The cement board panels for the facade are laid out and installation has begun. The cement board has to coordinate with the fin system so getting it right in the beginning is crucial.

We finally got out first fin mock-up installed on site (see top picture below). The system involves a a bracket that attaches to the wall of the building, then a cement board rain-screen is installed over the hardie wrap and behind the fins. The fins will be attached to a horizontal channel offsite and each panel will be installed onto the brackets as the final step.

The fins serve several purposes:
1. They soften the buildings edges so the massing feels lighter (especially in the evening when the project should have a wonderful glow).
2. With the front unit five feet from the street they filter the private interior from the public sidewalk and street.
3. They screen views across the driveway from one unit to another.
4. They create a three dimensional facade on an otherwise flat building surface.


Below are a few of the prototypes we built in the office prior to arriving at this design. The initial versions had welded connections which required some on site fabrication. The final version above is a kit of parts that is only partially assembled on site but there is no fabrication required during installation.