The Public Gallery, West Bromwich
Architect: Alsop Architects
Building Envelope Subcontractor: Richardson Roofing Ltd
Must be the most controversial project of the area due to the over budgeting and closure.
The building is a box form self-supporting structure, clad in Sinusoidal aluminium and painted with a duotone system which changes the colour according to the angle of view.
‘Jelly Bean’ shaped window openings appear to have been cut out of the cladding in dotted lines along the façades. The 700 mm thick envelope comprises three layers – an outer rainscreen – a weather-tight skin and – an inner lining
All supported off a steel frame which is restrained by the main steelwork. The weather-tight layer is formed from proprietary composite insulated cladding panels supported outside the steel frame on steel cladding rails. The inner lining is perforated sinusoidal cladding, painted pink and fixed to insulation filled steel trays which are fixed to the steel frame on steel cleats. The rainscreen is sinusoidal aluminium cladding fixed to vertically aligned aluminium decking riveted to the composite cladding panels. The outer skin is painted with a duo-tone system which has a top coat of mica flakes borne in clear lacquer making the colour appear to change from different angles.
The window and curtains walling is actually rectangular and part hidden behind the rainscreen. A pink powder coated curved aluminium trim silhouettes the opening in the rainscreen.