Metal roof highlights classic lodge look on award-winning beach pavilion

The facilities at a state park that welcomes 1.3 million visitors every year can endure a lot of wear and tear, and this certainly was the case for the previous beach pavilion at Lincoln Woods State Park beach in Lincoln, R.I. The modernist-style structure had last been updated in the 1980s and hadn’t been faring well after three decades of heavy use. The three new lodge-style buildings that have taken its place are designed to stand the test of time, with materials selected for durability and environmental friendliness.

The project sites an office and concessions building with a glass-enclosed lifeguard tower, bath house and nature center around a central pavilion, all looking out over the 126-acre Olney Pond and its sandy beach. All three feature a classic stone-clad base with shingling above, along with the kind of standing-seam metal roofs classic to many New England summer camp lodges.

Designers with the Providence, R.I.-based Brewster Thornton Group Architects opted for PAC-CLAD Snap-Clad panels from Petersen for the roofs, and 10,000 sq. ft. of the 0.24-gauge panels now top the three structures. Their Musket Gray finish coordinates well with the earth tones of the buildings’ façades – a visual tie that will grow stronger as the cedar shake shingles age to a weathered, silvery gray. Eagle Cornice of Cranston, R. I., was the installer on the job.

The project also included a number of eco-friendly features, including building designs that enable passive ventilation and daylight to minimize heating and air conditioning needs. It opened for the summer beach season and immediately began drawing accolades from visitors.  In fact, in a few months it already had a Gold award in Rhode Island Monthly’s annual design competition. “Rich and well-done” was the description from the judges.