Posted June 17, 2014 by Christy Serafini

Architectural metal panels can add beauty and character to any building. Wade Architectural Systems can offer architectural metal panels of all types to match any architectural scheme, allowing clients to choose a look that fits their own style and needs.

What are Architectural Metal Panels?

Architectural metal panels are panels that are made of various types of metals including zinc, aluminum, stainless steel and galvanized steel. The use of these metals allows fabrication of a strong and durable product that will last for many years and gives buildings a beautiful and unique look. These metal pieces are connected with a dry joint technique that protects them from moisture, and they are coated with materials to seal out rust. Metal panels may last for many years, depending on their placement and the purpose for which they are used.

Architectural metal panels can be installed vertically, horizontally or even diagonally, depending on what the building’s architecture calls for. Architectural metal panels can be used as exterior cladding or as an interior decorative element for walls or ceilings.

What Are Some Examples of Buildings Using Architectural Metal Panels?

Wade Architectural Systems has designed some beautiful buildings using architectural metal panels as a key decorative and structural element. These buildings include both public buildings and private residences or office buildings.

One example of the beautiful results available from architectural metal panels when used on utilitarian public service buildings is the Galveston Fire Station No. 4. Located in Galveston, Texas, this building was completed in 2012 and includes a Dri-Design Bone White aluminum plate system that lends a sunny note to the entire structure. This light aluminum treatment avoids the heaviness inherent in many metal claddings. With its outside staircase and beautiful modern design, the Galveston Fire Station is not only clean and crisp but light and airy.

At the other end of the spectrum is the Houston Council on Alcohol and Drugs building. This beautiful 2009 building features Centria Copper cladding for a deep, rich patina. The vertical placement of these metal planks create a tall, lean look that is echoed in the high vertical windows.

Building 20 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake, Texas, features Bright Silver sunshades over the wall of windows that make up the focal point of the building’s facade. This 2010 construction seems to span the horizon and reflect all the light in the sky with its thousands of square feet of glass topped by the bright aluminum shades.

Possibly one of the most beautiful buildings in Texas, the Fayez S. Sarofim Research Building and Institute of Molecular Medicine at Houston Medical Center offers a wide range of materials including Quartz and Anthra  zinc, as well as Nortic Green pre-weathered copper. Featuring a double-lock standing seam panel and Bermuda panels, this building was completed in 2006 and offers a beautiful glass front as well as a mixture of metals that create a unique façade unparalleled by any other Houston building.

Wade Architectural Systems has created a wide variety of buildings using architectural metal panels that span a complete range of styles and purposes. If you are interested in a unique and beautiful façade for your home, office or commercial building, Wade Architectural Systems can offer beautiful designs for any building that incorporates durable and fashionable architectural metal panels.