Page 19 - Demo

Slippery rock Gazette
Slate is Great to Combat Minnesota Climate
CupaClad chosen for a new building in the historic district of Fort Snelling
Spread across 300 acres in St. Paul, Minnesota, Fort Snelling is steeped
in history and aura. Originally built as Fort Saint Anthony in the 1820s, the structure resides on Native America land (Dakota homeland), strategically situated at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. Today, the Minnesota Historical Society runs the fort, which is located atop a bluff along the Mississippi River.
Named a “Natural Treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Fort Snelling and the surrounding area are a sight to behold. That’s why when the Northern Star Council for the Boy Scouts of America, which serves communities across cen- tral Minnesota and western Wisconsin, sought to expand its headquarters there, nothing but the best was considered for the undertaking.
The $17 million expansion included the addition of the Peter J. King Family Foundation Leadership Center. The new building features an atrium/wel- come area; expanded retail shop; interactive technology room for kids; several meeting rooms; a climbing tower; and a team-fo- cused high ropes challenge course. The Council also moved its two offices in St. Paul and Golden Valley into the Center.
The design and construction team was the concerted effort of Cuningham Group Architecture Inc., Mortenson Construction and the Vermont Slate Co.. As they set out to make Council’s vision a reality, there was much ground- work work to do. For starters, they had to be sensitive to what materials were used in the process because the project sat within an historic district, thereby limiting what would be consistent with the building context.
In addition, because Minnesota is known for its extreme cli- mate, they needed a wall system and cladding that was able to withstand the large temperature swings.
“They wanted the environmen- tal benefits and efficiency of a ventilated rains screen, the look of a natural product, the 100-plus
year durability of natural slate with virtually no maintenance and a price that was competitive with other rainscreen systems,” says Ken Rule, owner of Vermont Slate, which has been distribut- ing CupaClad on a national basis since 2016.
The design and construction team settled on CupaClad 101 Logic material, a natural slate that helped reflect the values of BSA because of its natural properties, longevity and aesthetic qualities.
Natural slate also had historical value as an able-bodied roofing and cladding material. For hun- dreds of years, slate roofing has been used on castles, cathedrals and homes. Revered as being a durable and long lasting material, the material is capable of with- standing shock from hail, acid rain, and even hurricane-force winds without breaking. On av- erage, a quality slate roof has an expected lifespan of more than 100 years. As an added bonus, the minimal processing of natu- ral slate makes it one of the most environmentally-friendly building materials on the market.
“The slate contributed to the overall aesthetic with its mod- ern metallic luster, and yet mod- est-compliment to the historic 1913 Calvary building that sits adjacent to the BSA Leadership Center,” says Chad J. Clow, AIA NCARB, principal at Cuningham Group Architecture. “The wall system concept and slate exterior detailing provided the perfor- mance that we required.”
January 2020|19 And along with its aesthetic
capabilities, the material is lauded for its sustainability. “The CupaClad will last well over 100 years in the worst climates in the world, hot or cold,” Rule says. “Plus, it will look practically the same as it looks the day is goes on without any kind of painting or sealing.”
Slate rates...
As stewards of the Northern Star Council, the project team also was diligent in identifying cost-effec- tive solutions while maintaining the design integrity. That’s why early in the planning stages, the project team locked down slate as the wall cladding system.
“CupaClad was an ideal choice for the project, as it achieved the designer’s aesthetic intent; as a pre-engineered rainscreen sys- tem,” says David Wood, project manager for the Minneapolis Operating Group at Mortenson. “It also met the functional re- quirements in a commercial application such as this. It was also an incredibly cost-effective option relative to other cladding systems.”
In addition, the project team im- plemented a rain-screen cladding concept—a kind of double-wall construction that utilizes a sur- face to help keep the rain out and an inner layer to offer thermal insulation, prevent excessive air leakage and carry wind loading. The surface or slate in the exam- ple breathes just like a skin as the inner layer reduces energy losses.
The Center, named in honor of the King foundation’s $4 mil- lion gift in Northern Star’s capi- tal campaign, opened in summer 2018, helping usher in a renewed commitment to the positive in- fluence the Council makes in the lives of the 25-plus communities it serves.
“The project was a ground breaker for CupaClad in the United States,” Rule says. “Unlike in Europe, where natural slate rainscreens are becoming well known and desired, every job is critical in introducing this new concept to America. Nobody wants to be the crash test dummy, but everyone associated with the project is happy. To complete an important high profile project like this one with a new product and walk away with everyone smiling is a testament to their vision.”
Visit cupapizarras.com/usa for more information on CupaClad ®.