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658 Ohio Street,
Buffalo, NY 14203
Toll free: 800-836-2580
Fax: 716-849-0401
Email: [email protected]
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Engineered Metal Surfaces for High Rise Facades
Rigidized® Metals can provide a variety of surfaces that are designed to perform in high-rise building applications. We work with all major curtainwall companies as an integral part of the supply chain. We are able to produce flat rolled metals with surfaces that are engineered for façade applications in addition to sub-component fabrications like spandrel panels to support your project.
Via 57 West at 57th St & West Side Highway in New York City sports an InvariMatte® stainless steel skin, which was selected for its low glare surface, permanent natural cleaning, and beauty.
Projects of Any Size
Rigidized® Metals’ engineered surfaces have been used on large scale projects including the Hamad International Airport, the largest stainless steel roof in the world, and major exterior facade projects like Via 57 West in New York. However, they are also available for projects of any size in the form of flat sheets and coils, as well as installable systems for quick delivery to your jobsite. For example, the same exquisite stainless steel surface that was used on Via 57 West, can be shipped in the form of installable roof, exterior wall and gutter systems for light commercial and residential projects.
Stainless Steel Surfaces
Since maintenance on high rise building facades is difficult to perform, stainless steel makes a great deal of sense.
The Chrysler Building’s stainless steel dome has lasted since 1929 with minimal maintenance.
250 W 55th Street in New York uses a highly reflective stainless steel surface as mullion covers to create a particularly delicate “gridwork” as the building is viewed from a distance.
What Stainless Steel Surfaces are Best on High Rise Building Facades?
Abraded stainless steel finishes are dirt traps where soil particles can easily embed. Just consider what it takes to keep a stainless steel refrigerator clean. Most rolled patterns that are popular on high rise buildings are no different.
The former Sacony Mobil Building in New York was built in the 1950’s with an abraded #3/#4 stainless steel surface. 50 years later a window washing crew was able to restore the façade with buckets of water, rags and cleaning solutions. We have even better stainless steel surfaces today, that need little, if any cleaning in order to maintain them.
Thanks to the development of Rigidized® Metals’ micro textured stainless steel surfaces, it is now possible to have the durability of a stainless steel façade with even less maintenance! Stainless steel micro textures are available in three different gloss levels, each of which have a naturally-cleaning surface, owing to their hydrophobic texture that does not employ a coating.
Naturally-Cleaning, Hydrophobic Stainless Steel Textures
Hydrophobic surfaces are ideal for high rise facades. They are continuously cleaned by nature, so long as rainwater can rinse the metal surfaces. For applications like column covers and store fronts that take a beating, or even façade designs that call for more surface texture, these hydrophobic micro textures can be rolled with deep textured patterns added.
InvariMatte®
InvariMatte®, the hydrophobic surface with the lowest gloss, goes a long way to control glare and eliminate the risk of unsafe or destructive light reflection. It has been used in many airport roofs and other glare-sensitive environments, like Via 57 West, with its curved façade. Its high-density surface pattern reflects light in multiple directions so as not to create hot spots.
The same phenomenon works nicely in reverse by “absorbing”, in a way, color from the environment around it.
InvariMatte® stainless steel takes on a warm glow at sunset (Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego, CA).
InvariMatte® stainless steel brise soleil panels are ribbed to accentuate the vertical design at the Seattle Art Museum.
The diamond-shaped panels on the International Gem Tower in New York shimmer like jewels in the sunlight, thanks to their textured stainless steel surface.
Photo Credit: Kendall McCaugherty © Hall+Merrick Photographers
Aluminum Surfaces
The highly engineered surface texture of InvariMatte® is now available in anodized aluminum, which can make a great deal of sense for many high rise facades.
- Sophisticated appearance
- Lower cost and lighter weight
- Coil anodizing promotes uniformity
- Colors are available on request!
The Arthur J Altmeyer Building in Bethesda, MD (left) has vertical panels made with InvariMatte® Aluminum, creating a crisp detail on its façade.
Painted Aluminum
It is easy to add texture to a painted aluminum curtainwall system to deliver a lot of style for the money. Our extensive portfolio of deep textured patterns, combined with a huge selection of PVDF paint colors, allows you to create thousands of possibilities!
Brigham and Women‘s Hospital in Boston is clad in 3 finishes, one of which is Rigidized® Metals’ 6WL® pattern on aluminum and painted white, to create a unique random mosaic of metal panels.
The Third & Lenora project in Seattle has an exterior clad with panels made of 2FL Pattern aluminum painted with PPG’s Cosmic Gray Duranar® paint.
Other Options
We produce engineered surfaces in other metal alloys like copper, titanium and galvanized steel. A Rigidized® Metals representative can work with you to find the best solution for your project!
