Virginia's new Monument Drive Transit Center showcases Linetec terra cotta finishes on EXTECH aluminum cladding system
Posted on May 16th, 2024 by Heather West
To create the 262,000-square-foot transit facility’s façade, Linetec finished more than 4,000 custom-profiled aluminum tube extrusions and 768 wall panels that varied in both color and size. Four colors were specified in Linetec textured specialty finishes: Terra Cotta Orange, Terra Cotta Burnt Orange, Terra Cotta Brown and Terra Cotta Bronze. The individual vertical aluminum tube profiles ranged from 2 by 4 inches to 6 by 12 inches. The larger, pre-assembled panels were finished to match in dimensions spanning 7 foot 6 inches wide up to 11 foot 8 inches tall.
“Terra cotta transcends trends, whether featured in wall panel system, a fenestration framing element or as an architectural accent,” said Tammy Schroeder, director of marketing. “The Monument Drive project provides an excellent example of collaboration and creative application.”
She continued, “For more than a decade, Linetec has proudly served as EXTECH’s architectural aluminum finisher of choice. We appreciate EXTECH’s continued interest in the new and unique finishing technologies that Linetec provides.”
On the Monument Drive project, the aluminum extrusion profiles were made to match the three “baguette” terra cotta profiles designed by HGA’s architects. EXTECH engineered its system to accommodate garage structure differential deflections and cladding system thermal movement by incorporating a unique sliding clip into the extrusions.
Linetec textured terra cotta specialty coatings meet the industry’s most stringent performance specification standard, AAMA 2605, “Voluntary Specification, Performance Requirements and Test Procedures for Superior Performing Organic Coatings on Aluminum Extrusions and Panels,” published by the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance. These durable, fluoropolymer painted finishes are formulated with a 70% PVDF resin-based coating system to achieve the highest performance levels in exterior environments.
Finished aluminum is more readily available, less fragile and more resilient than actual terra cotta during shipping, handling and installing. Additionally, finished aluminum is a lighter weight material than actual terra cotta, allowing for faster installation. EXTECH’s panelized system helps save additional time and costs, while accommodating each project’s unique specification requirements.
As an environmentally responsible finisher, Linetec uses a 100% air capture system and a regenerative thermal oxidizer to safely contain and eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with solvents in liquid paint. This process is carefully managed in the Linetec facility. This prevents adverse environmental impact and alleviates concerns about VOCs at the jobsite and after the finished material is installed on the building.
Located at the intersection of Government Center Parkway and Monument Drive, the new commuter parking garage and transit center is adjacent to the I-66 express lanes ramps. The facility offers eight levels of structured parking, a bus transit center, a short-term parking area for rideshare pick-up and drop-off, commuter (slug) lanes, secure bicycle parking and storage, solar panels to reduce energy consumption and a partial green roof.
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Monument Drive Commuter Parking Garage and Transit Center, 12113 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA 2203
• Owner: Fairfax County; Fairfax, Virginia; https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov
• Architect: HGA; Alexandria, Virginia; https://hga.com
• General contractor: Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc.; Winchester, Virginia; https://shockeybuilds.com
• Tube wall system – manufacturer and engineer: EXTECH/Exterior Technologies, Inc.; Pittsburgh; https://www.extechinc.com
• Tube wall system – installing contractor: Modern Door & Equipment Sales, Inc.; White Plains, Maryland; https://www.moderndoor.com
• Tube wall system – coating manufacturer: PPG Industries, Inc.; Pittsburgh; https://www.ppgindustrialcoatings.com
• Tube wall system – finishing services provider: Linetec; Wausau, Wisconsin; https://linetec.com
• Photographer: ©Kate Wichlinski
• Additional images: courtesy of EXTECH
Linetec is a brand of Apogee Enterprises and the nation’s largest finishing services provider for architectural aluminum products. To learn more, please visit https://linetec.com.
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Filed under: Projects, Linetec