When architect Rand Elliott was challenged to design a structure containing 791 cars and four levels for the campus of Chesapeake Energy Corp., Oklahoma City, he selected a material that elevated the parking facility into an object of surprising curiosity. Its facade is a custom material: woven-metal mesh created by the German manufacturer Haver & Boecker and distributed by W.S. Tyler, Mentor, Ohio. The brushed-stainless-steel’s density conceals vehicles from outsiders while simultaneously circulating air and incoming light.
The 35,000 square feet of 316 stainless-steel wire mesh material is also highly reflective, imbuing the building with an ambiance reflective of its location and elements, from sunset to sundown. “This material really does take on the color and movement of the sky. On any given day you can look up at this mesh, and the line separating the building top and the sky almost disappears,” said Elliot.
One of the goals of the architectural design concept was for the parking garage to “add value to the campus architecture. It is more than a big static, stoic, stationary object.” A passers-by’s impression of the Chesapeake Parking Garage may be that of a polished office space rather than a typical car park. It’s a welcome way to ease into the workday, whose start is often the act of parking.
Images by Elliott + Associates Architects
Print Article
Register for our free global metals pricing service!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have the great opportunity to work with Rand and his team. They are nothing short of incredible – creative beyond words. If you can make a parking garage extraordinary, which they have done here, there is no limit to what they can do.
Given that the entirety of Oklahoma City has been configured for automobile use, it is fitting that the city now has a temple to its masters. I’d prefer to see some attractive metal cladding applied to a pedestrian-scaled structure downtown, but this is at least an upgrade to the landscape viewed from the surrounding highways.
In my experience metal mesh is exceptionally expensive compared to other cladding/louver treatments. I would love to know the cost of the material as installed.