In 2012, Hawkins\Brown were commissioned to redesign the school's architectural infrastructure and develop new buildings and conversions that would respond efficiently and with a sense of architectural heritage to the traditional campus.
The architects chose our OKATECH product with an inlay of naturally purified, expanded copper for the façade areas of phases 1 and 2 of the project. As well as providing solar shading and thermal insulation, the use of natural copper in a contemporary way links to the natural materials of the existing historic buildings and creates a strong visual contrast of materials within the façade.
Vision areas offer variable solar control with a total solar energy transmittance ranging from as low as 18% for a high sun angle (60°) to 30% for a low sun angle (0°). The mesh offers gentle shading of the space while maintaining a constant view out, and allows the elimination of external shading devices. To spandrel areas the OKATECH incorporates a vacuum insulation within the cavity behind the mesh to provide a fully finished highly insulated spandrel panel.
