The Grand Canyon University Recreation Center, designed by Tempe, Ariz.–based Architekton + 360 Architecture, provides sports facilities and casual gathering space for students on the school’s Phoenix campus. The structure is a pre-engineered metal building that incorporates both metal and masonry walls to blend cohesively with the existing campus buildings. The project uses pre-finished metal paneling for the exterior walls, and corrugated TLC-1 panels from Metal Sales Manufacturing Corp. frame figures of the school mascot, Thunder the Antelope, which protrude from the east and west façades.
Jury Quotes
“That little cloud gesture was hauntingly beautiful. This simple flourish on a large volume really kicks it into overdrive. The building is really elegant, it’s really simple and spare, and there’s a real modesty to it.” —Andre Kikoski
“I liked it a lot. It’s the epitome of what a successful prefab building is supposed to be—it doesn’t look like a prefab building. Any concept that we may have about what a prefab building is supposed to look like, this doesn’t fit. I think this is a very nice building” —Sylvia Botero
“It’s a very nice building, one you wouldn’t expect to be a pre-engineered metal building, with the use of different materials on the exterior walls. But … the mascot, I’ve never seen anything like that done with metal. When I look closely and see how they did it, it’s very innovative, very unique.” —Scott Kriner
Project Credits
Project Grand Canyon University Recreation Center, Phoenix
Client Grand Canyon University
Architect Architeckton + 360 Architecture, Tempe, Ariz.
General Contractor UEB Builders
M/E/P Engineer Van Boerum & Frank Associates
Structural Engineer Paragon Structural Design
Civil Engineer Strand Associates
Landscape Dan Lare Planners
Metal Product Installer Arizona Corporate Builders
Metal Product
Cladding Metal Sales Maufacturing Corp. (TLC-1 7/8” corrugated with PVDF (Kynar 500) Old Zinc Grey finish) metalsales.us.com