Sobotec crews spent approximately six months fabricating the fins from custom 38-foot-long sheets of ALUCOBOND PLUS, according to Vlad Sobot, president, Sobotec, which utilized the architect’s 3-D models to create shop fabrication drawings that could be read by the company’s CNC router.

“These panels were fabricated into such a unique shape – similar to a shark fin,” said Sobot. “The fin comes out and then tapers in; the panel then is adjusted and reversed to taper the other way. … Not one fin is the exact same size as the other. As one fin comes out bigger in the design, the fin next to it becomes smaller.”

The overall visual impact of these variably sized fins is “an undulating line that looks like an ocean wave,” according to Sobot, who credits Sobotec’s engineering capabilities and ALUCOBOND to the unique design’s fabrication success.

“ALUCOBOND is the only material that can actually produce these shapes,” said Sobot. “It would be impossible to make these shapes with solid aluminum sheets; they can’t be folded in this fashion. … Additionally, when you look at renovating an existing structure that is designed for a certain weight load, it might not be able to withstand a heavy material. ALUCOBOND is so light that it’s not usually a problem on a retrofit. ALUCOBOND is very unique; it’s not your typical metal panel.”