tuition affordable can put owners in a tight financial situation. So, when it comes to planning a new preschool facility, building exteriors might not be a top consideration. But, as one recent Phoenix-area example shows, creative use of materials can make up for financial constraints – and metal wall panels are great options for designing a façade that is both affordable and fun.
Daniel Demland, principal of Daniel Demland, Architect, designer of the Small People Preschool in North Phoenix, Ariz., approached his assignment with a tight budget and plenty of creativity. The existing structure was standard masonry-block construction, with awkward window sizes and very little character – as if it possibly was a warehouse in a former life.
Obviously, finishing the building’s interior was the priority, but this didn’t mean ignoring the exterior was an option. Instead, he developed a deconstructed plan that recalls the postmodernism boom of the late-1980s and early-1990s. Instead of fully cladding the façade walls, metal panels in three different colors and profiles are used to emphasize windows and doors, while portions of painted masonry remain exposed, as though panels had been peeled away in those areas.
Demland specified three PAC-CLAD product lines from Petersen to bring his ideas to life. These include 916 sq. ft. of the company’s Flush panels in a Cardinal Red finish to highlight the entryway, windows and building corners. Highline C2 panels in Silversmith (2,559 sq. ft.) are installed horizontally as the predominant wall panels, while 880 sq. ft. of vertically installed, Musket Gray finished HWP 16-inch panels add a contrasting texture. Installation was performed by Flynn BEC LP of Mesa, Ariz.
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