The fabrication of ornamental metalwork had remained relatively unchanged since the invention of iron. In the beginning, individual iron elements were forged and assembled using rivets or hand-wrought ties. The only major advancement since then has been the use of welding, which is labor intensive and expensive. Eventually, machine-punched metal panels and later laser-cut panels were developed. However, these still required fastening to a costly and heavy structural steel sub-frame.
Today, design firm BŌK Modern is creatively combining disparate technologies, such as Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) laser cutting and press breaking, to incorporate both ornamental and structural components directly into a single metal panel. The result is a Structurally Integrated Metal Panel System (SIMPS): sturdy, lightweight and boundlessly customizable.
Panels can be cut and folded from a wide variety of metal plate, including aluminum and Cor-Ten steel, laser cut with an unlimited variety of patterns or left solid, and finished with an array of powder coatings during fabrication.
Because of the increased integrity that folding provides, BŌK Modern’s SIMPS severely reduce or altogether eliminate the need for additional support substructures. The resulting panels are lighter and stronger, as seen at the SPG pavilion in San Mateo by GLS Landscape Architects.
An added bonus to BŌK Modern’s SIMPS is sustainability. By reducing the need for additional steel support and simplifying installation, raw material and manual labor requirements are dramatically reduced and any waste is salvaged and recycled during fabrication.
Working closely with leaders in the field, such as SCB, Mithun, HKS, David Baker Architects, Morphosis, OMA and Gensler, BŌK has developed a wealth of new applications including, guardrails, façade cladding, canopies, sunshades, fencing systems and even buildings, such as the Pacifica Brewery in Pacifica, Calif. The brewery is comprised almost entirely of Cor-Ten steel SIMPS, which were delivered to the site in 10 flat-packed crates and fully erected in under three weeks.
Close-up of the staggered panels creating the rigidity to eliminate a complex steel backing system at Moscone Convention Expansion.
Due to their modular nature, SIMPS can be staggered to add additional rigidity and provide for enormous scalability. This method was put to use beautifully at the Moscone Convention Expansion designed by SOM Architects in San Francisco.
A great example of their versatility is the wind-baffling canopy designed for the high-rise residential tower at 1500 Mission Street in San Francisco. Here SOM Architects challenged BŌK’s design capabilities even further.
The standard steel truss canopy was initially developed to hold triangular, alternating aluminum panels that cantilevered out 40 feet from the building. The costs for this original design came in well over budget due to the enormous weight of the cantilevered steel trusses that were holding up the relatively lightweight aluminum panels.
By folding each of the three sides of the triangular infill panels and connecting those folded edges together, BŌK Modern was able to create a conventional truss, made stronger by the infill of the sheet metal. This re-interpretation of the traditional truss provided the strength required for the wind-baffling canopy at a fraction of the cost.
Learn more about how BŌK Modern’s innovative approach to metalwork can turn architectural vision into reality.
