Perforated metal panels help unify growing school campus

By The Coffee Shops™. 

Petersen’s PAC-CLAD perforated panels helped designers create a cohesive identity across an expanding campus. 

In the case study, “Painted, perforated panels provide school with pulled-together polish,” Petersen highlights how architectural metal panels helped create a cohesive visual identity across an expanding Illinois school campus. 

The Williamsville-Sherman Community Unit School District No. 15, located near Springfield, Illinois, recently expanded its existing junior-senior high campus to include fifth- and sixth-grade students. The project added a new wing for fifth graders along with new amenities, including a multi-use theater, band and choral spaces and athletic facility upgrades. 

With multiple grade levels sharing the same campus, designers from BLDD Architects sought a way to visually unite the facilities while maintaining distinct spaces for different age groups. Their solution was a bold signage and screening system that incorporated the district’s purple and yellow school colors through painted perforated metal panels. 

To achieve that vision, the project team selected Petersen’s PAC-CLAD® perforated corrugated metal panels. The architects had previously worked with Petersen products and specified approximately 2,200 square feet of PAC-CLAD 7.2 Perforated Corrugated aluminum panels for the project. Finished in Stone White and enhanced with custom-applied graphics in the school’s colors, the panels were installed over glass curtainwall areas at key building corners. 

The perforated screens serve both aesthetic and functional purposes. Visually, they create a striking contrast against the building’s neutral concrete and masonry exterior while reinforcing a consistent campus identity. The abstract purple and yellow graphics also provide an eye-catching focal point that reflects the district’s branding and athletic traditions. 

The project demonstrates the versatility of architectural metal in educational environments. Beyond traditional wall and roof applications, perforated metal panels can help architects incorporate branding, color and visual interest into building designs while maintaining durability and long-term performance. 

For contractors and design professionals, the Williamsville-Sherman project offers an example of how perforated metal systems can be used to solve both design and identity challenges on educational facilities and other institutional projects. 

Read the full case study and learn more about Petersen’s PAC-CLAD architectural metal products!

Image source: alanblakely.com