Clad In Reynobond® ACM
6 December, 2007
Bloomington, MN: Located in a region that experiences the coldest climate of any major metropolitan area in the United State and an average annual snowfall of 56.3,” staying warm and dry is a luxury. When the founding partners of Motorwerks BMW & Mini decided it was time to move their dealership for the third time in 8 years, they commissioned David Phillips of Phillips Architect & Contractors of Minneapolis, MN to create an environment that would not only reflect the luxury of the state-of-the-art automobiles they represent but one that would be as good to work in, as it is to shop.
Given Bloomington’s extreme climate and the client’s emphasis on customer satisfaction, the architect literally brought everything indoors. To make the most of the site’s footprint and allow for further future expansion, the architect went vertical creating a light-filled, 2-story, state-of-the-art showroom and 4-story enclosed “lot.” The plan took Motorwerks BMW & Mini from a 20,000 square foot facility to a 200,000 square foot showroom and service facility with an interior display lot.
Shaffner Heany & Associates of South Bend, Indiana fabricated 48,000 square feet of Reynobond® ACM, 4mm, PE Core in Bone White as panels for the exterior façade; 2,800 square feet of Reynobond® ACM, 4mm, PE Core in a Bright Silver Metallic for the large interior columns and interior of vestibule; and 1,000 square feet of Reynobond® ACM, 4mm, PE Core in Black to accent on top of tower.
Specialty Systems of Burnsville, MN installed the panels and matching reveal within the joints in their RLS 9000 system - an open joint rainscreen panel system with an ice and water shield membrane on a fire treated plywood substrate. “There were a fair amount of changes during construction,” commented Bill Reynolds of Specialty Systems, “which in most instances, were to change cold spaces into warm spaces.” R.J. Ryan of Mendota Heights, MN was the general contractor for the project.
“Working with Specialty Systems made Reynobond® ACM a natural choice for this project,” said David Phillips. “Their superb understanding and mastery of the material continually inspires my confidence. In this instance, the project is located on a very visible corner site-actually the busiest corner in Minnesota, so it was essential that the exterior skin enhance the structure’s presence. Specialty Systems used a good looking route and return system that not only eliminates ugly grout lines that detract from the overall look, but provides a practical structure that can withstand the severe climate swings we experience here in Minnesota.”
“Color was also an important consideration for this project,” continued Phillips. “It’s very difficult to find a material that delivers true color - in this case a true white and a true black - I’ve found that I can count on Reynobond® ACM to deliver the exact color specified.”
The new showroom, which opened on March 17, 2006, is conveniently located at the intersection of two interstate highways on the site of a previous Motorwerks BMW facility, which the owners had retained in anticipation of their future needs. Today, freezing temperatures and blankets of snow don’t deter customers from viewing the dealer’s 500 new and pre-owned cars, which are all housed inside the building.
Amenities in the new showroom were designed to accommodate both the customers and employees in comfort. Customers who choose to wait while their cars are serviced are encouraged to relax in one of several waiting lounges, designed with a selection of atmosphere ranging from quiet rooms to those with flat panel TV’s or workstations, or to enjoy a cup of coffee at the dealer’s café. And employees no longer have to constantly deal with the mess tracked in by constantly going in and out of the building.
Alcoa Architectural Products wide span of products offers a complete range of exterior and interior cladding and corporate identity solutions. Architects and specifiers have found greater control over the finished appearance of their projects working with the Alcoa family of products, which includes innovative materials like Reynobond® Kevlar® in addition to classic Reynobond® ACM, Natural Metals, Reynolux® profiled panels, Flat Sheet and Coil. Alcoa Architectural Products is a business unit of Alcoa, the world’s leading producer of aluminum products. For more information about Alcoa’s complete line of products, please contact the Alcoa Architectural Products’ manufacturing plant at 1.800.841.7774 or http://www.alcoa.com/aap.
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