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The new Sharpsburg Community Library in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, uses individually colored corrugated aluminum panels to turn a small, formerly plain building into a bright geometric landmark. Front Studio Architects originally considered adding to the existing one-story concrete-block library, but instead developed a second skin of simple colored blocks around it. The approach answered the project’s design goal while addressing the team’s stated budget, longevity and maintenance priorities.
The project is documented in a Petersen/PAC-CLAD manufacturer case study, so its comments about economy, durability and maintenance are attributed project-team judgments rather than independent performance findings. The case study also does not publish a completion date, installed cost, measured service life or post-occupancy assessment.
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What changed at the Sharpsburg Community Library?
Sharpsburg is a few miles north of Pittsburgh. The new library replaces the one-story concrete-block building patrons had previously used, according to the Petersen/PAC-CLAD case study. The assignment initially called for an addition. Front Studio Architects reached a different conclusion: rather than simply extending the existing structure, the team would surround it with a series of colored geometric blocks.
That decision made the exterior do two jobs. It gives the library a new civic identity from the street, and it visually absorbs the old structure into a larger composition. Kathy Amrhein, the library director, captured the intended visibility in the source: “It would be hard to miss the building’s new design.”
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The design is not a random collection of bright surfaces. The blocks create a deliberate rhythm of color and shape around the existing building. Art Lubetz, a principal at Front Studio, explained the turning point: “But it was such an unattractive structure that we just couldn’t do it. So we came up with the idea of literally surrounding the building with simple, elemental blocks that would be individually colored so that we would have this pulsating, dynamic structure.”
Why did the architects use corrugated metal?
The architects selected metal after deciding that the building needed a vivid exterior. Lubetz put the sequence plainly: “As soon as we knew we wanted the building to be colorful, metal became the obvious choice for the exterior.” In this project, corrugated aluminum supplied a profiled wall surface and a controlled palette without requiring a different façade system for every colored block.
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The case study identifies the cladding as PAC-CLAD 7/8-inch Corrugated Panels made from .032-inch aluminum. About 2,600 square feet were used on the library. The stated project colors were Copper Penny, Silver, Cardinal Red, Award Blue and Patina Green. Those specifications describe this library installation; they are not a typical quantity, a standard color package for every project or a general performance statistic.
Color was central to the concept rather than a finishing detail added at the end. Lubetz said, “Color is the easiest button to push to get an emotional response.” The selected colors provide contrast among the geometric blocks and help the building read as a single, energetic composition from a distance.
What were the project’s material priorities?
According to the project team, three practical issues shaped the cladding decision: a limited budget, expected longevity and low maintenance. Lubetz described the financial constraint and the team’s reasoning this way:
“We had an extremely minimal budget for the project. PAC-CLAD corrugated metal would be the most economical, long-lasting material we could use. We got involved with Petersen because we like their colors. The contractor bid it out and the price was right.”
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Those are attributed statements about this project, not an independent cost study. The case study provides no bid amount, competing bids, lifecycle-cost analysis or comparison with brick, fiber cement, standing-seam metal or other cladding systems. A team evaluating a similar library should therefore verify installed prices, substrate requirements, flashings, labor and local availability rather than treating the Sharpsburg result as a universal cost conclusion.
Longevity and maintenance were also described as project requirements. Lubetz said, “The longevity of the product was important. This is a little tiny library with little tiny budgets. We knew the PAC-CLAD corrugated wouldn’t require much attention in terms of maintenance. That’s another strong reason we used it.” The source does not report an inspection schedule, coating warranty, cleaning results or years of service, so those statements should be read as the architect’s selection rationale.
Which panels and colors were installed?
| Project element | Documented specification |
|---|---|
| Panel profile | PAC-CLAD 7/8-inch Corrugated Panels |
| Base metal | .032-inch aluminum |
| Approximate area | 2,600 square feet |
| Colors named in the case study | Copper Penny, Silver, Cardinal Red, Award Blue and Patina Green |
| Application | Exterior wall cladding arranged as individually colored geometric blocks |
The area is the amount reported for Sharpsburg, not a rule of thumb for a community library. The case study also does not state how the area is divided among colors, whether all elevations use the same arrangement or what percentage of the original concrete-block wall remains visible.
How did the geometric enclosure solve the original design problem?
The architects’ move can be understood as a transformation strategy. An addition would have increased floor area or changed the plan, but it would not necessarily have resolved the visual presence of the old concrete-block building. Wrapping the structure with colored blocks allowed the team to preserve the underlying building while presenting a new public face.
For a small civic building, that distinction matters. A library often has to communicate welcome and public importance without the budget of a major cultural institution. Here, the color-block composition makes the building legible as a destination and gives children a memorable visual reference. The design also avoids relying on a single monumental gesture; the effect comes from repeated simple forms and contrasting colors.
Project manager Skip Stein of Franjo Construction described the result in contextual terms: “It certainly sets itself apart from the other construction in the area. It’s almost an amusement park appearance that the kids really like. The architect really did a nice job of mixing and matching the colors.” His comment is an observation about the finished appearance, not a measured survey of community response.
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Who supplied and installed the cladding?
Franjo Construction of Pittsburgh installed the panels, and Brock Associates of Pittsburgh was the distributor, according to the case study. Identifying both parties is useful because corrugated wall work depends on coordination between the panel supplier, distributor, installer and design team. Color sequencing, panel lengths, trims and corner details must be resolved before fabrication and installation begin.
The source does not list a separate engineer, sheet-metal subcontractor or manufacturer representative. It also does not provide shop drawings, attachment schedules, air-barrier details or flashing drawings. Those documents would be necessary for anyone attempting to reproduce the assembly or assess code compliance on another project.
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The library’s irregular geometry created the main installation challenge. Stein reported: “This job was relatively straightforward, although the building was irregular and didn’t have many 90-degree corners. That made installation of some of the outside corners a little challenging. But the corrugated really turned out great.”
Corrugated panels are often easiest to detail when adjacent planes meet at predictable angles. An irregular building can require carefully coordinated corner trims, custom closures, field measurements and transitions between panel runs. The Sharpsburg case study does not state which corner profiles were used or whether any panels were modified on site, so those details should not be inferred.
For a new project with non-orthogonal walls, the practical lesson is to resolve the geometry early. The design team can document every exterior angle, establish a consistent reveal or overlap strategy, and coordinate trim profiles with the panel module. The installer should confirm actual field dimensions before fabrication, especially where several colored blocks meet at a projecting corner. A mock-up can also expose alignment problems before the full façade is ordered.
What should a project team verify before specifying a similar façade?
The Sharpsburg project provides a useful design precedent, but it is not a complete technical specification. A team considering colorful corrugated wall panels should verify the following items in its own contract documents:
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- Wall assembly: Define the sheathing, air and water-resistive barrier, insulation, cavity or furring, fasteners and panel orientation. The case study names the exterior panels but does not describe the complete wall build-up.
- Substrate and tolerances: Confirm that the supporting plane is sufficiently true for the chosen profile. Irregular masonry or framing can telegraph through a profiled finish if tolerances are not controlled.
- Corner strategy: Draw outside corners, inside corners, parapets, window heads, sills and transitions at the actual building angles. Do not assume a standard 90-degree trim will work everywhere.
- Color schedule: Assign each color to an elevation or block, include approved samples, and establish how replacement panels will be matched if repairs are needed later.
- Drainage and movement: Coordinate laps, closures, flashings and movement joints with the underlying water-management design. The colorful face cannot substitute for a continuous drainage strategy.
- Maintenance access: Decide how staff will inspect, wash or replace panels at upper levels and around signage, lights and roof edges. The Sharpsburg source records a low-maintenance objective but no maintenance procedure.
- Budget validation: Obtain current quotations for panels, trims, accessories, labor, lifts and substrate preparation. The case study says the contractor found the price right for Sharpsburg but gives no transferable figure.
Is the Sharpsburg approach a proven low-cost, long-life solution?
It is a documented example of a small library using corrugated aluminum to achieve a bold, multi-color exterior within the project team’s stated constraints. It is not independent proof that the system will be the least expensive or longest-lasting option in another climate, building type or market.
The sole source is a manufacturer case study. It reports the product selection, project participants and their comments, but not independent testing, comparative bids, measured weathering, coating-retention data or post-occupancy findings. Readers should treat “economical,” “long-lasting” and “wouldn’t require much attention” as attributed project rationale. For procurement, those claims should be checked against current technical data, warranties, code requirements and local installer experience.
What does the project say about using color in civic architecture?
Sharpsburg demonstrates how a restricted material palette can still produce visual variety. Five named colors are repeated across elemental blocks, while the corrugated profile supplies texture and shadow. The result depends on composition: color placement, block proportions, edge conditions and the way the façade meets the existing building.
That approach can be adapted without copying the exact palette. A design team might use fewer colors for a calmer civic expression, reserve a high-contrast color for entrances, or organize colors to help visitors identify children’s, meeting or service areas. The important point is to establish the color logic at the same time as the massing and panel grid, not after elevations are complete.
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The case study does not state the library’s completion date, total project cost, panel warranty, attachment method, insulation value, fire-resistance rating, energy performance or subsequent maintenance history. It also does not include independent photographs or measurements beyond the reported panel quantity and material description.
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Those omissions matter when the project is used as a precedent. A design team can cite Sharpsburg for its color-block concept and documented use of corrugated aluminum, but should obtain current manufacturer literature and project-specific engineering for technical decisions. Availability of a particular profile or finish can also change, so the five colors named in the case study should be confirmed before specifying them.
What is the practical takeaway for architects and contractors?
The strongest lesson is strategic rather than numerical: a modest existing building can gain a new civic identity when the enclosure is treated as a composed system of forms, colors and details. Corrugated aluminum made that strategy feasible for Sharpsburg in the project team’s view, while the irregular geometry required careful corner coordination during installation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Sharpsburg Community Library located?
It is in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, a few miles north of Pittsburgh. The documented project replaced a one-story concrete-block library building.
How much corrugated panel material did the project use?
The case study reports approximately 2,600 square feet of 7/8-inch corrugated panels. That figure applies to this library project and should not be used as a typical quantity for other buildings.
What should be shown in drawings for an irregular corrugated-metal façade?
Draw actual outside and inside angles, corner trims, closures, flashings, panel laps and transitions at openings. A complete wall-assembly detail is also needed because the case study identifies the face panels but not the underlying air, water and insulation layers.
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The Sharpsburg case study names Copper Penny, Silver, Cardinal Red, Award Blue and Patina Green. Current availability and finish specifications should be confirmed with the supplier before those colors are written into a new contract.
