FALL 2014 - Amazon S3FALL 2014 2 MISSION Our mission is to meet and surpass the expectations of our clients. Zahner practices this mantra at every phase of the design and construction

The intersection of art and architecture.

DE YOUNG MUSEUM DESIGNED BY HERZOG & DE MEURONZAHNER PROVIDED METAL & GLASS | BUILDING ENVELOPE | FACADE & ROOF

The intersection of art and architecture.

FALL 2014

2

MISSIONOur mission is to meet and surpass the expectations of our clients.

Zahner practices this mantra at every phase of the design and construction

process. When clients first visit Zahner’s headquarters, the technologies introduced

will expand a project’s potential — you experience the processes, surfaces, and

possibilities. As a project moves forward, we develop details to most elegantly match

the architect’s designed aesthetic. We see your vision and we raise it — with you.

A single facade can require upwards of hundreds and even thousands of panels.

During production, components are organized by digital signatures and delivered

on a schedule to the site. This systematized process provides for an intelligently

organized installation process on highly bespoke designs. Zahner field engineers

work tirelessly to ensure accurate installation with high craft.

Meeting and surpassing our client’s expectations means internalizing the interests

of our clients. It means that we use our expertise to save the client money without

sacrificing quality. It means that we take the time to understand their vision, and we

make it our own. This is what makes our dedication to craft unparalleled.

This is Design Assist.

A. ZAHNER CO

1400 E. 9th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106, United States of America

+1 (816) 474-8882 [email protected]

The intersection of art and architecture. 4

WHY CHOOSE DESIGN ASSISTA LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

The general consensus in the construction industry has been that competitively bid projects are less expensive than projects managed with design-build. While this may appear to be true when the initial bids come in, we’ve discovered that the data doesn’t add up. The costs of competitively bid projects will often rise throughout the duration of the construction process, while buildings produced with Design Assist consistently come in under budget. This is money that ends up back in the owner’s pocket.

Eliminate the unknown. The unknowns increase your risk the longer they go undetermined. They result in hidden costs and cause chaos amongst the construction team. Zahner’s Design Assist team identifies these unidentified aspects, breaks them down into understood problems, and then provides the best options to solve them.

Lower the cost. Zahner provides smart incentives to its Design Assist team to reduce the cost of the project without sacrificing the quality. Our experienced team is probably the only group of engineers, fabricators, and installers who can analyze a building’s facade and find half a dozen ways to reduce the cost — all while maintaining or even increasing the quality.

Improve the efficiency A lot of costs arise as a result of construction delays in the field. Our engineers and installers develop systems that result in rapid installations with minimal waste. Projects contracted under Design Assist result in less waste and faster installation than typical construction methods. Every time.

It’s well known that our company provides high quality work. What isn’t quite so well known is that we will work within your budget and discover ways to intelligently build your project.

This is why we provide Design Assist.

L. WILLIAM ZAHNERCEO/PRESIDENT, A. ZAHNER COMPANY


The concept of Design Assist first appeared during the design

phase of the EMP Museum (left) in 1999. Zahner engineers met with

Frank Gehry’s design team to develop the complex façade. Design

Assist describes the collaborative process we use to build complex

architecture. It is a dedication to meeting the client’s expectations

with a quality product.

Design Assist gives the client power to directly control quality,

cost, and schedule. If you’ve worked with Zahner, you understand

that Design Assist is also an effective method for reducing the

cost, time, and the number of issues that arise in the production

of unparalleled architecture. Zahner craftsmen understand the

limitations of what is possible, developing details that result in the

lowest possible budget at the highest possible quality.

Let us take your risk. Design Assist helps owners control

the budget and achieve their project’s goals:

Increased Quality — Zahner has the expertise to know what

can be reduced without sacrificing the desired aesthetic.

Streamline Schedule — Instead of building in the field, we

prefabricate components for rapid installation in the field,

typically saving two to four months of installation time.

Save Money — Design Assist consistently saves money

for owners. This is achieved by expertise, automation

strategies, and analytical processes which occur at the

beginning of each project.


“Zahner provides exemplary craftsmanship in everything they undertake, and

are seriously and extremely committed to Architecture, with a capital A.”

— Frank Gehry, letter to the Architects Institute of America, 2007

Zahner is internationally renowned and recognized for

innovations in the field of metal and digital fabrication.

Zahner leads by developing new and sustainable metal

applications, patinas, and their respective technologies,

recruiting only the most dedicated and intelligent craftsmen

and engineers. Zahner employs over 250 people with

facilities in Dallas, Texas and Kansas City, Missouri.

L. William Zahner, CEO/President, is a recognized expert in

the field of architectural metals. He has authored two books

universally heralded as official textbooks of metal use in

architecture. In 2007 the American Institute of Architects

awarded Mr. Zahner with an honorary membership for his

dedication to the architectural profession, his devotion to

spreading his knowledge of metal, and his innovations and

contributions to architectural metal.

Zahner Headquarters, Kansas City Missouri


Zahner has steadily grown by hiring exemplary engineers and

artisans whose unparalleled craft gives credence to the Zahner

mission. In 2009, Zahner opened a fabrication plant into Dallas,

Texas; the strategic location has led to over a dozen new projects

in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. In 2011, Zahner upgraded

its process for v-notching plates, by purchasing the largest CNC

bridge mill in the Midwestern United States.

Zahner’s combined facilities total 100,000 SF shop floor space,

which does not include the greater campus grounds and outdoor

facilities at the two Zahner locations.

Zahner Dallas, Texas Zahner Headquarters and Campus, Kansas City, Missouri

Artisans of the Sheet Metal Union #2 at Zahner work on the Liverpool Department Store (opposite top) at the Zahner Headquarters


Liverpool Department Store

Rojkind Architects

Mexico City, Mexico

ZEPPS® & Angel Hair® Stainless Steel

The de Young Museum

Herzog & de Meuron

San Francisco, CA; USA

TECU® ClassicTacoma Museum of Glass

Arthur Erickson

Tacoma, WA; USA

Angel Hair® Stainless SteelBOK Arena

HOK Architects

Oklahoma City, OK; USA

Aluminum & Glass

Art Gallery of Alberta

Randall Stout Architects

Edmonton, AB; Canada

ZEPPS® Angel Hair® Stainless Steel

Sidra Medical Center

AECOM & Pelli Clarke Pelli

Doha, Qatar

Ceramic Tile on ZEPPS®Pritzker Pavilion

Frank Gehry Partners

Chicago, IL; USA

Angel Hair® Stainless Steel & ZEPPS®

Neiman Marcus

Elkus Manfredi

Natick, MA; USA

Interference Stainless & ZEPPS®

Basra Stadium

360 Architects

Basra, Iraq

Solanum™ Weathering Steel

NASCAR Hall of Fame

Pelli Clark Pelli

Charlotte, NC; USA

Angel Hair® Stainless Steel & ZEPPS®

“It works a little bit like a model-airplane kit — Zahner’s computer system automatically organizes

all the parts to create a shape. The cutting patterns get sent over to a computer system that cuts the

shapes. All the shapes come in a box numbered, and as long as they fit the numbered parts in the

right places there’s very little measuring. You get a unique prefabricated shape that comes in a box.”

We’re making it easier to build forms with dual curves.

— George Metzkger, Gehry Partner

Quoted in Sheet Metal Magicians, Peter Hall, Metropolis.


SMARTER CURVESBuilding curvilinear structures is what Zahner is known for.

The ZEPPS® Technology is in its 4th iteration since it was first

developed in 1999, and ZEPPS® Tech continues to be the strongest,

most efficient and accessible way to build curves in architecture.

BOK Arena, Tulsa, Oklahoma


The sweeping curves of BOK Center are

made possible by ZEPPS® — a total of 350,000

square feet of stainless steel are clad upon the

structural aluminum assemblies — custom

ZEPPS® designed specifically for this project.

Using our patented technology to build the

curves meant that the client saved money,

eliminating much of the structural steel and

reducing the amount of subcontractors involved

in the construction process.

Designed by Cesar Pelli, the project was

managed by Flintco & Manhattan Construction,

who called the BOK Center one of the finest

architectural designs in their 100-year history

of building architecture.

“The iconic 19,199 seat downtown arena has spent nearly five years shattering

expectations, selling out shows, attracting major artists and landing in national

publications’ rankings of the nation’s top-performing venues. Since its first

show on Sept. 6, 2008 - a sold-out concert by the Eagles - the BOK Center

has sold 3.3 million tickets, collected $104.4 million in ticket revenue and

generated more than $11.1 million in sales tax.”

— Zack Stoycoff Tulsa World 2013

BOK Arena, Tulsa, Oklahoma

A SMART INVESTMENTP

HO

TOG

RA

PH

: RA

ND

ALL

STO

UT

AR

C


2,800 unique diamond-shaped stainless steel panels skin

the surface of the Tacoma Museum of Glass. Designed by

Arthur Erickson, the project was a major Design Assist effort.

The architects consulted with Zahner to lay the groundwork

for producing the complex geometries efficiently, and then

executed the design with Zahner fabrication technologies.

The shape of the cone is made possible by the ZEPPS®

Process, a system designed to make complex structures

manageable. Each row of diamond panels has a different

height and width, decreasing in size as it goes up. The photo

above was taken in 2012, ten years after its completion.

Tacoma Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington


When Zahner met with Gyo Obata to develop the

Independence Temple, Zahner’s firm was just beginning

to emerge as a leader in architectural metal technology.

The temple was one of the first iconic buildings to use

Zahner’s algorithmic curvilinear building system, and it

was also the first project of local renown in the Kansas

City area completed by Zahner.

The systems used for the Temple eventually was refined

into the ZEPPS® Technology a decade later. Using today’s

ZEPPS® Technology, Zahner could hypothetically produce

the temple today at an improved quality, reduced cost,

and in several months less time than it took to complete

the project in 1994.

The designers selected a spiraling conch shell

from an assortment of seashells to serve as the

model for the building’s elegant design.


“Whenever we design a building with a complex metal skin, our first thought is to call

Zahner to make sure they are interested in bidding the job.“

— Paul Fehlau Executive Senior Associate,

Antoine Predock Architect PC

When Antoine Predock selected Zahner for The Museum

of Science and Industry, there were a few engineering and

design hurdles to overcome. The spherical shape of the

dome required the metal surface to curve in two direction

at once — dual curvatures. Similar to a sheet of paper,

metal sheets will not naturally curve in two directions.

Zahner developed a custom system for the project, a metal

forming application technology that would later serve as the

building blocks for the ZEPPS® Process, enabling architects

to design bolder, and build faster.

Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) Tampa, Florida

The intersection of art and architecture. 24Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: R

AN

DA

LL S

TOU

T A

RC


“At our first year anniversary celebration, Mayor Stephen Mandel praised our accomplishments and Lindsay Blackett,

Minister of Culture and Community Spirit, told us that the investment in the AGA was the best $27 million the

Government of Alberta has ever spent.”

— Barry Zalmanowitz, Chairman, Art Gallery of Alberta

Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

The soft curves of the metal-clad “borealis” twist and

turn around and through the entirety of the Art Gallery

of Alberta’s design. Randall Stout Architects made use of

Zahner’s Design Assist program to efficiently engineer and

fabricate the complex forms for efficient installation.

Zahner provided Design Assist, engineering, fabrication,

and shipment of the pre-assembled panels to the job site

in Edmonton. Zahner’s installation partner in Canada (Flynn)

provided the interlocking panels and stainless steel skins.

The project was constructed using the architect’s 3D Model.

Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: R

AN

DA

LL S

TOU

T A

RC


The Norway-based firm Snøhetta wanted to achieve an

emotive surface across the facade of the 911 Museum in

New York City. Using a combination of striped and perforated

panels, the designers portrayed a pixelated story, rendering

an abstract portrayal of the World Trade Center’s attacks

across the surface of the museum.

The firm worked with Zahner’s designers and fabricators

to develop an alternating pattern. Each panel shifts from

standard linear-grained stainless steel to a bead-blasted

stainless surface — four stripes to a panel. The result is an

iconic design like none other.

Mockup showing the unique panel system for 911 Memorial, at Zahner in Kansas City


In 2011, Zahner began exporting the ZEPPS® Technology, a patented process which

simplifies the construction of complex and curving facades in metal, glass, and ceramic (and

more) — all around the world. The Exported ZEPPS® Components ship as pre-assembled

and semi-assembled units to locations worldwide. Local crews then install the units with

common tools under Zahner supervision.

Liverpool Flagship Department Store, Mexico City, Mexico

Visualized schedule of panel section exports for The Liverpool Flagship Department Store

PHOTOGRAPH: PAUL RIVERA


“Even though we had never collaborated with them before, Zahner’s credentials and experience clearly

indicated that they were the ideal candidate for this project. The design and fabrication process we went

through has been one of the most rewarding collaborations we have had in recent years.“

— Gerardo Salinas, Partner, Rojkind Arquitectos

Liverpool Flagship Department Store, Mexico City, Mexico

The most rapidly produced work of this scale completed by Zahner to date,

the Liverpool Flagship Department Store is an example of what can be built

using Zahner engineered products and automation systems under a Design

Assist contract. The project was conceived and completed within a single year.

The designers at Rojkind Arquitectos brought Zahner on under a Design Assist

contract. The team worked to develop facade solutions that would meet their

tight construction schedule without sacrificing quality or the desired aesthetic.

Zahner provided Design Assist, engineering, fabrication and shipment. The

project features the fabricated unitized panels to Mexico City, where local

crews installed the facade without issues.


Three massive “wings” salute the sky, white terracotta ceramic

panels, clad onto aluminum assemblies made possible using the

ZEPPS® Process. This project marked the first use of Export ZEPPS®

Assemblies, completely installed by local crews. Designed by Cesar

Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli with the executive architect Ellerbe Becket of

Kansas City, the subtle dual curvature required precise engineering

and intelligent organization. The Sidra Medical and Research Center

is a science and healthcare facility in Doha, Qatar.

Sidra Medical Center, Doha, QatarInstruction manual for assembling ZEPPS® Systems. Instead of pre-assembling the panels at

Zahner, parts were numbered, crated, and shipped to the job-site for 3rd party installers to prepare.

Local Doha installers assemble the panels, adding the final

ceramic surface to the ZEPPS® assemblies.


“Zahner held to our budget, schedule, safety, and quality standards. The ribbon

will indeed be the feature remembered by all who visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

I highly recommend A. Zahner Company for any project which demands the

qualities referenced above.”

— Tom Barnett, BE&K Turner Construction Company

NASCAR Hall of Fame, Charlotte, NC

A twisting stainless steel ribbon races around the perimeter of the

NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina. Zahner engineers

employed the ZEPPS® Process to enable simple and straight-forward

construction of an otherwise immensely complex shape. Our team was

responsible for Design Assist, engineering, fabrication, and installation.

The ribbon is clad in Angel Hair® Stainless Steel, a product developed by

Zahner to reduce the glare and bright spots while providing a uniform satin

finish. Even in bright sunlight, the surface has significantly less glare than

standard finishes on stainless steel.

To create the building’s curves, massive structural ZEPPS® Panels were

lifted into place, fastened, and secured to the basic steel structure.

The intersection of art and architecture. 38Millennium Park, Chicago, IL

The Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois

is a feat of engineering and construction. Zahner fabricated

697 ZEPPS® Panels, ranging from 6 to 300 square feet,

and 1,600 to 20,000 pounds, with a thickness of about 14

inches. Each of the panels is uniquely numbered and read

to install, enabling rapid construction schedules and small

teams of installers. These assemblies are then clad in our

Angel Hair® Stainless steel. Designed by Gehry Partners, the

project was completed in 2004.PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: S

ERG

IO P

EREZ

The intersection of art and architecture. 40Miami Intermodal Center, Miami, Florida


A subtle spiral influences the form of this canopy for the Miami

International Airport’s transporation hub. An aluminum structure

with slit glazing integrated into its core — this is the latest iteration

of The ZEPPS® Process. The canopy is composed of 156 ZEPPS®

Panels, each over forty feet long, totaling nearly five-hundred feet

in length. The panels design was tested in a wind-tunnel at 150PSF

to withstand 250MPH winds, or nearly twice that of a category

five hurricane. The architects Perez & Perez worked with Zahner

engineers, fabricators, and installers, alongside Odebrecht of Brazil

to produce this extensive project, completed in 2012.

The intersection of art and architecture. 44Burberry Flagship Store, Chicago, Illinois

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: R

OB

ERT

HEI

SH

MA

N


“Zahner employees are visionary perfectionists. Their work

raises the level of an architect’s abilities. They are artistic

and creative collaborators — from design to fabrication to

installation, whose incredible abilities make architectural

dreams realities.”

— Daniel Libeskind

Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: B

ITTE

RB

RED

T


3,028 sheets of blue iridescent cross-fire interference stainless

steel clad the surface of the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San

Francisco. Zahner was responsible for the total building envelope,

inclusive of the metal, glass, and substrate. The project uses the

Inverted Seam® Roof and Facade System, the most powerful

building envelope system for water control, planar uniformity and

long-term performance.

Zahner engineered the skylight windows to integrate into the

Inverted Seam® skin, inset with four-sided structural silicone

glazing. The 36 custom skylights sit perfectly flush with the surface

of the metal, giving the roof and siding a smooth, uniform facing.

The subtle raised edges on the surface of the metal are a custom

touch designed by Daniel Libeskind himself.

Due to its color interference coating, the material

becomes iridescent in certain lighting conditions

and viewing angles (above).

Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: B

ITTE

RB

RED

T

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: B

ITTE

RB

RED

T

The intersection of art and architecture. 50McCoy Federal Building, Jackson, MS

BEYOND METALAlthough Zahner is best known for its curved structural surfaces in stainless steel, the

firm has played a major part in the innovation of glass technologies since the firm’s

inception in the late 1800’s. When Andrew Zahner first founded the A. Zahner Sheet Metal

Company in 1897, the firm manufactured and installed glass and metal skylight systems,

cornices, and other custom architectural components. Today, Zahner is responsible for the

glass and fenestration systems on several major projects, including the de Young Museum

as well as the Contemporary Jewish Museum in California, the Tacoma Museum of Glass in

Oregon, and the McCoy Federal Building in Mississippi (pictured above and next page).


Glass and steel, 260 extrusions, each 10 to 25 feet long,

thread into ZEPPS® Sections to hold 1,078 lites of glass for the

design by Schwartz + Silver for the Jackson, Mississippi Federal

Courthouse and GSA Building. Locked into place by over 2,000

quills of varying heights, almost every single lite of glass is

unique: of differing widths and heights as specified by Zahner

engineering and programming specialists.

McCoy Federal Building, Jackson, Mississippi

The intersection of art and architecture. 54University of Toronto Mississauga Instructional Centre, Toronto, Canada

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: L

ISA

LO

GA

N


Solanum Steel™Hunter Zinc™

Patinated Zinc Panels

The blue-grey surface of zinc textured with a light geological

patina grows on the surface of these preweathered panels,

providing a natural patina, resilient against the elements and

resistant to the oils in our hands. The material has been used

extensively on projects where the look of stone was desired,

such as the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, or the

Hunter Museum of American Art, (pictured left).

A preweathered blue and green flecked copper surface

wraps the facades of the Kansas City Star Building (above &

adjacent), the Kowloon Station in Tsing Yi Terminal Rof in Hong

Kong (below), and the University of Toronto at Mississauga in

Canada. (previous page). The preweathered organic surface

provides a resilient surface for a look that is both classic and

contemporary, a high-performance antiqued surface.

Star Blue Copper™

Patinated Copper Panels

THE POWER OF PATINA


Solanum Steel™Baroque Zinc™

Patinated Zinc Panels

Angel Hair®

Stainless Steel

The scattered light particles created by the Angel Hair® Stainless

Steel creates an ambient tonality when viewed from a distance,

pictured left on the Morse Courthouse in Eugene, Oregon.

Zahner’s Angel Hair® surface is the end product of an exacting

process where patented, precision-controlled machinery etches

stainless steel with varying degrees of intensity. This is the

finest, smoothest, and most uniform light-diffusion metal surface

available in the world.

A rich zinc patina which provides an interior and exterior

surface for refined and prestige environments. The natural

surface is similar to the Roano™ Patina (opposite), but is of

an different formula, and provides a durable surface with a

refined tone suited for architectural interiors and art. The

material is featured on the Gensler-designed Max Brenner

Flagship Store (detail pictured left).


Glass Bead™

Stainless Steel

Glass Bead is a uniform surface based on the GB-60™ technology

first developed by Zahner for its metal panel systems. The anti-

glare surface ambiently reflects light and color without the kinds of

hot spots associated with standard reflective finishes. The material

has been used on a number of projects developed by Zahner,

including IBM (pictured right) as well as many flagship retail stores.

Glass Bead™ Stainless Steel is a durable surface ideal for both

exterior and interior applications.

Solanum Steel™

Patinated Weathering Steel

A monumental expression of the metal’s deepest patina, Solanum

Steel™ provides a powerful, aged look that is chemically stable

— greatly reducing the tendency to stain adjacent surfaces. The

material is a more durable form of weathering steel than traditional

raw alloys such as A606-4 or CORTEN. Zahner’s proprietary surface

has been used on projects including private homes, works of art,

facades, and the landmark Spaceport America in Las Cruces, New

Mexico (pictured left).

The intersection of art and architecture. 62Rendering of Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, CA

KP

F A

RCH

ITEC

TS

COMING NEXTAs the foremost manufacturer of complex architecture, Zahner’s two plants are

continuously busy fabricating any number of the built facades of tomorrow. This

process includes developing new technologies, testing new surface processes, and

building towards an intersection where art and archicture blend as one. Working

with Zahner means forging new ways to build, being the first to try new surfaces,

and exploring how existing processes can be innovated to build the next great

work of architecture.


This is the Petersen Automotive Museum, a renovation of

an existing building led by Trent Tesch of KPF Architects.

The concept is envisioned as a curvilinear facade which

floats around its perimeter and rooftop bistro. This is where

the ZEPPS® Process shines as a powerful mechanism to

produce its exquisite facade.

The mockup (pictured opposite) was shown to the owners,

designers, and construction team in August, 2013. The

project is in production and will begin installation in Los

Angeles, California 2014.

REN

DER

ING

S C

OU

RTE

SY

KP

F A

RCH

ITEC

TS


Build flagship buildings and facades that endure.

Quality materials, fabrication, and engineering — these are

the elements of good construction. This is how architecture

like the Chrysler Building has endured and retained its name

so long after the brand sold the property — it’s the stainless

steel. In Edmonton, Canada, a world-class multi–use arena

and hockey stadium is being clad in Zahner’s Angel Hair®

stainless steel, an enduring material with an illustrious

finish. Zahner has a rich portfolio of iconic projects featuring

this surface and more — flagship buildings built to last.

Learn more: azahner.com/flagships

Let us take your risks.

Every so often an architect begins to change the

landscape of what constitutes high-design, and

what kind of architecture deserves it. Meet the

UCSF Parking Structure. This ten-story parking

facility was completed in 2012 with WRNS

Studio Architects. Zahner worked closely with

the team to develop a budgeted facade with a

compelling visual aesthetic, and is working on

another currently in Silicon Valley. The approach

has led to growing interest from developers in

what can be done under tight budget constraints

with the right design team.

Learn more: azahner.com/parking

Make art without fear.

Commissioned as a permanent installation, the

latest Jan Hendrix work of art (pictured right),

was produced and delivered by Zahner to a

private collection in Mexico City. Jan Hendrix has

developed a studio practice that makes use of

Zahner’s fabrication capabilities, which means

more time spent in his studio and an increased

capacity for production of his work. Because of

Zahner’s continued innovation, each sculpture

taps a new process developed by Zahner R&D.

The artwork pictured right features a mirror-

polish aluminum cut with beveled edge made by

Zahner’s CNC milling equipment.

We research new tools and methodologies.

This page shows some of the products and

systems Zahner is introducing to the market.

Above, an image is etched from commercial

bronze, one of the many processes

developed by Zahner R&D that are changing

the possibilities for designers today.

Design beautiful curves. We can build them.

The Zahner-patented technology for building

complex dual-curving forms is an efficient and

cost-effective construction method for unique

buildings. Pictured below is the rendering and

fabricated “legs” for the upcoming Acquario

Ceara in Brazil, scheduled to be the third largest

aquarium in the world upon its completion.

Zahner’s proprietary ZEPPS® process has a

reputation for digital accuracy, and has a long

track record for providing ahead-of-schedule

delivery of pre-assembled complex forms.

Learn more at azahner.com/zepps

Use the tools we use.

In 2013, Zahner launched its first tool for

generating architectural facades. The new

ShopFloor™ Platform provides an interface for

designers to use tools that were previously only

available internally at Zahner. The first offering

under the ShopFloor™ Platform is CloudWall™

— the glass and aluminum facade system used on

Zahner’s own headquarters in Kansas City. Now you

can upload your own image, graphic, or pattern to

generate unique architectural facades, and more.

We’re giving you the floor.

Sign up at azahner.com/shopfloor

CRA

FT W

ITH

INTE

LLIG

ENCE

RENDERING OF ROGERS CENTER COURTESY 360 ARCHITECTS & DIALOG ARCHITECTSRENDERING OF ACQUARIO CEARÁ COURTESY GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF CEARÁ


The patented ZIRA™ System enables artists and architects to

automatically translate unique imagery onto metal, using any

combination of selective embossing, cutting, or perforation of the

surfaces. Any image, photograph, drawing, or pattern can be translated

to the metal surface using with our ZIRA™ technology.

The Kauffman Stadium designed by Populous (pictured) uses a

combination of dimpled, bumped and perforated metal surfacing to

create a subtle reveal of the baseball team’s logo on its surface.

Ovitz Residence, Los Angeles, CA


Massive aluminum plates measuring eight by

twenty feet frame the Student Center Courtyard

at Doha University, Qatar. The intricately cut half-

inch plates were fabricated by Zahner in Kansas

City to match a pattern drawn by artist Jan

Hendrix. Completed in the summer of 2010, the

architectural art installation was produced under

the architects Legoretta & Legoretta. The painted

aluminum panels and substructure were shipped

as units to Doha, Qatar, where local installers

placed the large metal plates on both the interior

and exterior frameworks.

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: J

AN

HEN

DR

IX

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: A

LEXE

Y S

ERG

EEV


Jan Hendrix glances between aluminum panels at the

Zahner shop in Kansas City before the plates ship to

Doha, Qatar. The completed project features the artist’s

pattern installed on both the interior and exterior of the

student center. Note how the lines transition smoothly

across seams from plate to plate. This is called the

parametric relationship. The smooth transition is a result

of the ZIRA™ Process, a user-manipulable tool which

allows designers to upload their own imagery to create

their design on a variety of materials.

Artwall at Doha, Qatar

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: M

IKE

SIN

CLA

IR

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: J

AN

HEN

DR

IX


7,600 individual and uniquely dimpled and perforated

wall panels adorn the surface of the de Young Museum

in San Francisco, California. The innovative Museum

is designed by Herzog & de Meuron, who desired a

pattern on the wall to match sunlight streaming through

a canopy of trees. Digital images were converted

into machine language and used as the basis for the

entire facade. Zahner provided Design Assist, value

engineering, scheduling, fabrication, and erection of the

interior facade and building envelope.

As designed by the architect, a patina has slowly formed

on the copper surface, from a bright reflective red to

a historic verdigris tone, pictured below and on the

following page. The desired outcome is for the Museum

to naturally disappear over time, becoming part of the

surrounding forest at Golden Gate Park.

The copper material ages over time

“Seldom has an architectural project been talked about so much in the world media. In the new age of folded, textured,

and curvaceous buildings, Zahner has become a clinic for twisting and treating metal. Their list of projects is impressive,

reaching a pinnacle with the completion of the widely praised copper facade on the de Young Museum in San Francisco.”

— Salvatore Orlando, President KME-Group

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H: K

ME

GR

OU

P


Natural light streams through the ceiling of the Children’s

Entry at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.

Perforated sheets of copper were create a poetic shading

enclosure, generated using an image provided by the

design team. Zahner’s ZIRA™ Visualizer was then used to

create the architect’s desired vision.

de Young Museum, San Francisco, CA

“Without any precedent on which to draw, Zahner, a company whose name is in the Rolodex of every European

architect with American aspirations, figured out a way to make 3,000 individual panels pixelated with dents of

varying depth to produce the desired image. Seurat would have marveled.”

— New York Times - Julie V. Lovine on the de Young Museum in San Francisco

“Craftsmanship in large buildings is supposed to be dead, killed by Modernist ideology and cost considerations.

What this building says is that maybe craftsmanship has a high-tech future after all.”

— Time Magazine - Richard Lacayo on the de Young

The intersection of art and architecture. 78Millennium Park designed by Frank Gehry Partners, Chicago, IL

“Zahner employees are visionary perfectionists. Their

work raises the level of an architect’s abilities.”

— Daniel Libeskind

“I consider A. Zahner Company of Kansas City to be true

collaborators in the critical process of moving from

conceptualization to realization.”

— Marlon Blackwell

“We always look forward to opportunities to work with A.

Zahner. It was a privilege to have their hand in one of our

projects.”

— Stacey Jones

“Our changing times require enlightened and artistically

oriented talent in a way that is exemplified in the figure of

Bill Zahner.”

—Steven Holl

“Zahner has moved into the global community, working

with designers on a world-class level. The result is that

many of the most notable examples of architecture of the

past twenty years have been influenced by a company out

of the mid-section of the US.”

— Antoine Predock

“Zahner provides exemplary craftsmanship in everything

they undertake, and are seriously and extremely

committed to architecture, with a capital A.”

— Frank Gehry

80

[email protected]

Zahner Headquarters

1400 E. 9th Street

Kansas City, Missouri 64106

United States of America

p +1 (816) 474-8882

f +1 (816) 474-7994

Zahner-Dallas

2860 Alouette Dr.

Grand Prairie, TX 75052

United States of America

p +1 (469) 348-2000

f +1 (469) 348-2003

www.azahner.com

FALL 2014

Documents

FALL 2014 - Amazon S3FALL 2014 2 MISSION Our mission is to meet and surpass the expectations of our clients. Zahner practices this mantra at every phase of the design and construction