Texas Campus’ Traditional Palette Updated

The architects at SmithGroup, Dallas, recognized the significance of the STEM and business building for the University of Texas at Tyler campus and the need for a façade with a bold statement.

The building is a 140,000-sq.-ft., four-story facility for the university’s science, technology, engineering, math and business programs. It houses the Soules College of Business and has a 135-seat auditorium, classrooms, labs, faculty offices, dean’s suites and study areas.

The University of Texas at Tyler created plans to add a STEM and business building to its expanding campus to attract students from across the country. The original specification called for aluminum composite material (ACM) to match metal wall panels on the College of Pharmacy Building.

Cost savings, design options and speed of installation were brought to the table by changing to Shadow Series wall panels from Dri-Design. Baker Triangle installed 44,990 sq. ft. of 0.80-in. Shadow Series panels in a Dark Bronze Mica color along with an Inspire wood grain pattern for the soffit. The Wood Grain print mimics the aesthetic of wood but with the durability of metal.

Shadow Series panels add depth and definition to any architectural design. Individual panels can be manufactured at varying depths to create texture or a dynamic variation in patterns while keeping the substrate and weather barrier in the same plane. All Dri-Design wall panels have true dry joints with no gaskets or sealants. The panels are single-skin and are not composites. They are available in any color, with Fluoropolymer-based paints for long-lasting finish durability. Finishers use a 100% air capture system to destroy the VOCs produced, so there is no adverse environmental impact.

The architect selected metal to accent the existing College of Pharmacy building, while also complementing the masonry buildings on campus. “Metal was used to create some of the most iconic moments of the building. The panels add texture and a subtle play of light and shadow to the façade, which are significant components of the overall design,” says Randall Daniel, design architect with SmithGroup.