Taking design queues from New York City’s iconic century old Brooklyn Bridge, Aperture 538, a new 10-unit multi-family residence recently constructed in Brooklyn, displays a copper screen central to its exterior. The creative style of this building and its unconventional use of copper earned it a spot among the top 12 magnificent building projects receiving a 2016 North American Copper in Architecture Award (NACIA).

The NACIA awards program organized by the Copper Development Association (CDA) and the Canadian Copper & Brass Development Association (CCBDA) recognizes and promotes building projects in the United States and Canada for their outstanding use of architectural copper and copper alloys.  Now in its ninth year, the awards program saw various submissions featuring new and improved building applications that utilize copper.

“Copper has been used architecturally for centuries, but every year I’m impressed by the ingenious and unconventional applications architects derive from this age-old metal,” said Stephen Knapp, of CDA. “The award winning projects exemplify not only the formability and durability of copper, but the incredible diversity in the world of architecture.”

This year’s winners consisted of a mix of new and historic buildings using copper in innovative designs and for restoration purposes.  Among the copper projects selected this year were two new homes, a medical center building, a museum and academic facilities just to name a few.

The Harvard Law School’s Langell Hall – an iconic neoclassical building home to the largest academic law library in the world, containing more than 2.3 million volumes and 300,000 rare books – is one such example of the diversity of copper use within architecture. Because of its aesthetics, durability, ease of maintenance and longevity, nearly 25,000 pounds of copper was installed over the expansive roof. 

Copper’s shared DNA with the bronze detailing and the naturally patinated copper roof and spire of the nearby First Congregation Church made it the material of choice for the Margaret M. Walter Wing of the Columbus Museum of Art. Copper clads both the building exterior and the building interior. The design team wanted to use a context-specific, time-honored material in a contemporary way to create a dialogue between the historic and new museum wings.

The NACIA award recipients this year also include several Canadian projects, such as the roof replacement of the Currie and Mackenzie Buildings of the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. Built in 1876, the Mackenzie Building is considered one of the top 10 most significant heritage buildings in Canada.  The replacement included all new and restored copper cornices, acanthus leaves, dormer cladding and ornamentation. The copper detailing on both buildings was carefully studied, replicated where appropriate, and improved at locations where issues of expansion or failure were apparent.

Since its launch in 2008, projects are selected across three different categories: New Construction, Renovation/Restoration and Ornamental Applications.  This year’s award recipients include:

New Construction

Aperture 538 - Brooklyn, New York

Application: Wall Cladding

Architect: Luca Andrisani Architect

Copper Screen Fabricator: Hi-Tech Metals Inc.

Clearfork Campus - Fort Worth, Texas

Application: Wall Cladding

Architect: Cunningham Architects

General Contractor: Fort Construction

Sheet Metal Contractor:  Ramon Franklin LLC.

Columbus Museum of Art Margaret M. Walter Wing - Columbus, Ohio

Application: Wall Cladding

Architect: DesignGroup

General Contractor: Corna Kokosing

Copper Panel Installer: Phinney Industrial Roofing Inc.

David Braley Health Science Centre - Hamilton, Ontario

Application: Wall Cladding

Architect: NORR Architects Engineers and Planners

Sheet Metal Contractor: Westmount Storefront Systems LTD.

General Contractor: Ball Construction

Copper Specialty Finish: DLSS Manufacturing

Owner: McMaster University

Eagle Harbor Market Building - Bainbridge Island, Washington

Application: Wall Cladding

Architect: Coates Design Architects

Sheet Metal Contractor:  Marvin Sheet Metal LLC.

Architectural Metal Company: Dissimilar Metal Design

General Contractor: PHC Construction

Parkland Hall at Old Parkland - Dallas, Texas

Application: Dome Restoration

Architect: Ed McGonigle with Beck Architecture LLC

Specialty Roofing Contractor:  CopperWorks Corp.

Main Roofing Contractor: BRI Commercial Roofing

Wood House- Chicago, Illinois

Application: Exterior Ornamental, Interior Ornamental

Architect: Brininstool + Lynch, Ltd.

Sheet Metal Contractor:  Chicago Copper and Iron Works Inc.

General Contractor:  Goldberg General Contracting

Renovation/Restoration

Application: Roofing, Exterior Ornamental

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) - Washington, District of Columbia

Sheet Metal Contractor: James R. Walls Contracting Co. Inc.

Harvard Law School Langdell Hall Roof Replacement - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Application: Roofing, Exterior Ornamental

General Contractor: Consigli Construction Co. Inc.

Architect: Baker | Wohl Architects

Roofing Contractor: Titan Roofing Inc.

Envelope Consultant: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

Owner: Harvard Law School

USNA Maury Hall - Annapolis, Maryland

Application: Roofing, Exterior Ornamental

Architect: PWD Annapolis

Sheet Metal Contractor: Wagner Roofing Company

General Contractor:  C.E.R.

Currie and Mackenzie Building Roof Replacement, Royal Military College - Kingston, Ontario

Application: Roofing, Exterior Ornamental

Architect: Colbourne & Kembel, Architects Inc.

Sheet Metal Contractor: Ultimate Construction Inc.

Technical Consultant: Ball Technical Services

General Contractor: Limen Group Const. Ltd.

Heritage Preservation Consultant: Andre Scheinman

Owner: Royal Military College

Ornamental Application

Hermant Building- Toronto, Ontario

Application: Doors,Exterior Ornamental

Architect: ERA Architects Inc.

Sheet Metal Contractor: Heather & Little Limited

The awards program steady growth inspired CDA and CCBDA –to host the second annual NACIA Awards Ceremony, which was held in Philadelphia, Pa. at Power Plant Productions on May 19.

The 2016 building projects were judged by a panel of architectural and copper industry experts. Entries were evaluated based upon overall building design, integration of copper, craft of copper installation and excellence in innovation or historic restoration. To view each project, including photos and profiles, visit the CDA website.

Over the years, award-winning copper projects have come in the form of new and restored museums, educational facilities, libraries, firehouses, high-end residential single-family homes and places of worship.