Campus Enhanced by LEED Building with Copper Cladding
At the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a new Design Building has brought together previously dispersed departments in a LEED Gold structure that is integrated with the campus’ material palette. Leers Weinzapfel Associates, Boston, selected materials that speak to Amherst’s rural environment, particularly timber and metal. The team chose Dri-Design Wall Panels in a copper anodized finish to create a truly unique look.
According to the firm, the copper anodized aluminum panels laid out with vertical windows generate a colorful pattern like Amherst forests. The exterior also has the same palette as the area’s tobacco barns. Jeffrey Fishbein, AIA, associate at Leers Weinzapfel Associates, notes: “The owner valued a low-maintenance, economical and high-performance cladding system. The Dri-Design aluminum rainscreen system functions as a key component of the high-performance building envelope. The durable material maintains low life-cycle costs and requires no sealants. In addition, the copper-anodized finish works well as a modern material in a traditional brick campus context.”