CHALLENGE

The new Canyon View Elementary School combines an existing, revamped 40,000-square-foot building with a 10,000-square-foot addition. The project produced both upgraded and expanded facilities, including a cafeteria and improved gymnasium. Administrators wanted to unify both sections of the expanded school with an aesthetically pleasing, durable and cost-effective facing material. But their past choice, a fiber-reinforced polymer, had been discontinued. To retain these benefits and to add more flexibility and aesthetic choices, designers specified Allure decorative wall panels from Nudo with aluminum joint trim.

SOLUTION

"We looked at different options, and Allure lent itself best to this project for a number of reasons," Cameron Golightly, project architect at Design West Architects stated. "It had good consistency, high durability, lots of color choices and cost competitiveness. It actually turned out better than what we could have gotten with the FRP." The 0.150-inch-thick Allure TM panel, used in the Jute Gauze color, boasts a recycled composite core between two layers of aluminum with a decorative HPL face and a phenolic backer. The panels were applied throughout the school in high moisture and high-impact areas, including a 40-inch-tall wainscot in corridors, full height in kitchens and restrooms, behind classroom sinks, inside janitor closets and throughout the new multipurpose room. The color variety was a key consideration, Golightly reported. "The administrators like FRP's price and durability, so to find a product that provides both with more aesthetic appeal is great. We can use any color we want, and that's important to give the school options that appeal to grown-up sensibilities, too." A key challenge came in facing both sides of a curving wall that led to a restroom. The Allure easily handled both the inside and outside 30-inch radius. Designers also were pleased with how it handled the various substrates after the original building was gutted to its CMU walls. "It was crucial that there would be no seams or bumps and dents seen after installation"

RESULT

The project marked the designers' first use of the product, but it won't be the last, Golightly explained. "It's now definitely part of our arsenal. The best part is that it was price-competitive while offering lots of color options. We sometimes specify products just for their color, because administrators want to match a specific hue, so I expect we'll be using it much more. I've been back to the school several times, and the panels look great."

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