Published July 20, 2021
Out of the Woods
Dri-Design’s Shadow Series adds depth and texture to any façades.
By Halee Miller
Staff Writer
What started in the back of a shop, has since sparked into one of the most innovative and evolved metal wall panel system companies in the country. Dri-Design was formed nearly 20 years ago by the hands of a team that sought a better panel system after their own 30 years of experience in selling and installing traditional ones. Delamination, staining due to joint sealants, rising costs of production, inefficient installation practices, and lack of color, texture, and design options were the norm in the industry — and they wanted something better.
After in-depth research and meticulous engineering, a never-before-seen metal wall panel system came to life. It can attach to nearly any substrate without clips or extrusions, is a 100% recyclable, pressure equalized rain-screen, architectural metal wall system that’s one of a kind. It never delaminates, never stains due to joint sealants, gaskets, or butyl tape, and is manufactured and installed faster than any other product in the market. The efficient system is available in an unlimited palette of colors, finishes, materials, textures and custom perforations. Dri-Design’s product has been used on some of the most renowned projects in the country — including the University of Massachusetts’ Design Building in Amherst, Mass.
As the first Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) academic building in the United States — and the largest installation of wood-concrete composites in North America — the $52M, 87,000-square-foot project is impressive to say the least. The structure is home to the university’s design and research-driven departments of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning, and the Building and Construction Technology program.
Providing spaces to innovate, collaborate, and unite, the building itself is also teaching sustainability from its structural bones. Extensive glazing and skylights, radiant flooring and chilled beams, storm water management, and the use of native plants and paving materials in the landscaping all serve as sustainable examples. Completed in 2017, the building is LEED Gold Certified.
While adding depth, texture, and pattern to the façade, Dri-Design’s Shadow Series panels were able to keep the substrate and weather barrier in the same plane. The copper anodized finish used in the Design Building, combined with vertical windows, pays homage to the colors and patterns of the region’s forests and trees.
Dri-Design provides a metal wall paneling system like no other -- fast to manufacture, durable, customizable, it’s the perfect solution for your next façade design. Learn more about Dri-Design, their other stunning projects, and their full product line on Mortarr and at dri-design.com.
