Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovation Phase 2

General Contractor

DPR Construction
Phoenix, Arizona

Copper Fabricator/Installer

Kovach Inc.
Chandler, Arizona

This building, a new addition to the Copper Square area of downtown Phoenix plays a prominent role, both in its downtown location and its location as the campus gateway. Its beautiful copper skin was chosen as a showcase material for its color, durability, sustainability and importance to the state of Arizona.

This copper-skinned, steel-framed building includes a high-performance glass curtain wall on the north side and a translucent glass lantern feature, wrapping an exterior staircase. The project demanded an affordable, low-maintenance material that could blend in with a series of existing and new buildings on campus. The project also required development of shaded outdoor student spaces. The copper skin utilizes three different profiles in a randomly repeating pattern to create texture and a play of light and shadow. These same panels are perforated, providing air movement and shading at the exterior stairs and balconies. The result is an articulated copper box that meets urban, programmatic and budgetary requirements.

The design team was seeking a sustainable, affordable material that could offer an appropriate aesthetic identity for the Arizona State University downtown campus. They also wanted a material that would weather beautifully and naturally in the arid desert climate. Not only is copper a material that is a significant part of Arizona's history and economy (Arizona has led copper production nationally for the last century), it allowed the design team a great deal of flexibility in terms of panel design. This led to a highly articulated copper envelope that complements other architectural buildings on campus while creating a unique identity for this gateway building. It is estimated that 80 percent of the copper that has ever been mined is still in use today because of its great recyclability. Inherent in its recyclability, copper is very sustainable.

Architectural Category: Exotic or Unusual Applications