High school addition raises its profile with signature blue metal roof

Berkmar High School in Lilburn, Ga., has seen some changes over the past 56 years, along with a lot of expansion. Students returning to the school in August 2021 got to see the building’s latest transformation, which includes a new theater and two-story addition. The addition features a curved roofline that stands out against the parapets outlining the flat roofing around it. Adding to the visual appeal, the standing-seam panels cladding the roof and entry canopy boast a signature blue finish that highlights the theater space, below.

The school opened in 1966 with a grand total of 425 students in grades 8-12, and it has grown substantially since then, in parallel with surrounding Gwinnett County in the booming Atlanta suburbs. Today, it serves a student body of just more than 2,900 9th-12th graders with a variety of academic and career-focused technical programs.

Architects with the Atlanta-based Smallwood opted for PAC-CLAD metal panels in two profiles from Petersen for the roof and canopy, both in 24-gauge steel. Approximately 12,000 sq. ft. of the company’s Tite-Loc Plus tapered panels were specified for the roof, while another 2,000 sq. ft. of Snap-Clad panels now top the canopy. All the panels feature a Berkshire Blue finish that is a nod to the red, white and blue color scheme that highlights Berkmar’s athletic uniforms – they’re called the Patriots.

Installation pros with Watertight Roofing Services from Winder, Ga., needed metal panel products that could be rolled and curved in the field, which was a big selling point in Petersen’s favor. They also faced some challenges with the installation, which included very tight jobsite conditions and the need to work while school was in session. The lack of space, especially, needed addressing, due to the need to crane-lift the long, curved roof panels into place.