Custom-designed “Forever Home” Showcases Contemporary & Functional Material Choices

In a market like Calgary, where custom homes are frequently designed with resale value top-of-mind, an architect can apply the principle of long-term value in material selection for clients looking instead for their “Forever Home.”Calgary-based architecture firm Inertia Corporation was awarded the opportunity to apply this principle in 2017 with the design of their client’s custom home in Calgary’s sophisticated SW neighbourhood of Parkhill.  Armed with lifestyle specifications outlined by the future homeowners, a challenging site grade, a general focus on sustainability for the project, and a shared vision for contemporary design, partners Trent Letwiniuk and Stephen Barnecut embarked on the assignment.

As part of the home’s development they incorporated innovative solutions for the site conditions that included a sunken main entry and garage concept, a horizontal length of windows to horizontally extend the impression of the front elevation, and QuickPanel 4mm Pressure-Equalized Rainscreen for both a modern appeal and a functional cladding material choice.

In consideration of the material selections for the exterior of the custom home, Letwiniuk outlines that they specifically sought a lightweight panel solution, displayed a clean face (without face fasteners), and offered a long-term appeal with little to no maintenance to align with their client’s active lifestyle.

Aluminum panel is lightweight with a density that is only one-third that of steel. Lightweight building materials allow for many benefits from design flexibility, reduced transportation costs, temperature adaptability, and lower overall life cycle energy use. These qualities were the right fit for this new home project that focused on overall sustainability as part of its design objectives.

Furthermore, QuickPanel appealed to the architectural duo as the recommended panel product to achieve their desired color tone in a soft but modern “Silver Metallic,” clean reveal/trim lines, and the desired “start-and-stop” points for the façade’s aesthetic. They specified that QuickPanel trim pieces were to be painted using the patented ColorMatch^® technology to the same soft “Silver Metallic” to complete the look.

Although Inertia Corporation was not the decision maker in the general contractor’s budgeting process for this project, QuickPanel easily matched both the design and budgetary considerations and the clients were pleased to proceed with the QuickPanel recommendation.

Over 1,000 sq.ft. of QuickPanel 4mm Pressure-Equalized Rainscreen is used on the feature massing of the home’s front elevation, which was completed in the summer of 2018. Installation of the innovative panel system was completed on time and on-budget without scheduling or completion delays for the site construction crews.

The homeowners are thrilled with the design and material selections and especially happy to be living in their new “Forever Home.” The community of Parkhill continues to be revitalized through custom and infill design that is sure to match the contemporary sophistication of Inertia Corporation’s architectural success with their client’s new home.

To learn more about how QuickPanel can add clean, modern lines, and long-term value to your next custom or infill residential project – please contact your local sales representative for more information.