Balancing Act

Village Hall Recalls Midwest Town’s Past While Also Readying it for the Future

By Bob Fittro, Editor-In-Chief
January, 2004

While on the one hand giving a nod to the community’s agricultural past, the new Vernon Hills Village Hall/Senior Center also says something about the Illinois town’s future. The credit for designing a building that could successfully do both belongs to the Yas / Fischel Partnership of Evanston, IL.

To portray the building as both traditional and progressive, the firm juxtaposed the wood siding and stone foundation on the administrative side of the building with sleek glass and metal at the entrance and on the council chamber side.

Several metal products were used on the project, not the least of which were metal infill panels from Mapes Industries Inc., Lincoln, NE.

"The metal panels on the exterior of the council chamber are compatible with the image of the village: that of a progressive community reaching for the future," said Stephen Yas, AIA, the architect / design principal.

Almost 2,300 sq. ft. of the Mapes panels were used on the project. One of the reasons they were chosen was because they could be provided in a custom size and with a rabbetted edge that allowed them to fit neatly into the curtain wall module. Looks and durability were also important, and for those reasons, the 3-1/2” thick panels were faced with anodized aluminum. Other components of the composite panels, beginning with the interior face, are hardboard, polystyrene and another layer of hardboard.

Tubelite Inc. of Reed City, MI, provided the curtain wall framing. Binzel Industries, Rolling Meadows, IL, created the custom perforated metal cornice line, custom steel handrails and stairs, and custom steel connections at the curtain wall. Gordon Interior Metal Specialties, Bossier City, LA, supplied trim and Chicago Metallic, Chicago, IL, manufactured the metal ceiling systems.