Happy National Museum Day!
In honor of National Museum Day, we want to share with you one of our favorite DaVinci Roofscapes re-roofing projects — the Roundhouse at DuSable Museum in Chicago. This unique museum is dedicated to the collection, preservation, interpretation and dissemination of the history and culture of Africans and Americans of African descent.
After a proud history that includes serving as a horse stable during the 1893 World’s Fair, the Roundhouse at DuSable Museum was restored in 2011. Originally built in the early 19th century, the structure’s round shape is made of Joliet limestone and is now topped by a DaVinci Roofscapes polymer slate roof.
The 66,000-square foot Roundhouse and the adjoining buildings are home to a library, café, galleries, technology and language lab, museum store and educational spaces.
“The DaVinci multi-width slate roofing tiles look amazing on the Roundhouse," says Sarah Delezen, senior project manager for the Alter Group. "The structure’s original roof was made of slate, so we were pleased that these composite slate tiles have the texture and subtle variations of color that make them appear historically accurate. The Castle Gray blend of colors in the fake slate roof perfectly offsets the copper gutters on this structure.”
Bill Latoza, LEED AP and founding principal with Bauer Latoza Studio in Chicago specified the DaVinci manufactured slate tiles for the Roundhouse roof. “For me, the real selling point was the varied color selection of the DaVinci blends because it didn’t make the roof look monochromatic,” says Latoza. “Combined with the larger profile that allows for a strong shadow line, these synthetic slate roof tiles are ideal for historic preservation projects.
“Another reason we sought out DaVinci is because they have green-friendly building products that complement the historical integrity of the Roundhouse. At the same time, these tiles are easy-to-maintain and offer long-term benefits for the future of the structure. We’re pleased with these simulated slate roofing tiles and I’ll be specifying them again in the future for other historic preservation projects.”
For more museum stories featuring lightweight roofing tiles from DaVinci, see Museum Rooftops.