Pennsylvania College Merges Classic and Modern

In the design phase, Schellhase Commons was envisioned as a 16,800-sq.-ft. addition to Keigwin Hall and would be the product of new construction and renovation. The charge was to maintain the historical nature of the hall and fuse it with the new space, which would house a bookstore, an entertainment area and an admissions suite with meeting rooms.

Architects needed a building envelope solution for Schellhase Commons that would be both classic and modern, tying the history of the current building to the new section. In addition, custom sizes of metal wall cladding were needed for the building, ones that would turn corners and wrap horizontally or vertically without adding significant cost to the project.

Metalwerks crafted a unique solution to meet this challenge using Econowall and Arcwall. The rainscreen panels were adapted to address varying miter conditions and incorporated the multiple colors desired in a classic manner. Both rainscreen wall systems are flexible in design. The panels are dry-set with interlocking longitudinal joints, serving as
a continuous insulation and water and air barriers.

Metalwerks finishes products after fabrication, so small quantities of custom colors are able to be produced. Post-finished spray-applied fluoropolymer coatings provide finished edges to corners and metal seams that integrate effortlessly. For Schellhase Commons, the finishing process allowed the architect’s vision to come to life by applying custom colors to smaller sections of each product.