Expanding into a larger and more modern office space can be a major undertaking for some companies. But when your company is an architectural engineering firm, it’s business as usual.

Shive-Hattery Inc. opened its doors in 1895 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and has since established itself as a thought leader in architectural engineering. Located in bustling West Des Moines, Shive-Hattery’s office space occupied 33,000 square feet of its 55,000 square-foot building that it shared with various tenants.

In 2013, the firm experienced extensive staff growth and decided to develop their own architectural expansion plan, which showcases their award-winning design. The development included stunning new staircases, an elevator, mechanical and electrical rooms, restrooms, a health room and an additional entrance. To mirror the exterior modernization with the interior, Shive-Hattery redesigned the landscaping to create a more verdant and manicured outdoor space and used single-skin metal panels to give a sleek look to the exterior façade.

Shive-Hattery Inc. understood that their office expansion would reflect on their reputation. To coincide with their aesthetic and sustainability goals, they specified CENTRIA’s Concept Series concealed fastener panels. The metal panels were chosen because of their easy installation capabilities, both vertically and horizontally to provide long, smooth sightlines, and for their and aesthetic flexibility.

The lightweight panels provide Shive-Hattery with countless design possibilities, allowing the firm to complement the vast windowed surface with long spans of smooth space. The panels interlock seamlessly to provide a mechanically advanced, asymmetric silhouette that grants a unique, structurally robust air to the building. The color scheme of the metal panels was also an important factor in the expansion. Dove Gray and Charcoal Gray reinforce the brand’s blue and gray color scheme, and CENTRIA Fluorofinish coating system gave the panels a smooth gloss and protection against weathering elements.

Iowa is known for its hot, dry summers and frigid, below-freezing winters, further urging the use of high performance Concept Series panels. The cost-efficient panels sport a ventilation cavity and drain plane behind the face, providing thermal and moisture efficiency in the face of extreme precipitation and temperature, while integrated panel clips allow for thermal movement.