Metal adds low country style and coastal protection to luxury apartments

Residents of the new Bridgeside at Patriots Point apartment development in Charleston, S.C., have some pretty dramatic skyline views, thanks to their location at the foot of the striking Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. At a, perhaps, more modest level, the upscale development’s three 5-story buildings, arranged courtyard style, also create a skyline of their own. This is thanks to the hipped, standing-seam metal awnings protecting balconies of the top-floor units, along with mid-level balconies at the buildings’ corners.

The 324-unit complex was designed by Jacksonville, Fla.-based Wakefield Beasley Architecture in a classic Southern coastal style. The firm initially faced some challenges with the project, given the sandy soil that required a network of concrete pilings as a foundation solution. Above the ground, the plans had to address high-wind concerns, along with the potentially corrosive effects of salt spray. That’s one reason why aluminum was the metal of choice for the 31,000 sq. ft. of Tite-Loc Plus panels from Petersen’s PAC-CLAD line. The panels, which also were used to roof the complex’s poolside clubhouse, are finished in Cool Color Weathered Zinc – a classic nod to a Low Country Carolinas-style tradition.

Installers from Logansville, Ga.-based Adair Construction faced some challenges on their own, as a tight job schedule required the crew to work around other trades on the 11-acre site. The local Charleston firm of Choate Construction Co. was the general contractor for the project.