houston endowment
Kevin Daly Architects + Productora
Houston, Texas / USA
aluminum façade and canopies
Houston Endowment is a major nonprofit organization in Texas dedicated to enhancing the city's
opportunities and growth. To create a new identity and environment for the foundation's workplace, Kevin
Daly Architects and Productora designed the Houston Endowment Headquarters in Spotts Park, Houston,
Texas.
We were appointed to participate in the design-assist for the building during the conceptual design stage.
At Kinetica, we bring real-world construction issues to the table and develop highly detailed fabrication
plans to reduce errors and anticipate any potential delays. To ensure the project's success, we went
through several mock-ups to simulate real-world scenarios, improving the project's performance to
achieve Net Zero Building certification.
We fabricated the façade rainscreen and louver system with aluminum panels. The façade has a semicylindrical shape that bends at the edges to connect with the next panel, with the largest panel measuring
4.40m (14’ 5”). To address the challenges posed by this oversize format, we suggested using 14-gauge
galvanized steel material to reduce weight and incorporated an inner rib cage to stiffen the panel. In
response to the client's concerns about oil canning, we developed a testing protocol to evaluate the
possible deformation of the panels under extreme heat conditions. This test reassured our analysis and
helped to improve the project's performance. During this engineering phase, we adjusted the louver
system design to ensure it was a feasible solution, including modifications to the format and shape.
We customized the mechanical anchoring system for both the louvers and façade panels to facilitate and
accelerate the installation process on-site. All panels were fabricated at our facilities in Mexico and
shipped to Houston according to schedule for installation by a third party under our supervision.
Architect: Kevin Daly Architects + Productora
Engineering: Arup
General Contractor: Bellows Construction