Sintered Compact Surfaces For Building Facades
CONCLUSION
Sintered compact surfaces are becoming an exterior cladding product of choice for many building types. Their proven properties of being a natural, lightweight cladding available in many different colors and surface appearances are getting the attention of architects and designers. Their long-term durability and ageless properties make an excellent choice for those concerned not only with controlling first costs but also life-cycle costs. The various methods of attachment make them familiar and easy to install, maintain, and replace if needed. In short, they are likely to continue to grow in use and popularity because of their variety of
TRANSFORMING AN OUTDATED BUILDING INTO A SOPHISTICATED NORDSTROM RETAIL STORE
Project type: Retail Renovation Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Architect: Callison RTKL, Seattle, Washington Scope: Exterior facade; interior storefront; interior wall cladding Square Footage: 15,000 square feet Panel Thickness: 6 millimeters Panel Size: 6-inch, 12-inch, and 18-inch-wide panels in 5- and 10-foot lengths
The Project: A former Sears store in the Rideau Centre in Ottawa received a facade restoration, transforming it into a very upbeat Nordstrom location, making it the new anchor store for the shopping center. Located directly between Canada’s national capital buildings and along the Rideau Canal, the entire Rideau Centre recently went through a $360-million modernization and expansion, turning the site into a premier shopping destination for tourists and locals alike.
Following a 2012 announcement that the former Sears location would be reinvented as Nordstrom, a great deal of care was taken to select architects, technicians, and consultants that understood the upscale, chic, and high-end Nordstrom brand. The Seattle-based architecture firm Callison RTKL was selected for the project based on its reputation and experience as the number-one retail design firm in the world, designing more than 150 new and remodeled Nordstrom stores in North America.
The Challenge: One of the first things identified was how to dramatically revamp 15,000 square feet of dreary, worn exterior and interior storefronts. The exterior facade would need to overcome the often harsh weather conditions in Ottawa, where temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius are more normal than even locals would like to admit. An installation system that held panels firmly in place without grout lines was another necessity identified to carry out the team’s full vision for a sleek, elegant, and upscale look. The architects realized this was a tall order.
The Solution: With several key “must-haves” for the project, the architects at CallisonRTKL began looking into potential solutions that would not sacrifice the design details that were so important to the overall aesthetic. After looking at a variety of surfacing materials, they were drawn to sintered compact surfacing products already used frequently in Europe for commercial facades. They found that the product had a reputation for being incredibly durable and resistant to scratching, fading, staining, and extreme temperatures. After meeting with an architectural consultant for a manufacturer, Callison’s team was feeling confident for the first time that their vision might become reality.
“As architects, we definitely thought about design and the aesthetics of the project foremost, but design visions don’t often link directly to a functional solution, especially when looking at a high-traffic commercial project like the Nordstrom at Rideau Centre,” says Michael Lee, principal at CallisonRTKL. Aside from a clean, smooth look, the architects were also looking for specific colors. To contrast with the concrete and stone buildings surrounding the area, the facade was to be mostly bright white in matte and polished finishes with tan and grey accents. The manufacturer’s portfolio of nearly 50 colors and four finishes gave the team a vast amount of aesthetic freedom to get the design just right. “The product addressed our concerns from a design perspective—an array of tile colors to create patterns of horizontal movement, limited grout lines, varying panel heights and lengths to further reinforce the random nature of the facade, allowing for lasting, warm colors—but also from a functional perspective in terms of durability.” The completed elevations were sleek and specific, designed with flat panels in a bright, gleaming white with subtle polished accents that are never expected to stain, fade, or discolor.
A key concern for this project related to weather, as many common building materials are unable to withstand the extreme fluctuations in temperature in Ottawa or the corresponding coefficient of linear expansion. The sintered compact surface specified, in tandem with a unique mechanical installation system, provided a secure way to fasten panels without fear of cracking or splintering. It also provided several design benefits to the project. The exterior storefront has several sharp angles and edges, a result of the facade being raised away from the main structure. Using sintered compact panels, a chamfer miter is possible, allowing for seamless L-shaped pieces for cladding the outside corners. This simplified installation improved the overall aesthetic and avoided the use of unsightly vertical lines, where sealing caulk often gets dirty and discolored. This project utilized both 90- and 136-degree miters, giving the building an effortlessly seamless appearance.
Results: Once the manufacturer learned about the design goals and confirmed that functionality wouldn’t be an issue, the architectural team breathed a complete sigh of relief. Sintered compact surfaces offered a product and system that evenly matched the high-end quality of the Rideau Centre, Nordstrom, and CallisonRTKL, and let the architectural team focus on crafting a truly beautiful space.
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