The Appaloosa Library is located in a protected desert setting north of Scottsdale, Ariz. Keeping in mind a goal to create a cultural focal point for the community, city planners and project architects DWL Architects & Planners, Phoenix, and Douglas Snydor Architects, Scottsdale, shared a vision to achieve LEED Gold certification from the Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council.
Integrity Series metal panels from Morin, Bristol, Conn., wrap the building and help improve the sustainability and aesthetic value of public use facilities. The 21,500-square-foot library features approximately 13,300 square feet of Morin XC-12 single element, integrated concealed-fastener metal wall panels. Integrity series panels can be applied vertically or horizontally and are fabricated from Galvalume/Zincalume, aluminum, zinc, copper or stainless steel. Extended lengths can be accommodated and heavy gauges are available.
The panels are available in a variety of surfaces, widths and coatings, including Pittsburgh-based PPG’s Vari Cool kaleidoscope paint color, whose appearance is dependent on building angles and outside lighting. Appaloosa Library is one of the first buildings to use the Vari Cool kaleidoscope paint system on steel panels.
The building, which was completed in November 2009, features an angled floating roof, a glass-walled atrium with natural lighting and metal siding on the library meeting room interior. On the south side, the rooms are raised a few feet above the arroyo and highlighted with iridescent paint. The west side of the building juts into the ground and the east end opens into a patio that provides a glimpse of the McDowell Mountains. The iridescent paint helps conserve energy by reflecting infrared light, keeping the building cool and reducing energy use.