In 2012, the Masonic Amphitheater, a public performance venue in downtown Clifton Forge, Virginia, was completed. The building, which was named the American-Architects Building of the Year in 2012, presented a hands-on educational opportunity for aspiring architects at Virginia Tech. A group of third year architecture students from the design/buildLAB at the Virginia Tech School of Architecture + Design designed and built the entertainment center.
After gathering ideas from planners and Clifton Forge residents, the students created a masterpiece that was mostly comprised of white oak with a band shell that was made up of zinc, titanium, and stainless steel metal composite material (MCM) from ALPOLIC. The metal panels were crucial for optimizing the sound projection of the building’s natural acoustics.
“The ALPOLIC panel was really excellent,” said Zawistowski, “because it already had a kind of highly reflective surface on both sides and a solid core material, so it actually turns out to be a really good acoustic reflector. It had all the properties of the thing that we would otherwise be trying to custom make.”
The reflective panels used on the band shell were coated with Lumiflon FEVE resin, ensuring that the MCM will remain in pristine condition for decades. Lumiflon FEVE resin offers surfaces exceptional color and gloss retention, weatherability, and durability. These properties are ideal for high-profile projects that experience high exposure and are susceptible to coating degradation. With the Lumiflon-enhanced metal panels, the Masonic Amphitheater’s sound quality will remain pitch perfect for many years to come.
Information courtesy of Virginia Tech and ALPOLIC
Photos courtesy of ALPOLIC
Categories Architecture