Design Transition

The Kent Police Station is located at a transition point between two different neighborhoods and architecturally distinct areas. Visually, the project had to echo the more modern Kent State College Architecture and Design building while nodding to the nearby, more classic structures of the central business district.  Additionally, the station was designed to present an energized, neighborly aesthetic, positioning it as a safe pillar of the community.

Solution

The team at DS Architecture utilized a total of 6,570 square feet of CENTRIA’s Formawall Dimension Series Graphix insulated metal panels and EcoScreen perforated screenwall in the Allura Terra Cotta finish to effectively establish the Kent Police station as the desired transition between the historic downtown district and the more contemporary developments on campus. The additional high-performance insulated metal panels by CENTRIA, FWDS and DS60, also diminish the likelihood of air or water infiltration, while providing exceptional thermal efficiency.

“CENTRIA was an integral part of the design solution from start to finish,” says Eric Pros, Director of Design, DS Architecture, the firm responsible for the design. “We selected the Allura Terra Cotta finish to echo the masonry context around this site, aiding in unifying the community. The large format metal panels we specified added a unique rhythm and pattern, which allowed us to create a more distinct, cleaner façade, which breaks down the larger masses of the building, and makes it feel more approachable.”

Success

EcoScreen also played an integral role in the building’s design and provided an added level of character to the finished station. “CENTRIA’s EcoScreen allowed our team to incorporate lighting into the structure,” Pros added. “The entrance to the building can be accessed from two different sides and is visible from four different directions. The EcoScreen fin and signage will seem to glow from within, establishing the police station as a safe haven in the community.”

Kent Police Station was completed in April 2018.