As the building industry begins to buzz again, many manufacturers are eager to highlight their latest offerings. Selected from 198 entries to ARCHITECT’s third annual Spring Product Call, these 23 products embody clean aesthetics, scientific breakthroughs, and an intent to improve our built or natural environment.
2021 Design Collection, 3form
Used in light-diffusing surfaces, partitions, and panels, 3form’s translucent panels get a fresh color palette of 13 neutral hues, from off-whites and cool grays to dusty blues. Available in three material options—Varia, Chroma, and glass platforms—which 3form says are durable and easy to clean. They also hold third-party certifications in several environmental sustainability programs. Varia and Chroma are offered in 4'-by-8' and 4'-by-10' panels and in a variety of thicknesses. 3-form.com
Gen3 Prime Wall System, BamCore
BamCore uses bamboo’s inherent strength to engineer a customizable, code-compliant, dual-panel, studless wall-framing solution that can eliminate the need for OSB, furring, jack and king studs, and even drywall. The wall system consists of an inner and outer 4'-by-8' BamCore panel with a top and bottom wood plate; insulation can later be blown into the cavity. BamCore fabricates the panels—with custom knockouts for services and fenestration—and then numbers, palletizes, and delivers them to the job site. No heavy equipment is needed to erect the walls. bamcore.com
ESD-411-CP Faucet and Soap Combo, Sloan
With an angular and prominently positioned design, this sensor-activated faucet and soap combo from Sloan’s Chicago-inspired Clark Street collection brings precise angles into harmony with subtle curves that capture light and attention. The modular one-piece assembly attaches to the deck surface while a motor assembly suspended under the counter connects to the soap-dispenser spout and has a battery life of up to 45,000 activations. Available in a polished chrome finish and ships with two bottles of foam soap. sloan.com
Solarvolt BIPV Glass Modules, Vitro Architectural Glass
These building-integrated photovoltaic modules can be used in exterior glass surfaces on commercial buildings, including balustrades, balconies, skylights, spandrels, and canopies. The BIPV modules passively generate solar power and offer shading, which can also reduce cooling costs. The modules can be sandwiched between two glass lites or manufactured using glass-film techniques. Available in nearly any shape, in sizes up to 98" by 146", and in customizable configurations. vitrosolarvolt.com
Fluropon Continuum, Sherwin-Williams
Developed using decades of weathering research, this metalescent coating for coil and extrusion applications—including curtain wall frames, louvers, sunshades, and soffits—comprises a mica-based formulation that eliminates the need for a clear coat. Applied in-factory in two coats to metal building products, and available in 120 standard colors as well as in custom colors. With a 35-year warranty for chalk, fade, and film integrity for coil applications. sherwin.com
Americana, Landscape Forms With Loll Designs
A reinterpretation of the classic Adirondack lounge chair, Americana offers a wide and tall profile to accommodate a range of seating positions and to help with ingress and egress. Constructed of ultraviolet-resistant, post-consumer recycled plastic, the outdoor chair requires little to no maintenance. Its polyester powder-coated aluminum supports and under-structure will resist fading and chipping, while its HDPE construction will not get too hot or too cold for year-round comfort, according to the manufacturer. Americana comes in four vibrant colors and with an optional tablet arm and bag hanger. landscapeforms.com
SketchUp PreDesign, Trimble
Through PreDesign, architects can test design strategies and understand the impact of climate and environment on a project at the conceptual design phase. By gathering climate data on a specific site, the software delivers information and insights into a design’s architectural response, shading options, glazing size and type, daylighting, and potential for outdoor spaces. trimble.com
Ori, Focal Point
Inspired by origami, these eye-catching, sound-absorbing acoustic ceiling tiles come in 10 cut-and-folded shapes formed from a flat sheet of polyester felt that contains up to 50% recycled material. The tiles are designed to fit in 2'-square grid ceilings with 9/16" or 15/16" grids, can readily pair with architectural troffers, and offer an average NRC of 1.1. Available in more than two dozen colors, as well as custom designs and sizes. focalpointlights.com
Accent Fin, Kingspan Insulated Panels North America
Created upon request from architects wanting to accentuate the lines of insulated metal panels, this joint-integrated accessory can be oriented horizontally or vertically and protrudes 6" or 3" from the surrounding façade. The double-seal integrated joint systems are made from extruded aluminum and are compatible with Kingspan’s KS Series and Optimo panels. Available in standard Kingspan and custom colors, and in six different shapes, including blade and triangle. kingspanpanels.us
Open Air, Interface
Designed with open spaces in mind, this modular carpet tile collection is carbon neutral across its full life cycle and Green Label Plus–certified by The Carpet and Rug Institute. The collection’s premiere offering, Open Air Neutrals, comprises 22 geometric, linear, organic, and textured patterns that are available in 25cm-by-1m planks, as well as 50cm-square tiles, in both cool and warm neutral colors. Each product uses a tufted textured loop construction with 100% recycled content nylon. interface.com
Vectorworks Architect 2021, Vectorworks
Supporting the entire design process from initial sketch to construction drawings and documentation, this BIM software’s latest release offers a large number of import and export capabilities, support for OpenBIM and IFC, and interoperability with Microsoft Excel and Adobe PDF files. A new Materials feature allows users to define material graphical attributes and data in one location. vectorworks.net
SunGuard SuperNeutral Essential 50/25 Coated Glass, Guardian Glass
This blue gray–colored, low-E coating for exterior commercial applications can minimize the green look of glass and increase the visual comfort of occupants by reducing glare. It offers a visible light transmission of 50% and a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.25. The coating is applied on the number 2 surface of a standard insulated glass unit. guardianglass.com
DensDeck StormX Prime Roof Board, Georgia-Pacific
This high-performance gypsum roof cover board can help prepare commercial rooftops to withstand severe hail and extreme weather events. Classified for use in approved assemblies meeting FM Global’s Very Severe Hail standard, the roof board resists dents and damage from hail and puncture from debris, and has increased resistance to moisture absorption, according to the manufacturer. densdeckstormx.com
Coterie, Carnegie Fabrics
Created in collaboration with Polish felt artist Anna Spakowska, this collection of four division panels provides visual and acoustical buffering for a variety of spaces. Crafted from plush Italian wool felt, the panels feature abstract geometric cutouts inspired by the traditional Polish pastry faworki (“angel wings”). Available in nine hues, each panel measures 47.5" wide, 118" tall, and 3.5mm thick. Panels can be suspended or floor-mounted using Carnegie hardware. carnegiefabrics.com
LP SmartSide Outside Corners, LP Building Solutions
These prefabricated trims create a clean corner look while eliminating the need to build corners during construction, improving jobsite efficiency. Available with a cedar-grained texture and pre-primed for painting, the trims are designed to resist water intrusion or seam separation. The 0.97"-thick pieces come in 10' lengths and 3.5" and 5.5" widths. lpcorp.com
Guise, Vibia
German designer Stefan Dietz combined Bohemian glass cutting, luminous street signage, and a contemporary vision for this collection of LED pendant and ceiling lamps, in which the light emanates from the piece of glass while the source remains invisible. The pattern of striations etched into the borosilicate glass refracts, radiates, and reflects the light coming from the fixture’s longitudinal-located LED source. When switched off, the lamp seems to disappear. vibia.com
Handmade to Order, Walker Zanger
This customizable, single-batch ceramic tile collection was designed for those seeking aesthetic exclusivity and personalization in interior residential or commercial spaces. It includes 32 white clay body shapes varying from mesh-mounted mosaics to field and organic shapes. Out of the collection’s 108 color options, 38 are new to the brand and were developed to create a spectrum of warm and cool tones. walkerzanger.com
Purifii Aer Wall, Luminii
Designed with high-traffic commercial and occupied spaces in mind, this low-profile, upper air germicidal ultraviolet system has been engineered with industry-proven UV-C technology to eliminate most viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms in the air—including SARS-CoV-2. As part of a portfolio of lighting products, Aer Wall uses LED technology to provide a continuous plane of UV-C light and can disinfect an environment at a faster rate than HVAC alone, eliminating up to 99.98% of pathogens, according to the manufacturer. luminii.com
ArmorGarde and ArmorDefend, Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope
These single-sourced, forced entry–resistant glass and glazing systems integrate with OBE’s ArmorGarde and ArmorGarde Plus laminated safety glass—available in both monolithic and insulating glass units—to delay forced entry via a variety of means, including multiple attacks from bullets, bricks, wrenches, baseball bats, and even sledgehammers. The systems are designed and tested in ArmorDefend and ArmorDefend Plus storefront and entrance systems. Available with a 2" or 2.5" sight line and a 4.5" or 5" depth. obe.com
T-BAR LED 9/16" Multi-Reflector Lens, JLC-Tech
Designed to replace the cross members in suspended grid-ceiling systems, this lighting system consists of full-cutoff microreflectors and tight LED spacing for optimized glare control. The reflectors provide intense, direct, and uniform light on a desk or conference table, while creating a clean ceiling plane. Available with a metallized, black, or white finish, a low profile the height of a T-bar, and in 2' and 4' lengths. jlc-tech.com
Weathered Plank, Dutch Quality Stone
Created by artisans based in Ohio’s Amish country, the stone-composite veneer mimics the look of reclaimed barn wood using a molding process that captures the grain and character of natural wood, including knots, grooves, and nail holes. Made from a lightweight Portland cement–based aggregate, the 4"- or 6"-wide planks come in two color palettes, industrial gray or Winesburg. dutchqualitystone.com
Deluxe Wall-Mounted Single-Zone System With H2i Plus Technology, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC
Equipped with Mitsubishi’s Hyper-Heating Inverter technology, this single-zone system for residential and light commercial spaces can provide 100% heating capacity in outdoor ambient temperatures as low as -5 F. The company’s patented Dual Barrier Coating, applied on each indoor unit’s heat exchangers, vanes, air duct, and blower wheel, helps minimize dirt, dust, oil, and grease accumulation—and thus maintenance (see right half of above image). Compatible with single- or multi-zone outdoor heat pump units with 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 KBTU per hour capacities. mitsubishicomfort.com
QuickDrain Shower Bench, QuickDrain USA
This ADA-compliant shower bench offers a place to sit, relax, or store items in the shower. Offered as a rectangular bench or as a large or small corner bench, with custom sizes available, and made with 100% recycled, 2" rigid-plastic foam panels sourced from up to 400 recycled water bottles. Can be assembled within hours and without mechanical fasteners. quickdrainusa.com
