Aluminum Archives • Building Fundamentals

Worcester Dining Commons at UMass Amherst (Mockup)

April 3, 2020May 23, 2026 by Alex SchreyerNo Comments

Opened in October 2020, the Worcester Commons building at UMass Amherst is an 87,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility designed by Perry Dean Rogers Architects to anchor the Northeast Residential Area. Replacing the original mid-century dining hall, this $68 million, three-story building functions as a vibrant student life hub that seamlessly blends award-winning dining with campus community spaces. This mockup provides an excellent closeup view of one of the exterior design elements: A "pulled brick" design was employed in parts of the facade where header bricks occasionally protrude beyond the wall surface, creating a pattern that provides interesting shadows over the course of the day. Gallery Mockup Specs Location: University of Massachusetts, North Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01003, USA Mockup Produced By: Shawmut Construction Status: Removed Image taken: April 2020 Photographer: Alexander Schreyer...

John W. Olver Design Building at UMass Amherst (Mockup)

April 15, 2016May 24, 2026 by Alex SchreyerNo Comments

Opened in January 2017, the John W. Olver Design Building at UMass Amherst is a pioneering, 87,500-square-foot facility that serves as a highly visible showcase for green building technology and sustainable architecture. Designed by Boston-based firm Leers Weinzapfel Associates, the $52 million, four-story structure co-locates three closely aligned disciplines: the Department of Architecture, the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning (LARP), and the Building and Construction Technology (BCT) program. Although this building is structurally a Type IV-HT heavy-timber building, the mockup was only used to work on the exterior envelope and therefore omits the main structural system. It is a good example for an aluminum clad rain-screen design, though, and it shows nicely the parapet design (later covered in aluminum paneling). Our Mass Timber book covers this building and its various details extensively. Mockup Specs Location: University of Massachusetts, North Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01003, USA Mockup Produced By: Suffolk Construction Status: Removed Image taken: April 2016 Photographer: Alexander Schreyer Links The John W. Olver Design Building at UMass...

Project at Boston Seaport (Mockup)

April 12, 2013May 24, 2026 by Alex SchreyerNo Comments

This is yet another project where I just happened upon the mockup and don't have any further information. It is a great example for various facade detailing options (concrete panels, aluminum window systems, aluminum panels). What was most astonishing, though, was the fact that it was just standing in the open - not behind a fence - which gave it a more sculptural quality than is typical for these. Mockup Specs Location: Seaport, Boston, MA, USA Mockup Produced By: Unknown Status: Removed Image taken: April 2013 Photographer: Alexander Schreyer, UMass Amherst...