Art enthusiasts love this museum inside and out

By Dani Sheehan. 

This commanding downtown structure in St. Petersburg, Florida, demanded several adjustability solutions while maintaining simplicity in its design. See how this metal cladding system provided the flexibility and support to fit the project’s needs. 

The new Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement (MAACM) in St. Petersburg, Florida, was widely anticipated prior to its opening in 2021. A 137,000 square-foot museum, it features collections of turn of the century furniture, pottery, metal work, photography and more. With its prime location downtown, the building also hosts a library, events space, a restaurant and graphic design studios. When it came time to choose a building envelope, the façade and roofing system needed to preserve and enhance the collections housed inside. Project designer Alfonso Architects looked to SFS Group products to maintain a sleek simplicity while still providing adjustability solutions. 

In choosing an exterior building system, the architects had to consider the weather conditions along the Gulf Coast, which can be subjected to heavy rains, intense sun radiation and corrosive salt in the air. The NVELOPE NV1 and NH2 systems were the clear choice to allow for panel expansion and contraction, and to keep the building safe from degradation over time. Both systems are pre-assembled to include thermal isolators that prevent the chemical reaction possible between aluminum brackets and the line in the concrete frame. Additionally, they are both simple fixing solutions to maintain the modern design aesthetic to complement the museum’s contents. 

SFS Group worked closely with the customer throughout this project to deliver the rainscreen system that best fit the specific needs of the building, budget and timeline. 

Read the full project case study here and see how SFS Group brings innovation, technical expertise and experience to help every customer achieve their project goals.