Metal wall panels highlight exterior of dramatically sited apartments

Dramatic building sites can sometimes come with dramatic challenges, which was the case for the developers of a new apartment building on the edge of downtown Cleveland. The building sits atop a 75-ft.-high bluff above the Cuyahoga River and the local Irishtown Bend neighborhood, offering the opportunity for expansive views across the river and the city beyond.

Foundation requirements – which included 133 auger-cast piles driven 50 ft. down – played a role in how the building could be laid out. To break up the resulting Z-shaped massing, designers opted for a mix of exterior materials, with architectural metal wall panels playing a significant role.

The 241-unit Waterford Bluffs apartments is one of several new developments in the burgeoning Ohio City neighborhood, adjacent to multiple bike trails and with easy access to area nightlife. While the Z-shape plan helps break up the five-story structure’s length, architects with the Cleveland office of Vocon opted for a mixed materials palette for the exterior to break down the scale. Ribbed metal wall panels play a predominant role in this design.

The building team, which included installation pros from Fox Enterprise Services of nearby Canton, Ohio, opted for HWP panels from Petersen’s Precision Series of PAC-CLAD architectural wall panels. A total of 41,773 sq. ft. of the panels in a mix of Slate Gray and Matte Black – all fabricated from 24-gauge steel – were used in the project. The corrugated ribbing on these panels is available in 12 profiles that can be mixed and matched to create strong visual interest along with shadowing that adds depth to any façade.

Additional options include clip-fastened and no-clip designs, depending on a project’s need to address thermal contraction and expansion. Aluminum versions also can be specified with perforations for use in equipment screen applications or over graphics.