Cornell University is a place that fosters the minds of upcoming generations--the next creative, bold, and visionary minds of tomorrow. Catherine Commons stands as a project that actualizes these attributes, using a variety of sustainable and environmentally conscious metal wall and roof panels in bright imaginative colors to shelter students and be a place where they can succeed. The project consists of several multi-story buildings cladded in four ATAS products and in four unique colors, creating an exciting communal atmosphere that brings students together in places where they and their studies will thrive. 

The plan of Catherine Commons wasn’t just to build more housing; it was to reimagine a city block into its own ecosystem that happens to be conveniently located near Cornell. It boasts a community focus, concerned not only with what structures it erected but also the space it deliberately left open to establish outdoor communal spaces. The residential complex’s website lists the modern amenities Catherine Commons offers. These include an exclusive, state-of-the-art fitness center, study lounges that exude comfort to optimize study quality and efficiency, and an on-site café to keep everything residents may need in one place.

The project’s architectural design and building shapes were carefully curated, cognizant of the existing neighborhood’s shape.  The architects of the project, ikon.5 architects, meticulously considered how to develop Catherine Commons as part of a larger picture saying of one building, Building 4, “Residential in form and scale, it is set back from the street to align with neighboring houses. Its pitched roof, projected front porch, metal shingles, and residentially scaled windows and dormers complement the Collegetown vernacular.”

Featured across the Catherine Commons buildings are ATAS’ Versa-Line panel in .032 aluminum which is installed vertically throughout this project with distinct seams from varied width sizes to elevate the building façades. Versa-Line can be installed horizontally or vertically, with or without striations, and is available in two standard panel widths, 12-3/8 and 16-3/8 inch, with custom width capabilities to meet design needs. The application of the Versa-Line panel in this project is dynamic, including rectangular sections of panel being split by floor to ceiling windows while other walls of the buildings are made entirely of the metal panel with slots of different panel colors breaking up monotony and providing contrast from other elements like colored brick, keeping the design interesting. Versa-Line is featured in several colors; Charcoal Grey, Hemlock Green, Patina Green, and Gold, across the buildings with other ATAS products, to tell a cohesive color story and connect the separate buildings together into a community through architectural design.

One of the Catherine Commons buildings, Building 4, is clad in and has on its roof ATAS’ CastleTop panel in .032 aluminum in the shade of Hemlock Green. CastleTop is a flat diamond-shaped shingle that can be used in wall and roof applications, offering easy installations with its concealed fasteners. CastleTop panel is a popular design choice because of its design flexibility, availability of different colors from over 40+ choices and custom color capabilities, and the ability to be combined to create interesting patterns. The panel makes just as bold of a statement chosen in a singular shade, as it is used in Catherine Commons to create a striking look. The Hemlock Green CastleTop’s richness contrasts against the Versa-Line panels on adjacent walls, making the building lush with textures and visual appeal. The color and panel choices feel deliberate—simultaneously constructing buildings that stand out along a Collegetown street and are inspired by the surrounding trees that change with the swings of upstate New York seasons, from the pale greens that resemble ATAS Patina Green, to the earthy hue of ATAS Hemlock Green on sturdy trees, and the turning oranges and reds of leaves with ATAS’ Gold color.

The visual longevity of a design is as important as the sustainability of its materials. All the ATAS products featured on the Catherine Commons’ project are sustainable with the longevity of aluminum panels with recycled content, while being entirely recyclable after their long service life. The result is a visually striking and ambitious project aware of its surrounding nature as it is of its neighborhood community, meeting the needs of its citizens while accentuating the landscape.