ARCHITECT: Friar Associates

PRODUCTS: Cladding Corp Plus⁵, Fundermax, and VaproShield WrapShield^® SA Self-Adhered Water-Resistive Vapor Permeable Air Barrier Sheet

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering in Windsor, Connecticut was transformed from a former business office complex into a state-of-the-art school honoring Connecticut’s aeronautics and aviation history. The concept for the exterior was derived from images of the Lunar Nebula taken by the Hubble Telescope, and implemented using Fundermax exterior panels. A contemporary airfoil design accents the facade of the middle school of the Academy, while the vast majority of the facade is clad in a Plus5 phenolic rainscreen systems by Cladding Corp. Cladding Corp engineered a variation of their F1.10 exposed fastener system for the project, providing both an economical and technically efficient solution for the over 55,000 square feet of exterior facade panels. To further protect the building envelope, architects chose VaproShield WrapShield® SA Self-Adhered Water-Resistive Vapor Permeable Air Barrier Sheet.

Accented with state of the art architectural details, The STEM learning center truly invites students to discover elements of Aerospace and Engineering themes throughout the building. Students move through the site as if landing on a runway at Bradley Airport. They see that the middle school's science labs exist within the frame of a modern airfoil; they discover an ancient Nebula in a pixilated exterior facade through the eyes of the Hubble Space Telescope. The living learning environment at CREC Academy extends beyond the building shell, and encourages students to look beyond the textbooks and into their imagination.

Awards

• 2016 Associated General Contractors, Inc. - Building Merit Award
• CREW CT - The Real Estate Exchange 2016 Blue Ribbon Awards - Best Educational Project
• CREW CT - The Real Estate Exchange 2016 Blue Ribbon Awards - People's Choice