The Vietnamese American Service Center (VASC) promotes the health and wellness of the Vietnamese American community in Santa Clara County, Calif. The design team set out to create a structure that embodies the Vietnamese/Vietnamese American culture and heritage. Shadow Series from Dri-Design was used to achieve that goal and mimic the look of bamboo on the building’s exterior.

Over 7,500 square feet of 0.080-inch Shadow Series in Marsh Green, Genesis Green, Light Brown, Buttercup and Clear Anodized were installed. Shadow Series panels bring depth and definition to any architectural design because individual panels can be extended at varying depths to create texture or a dynamic variation in patterns. The substrate and weather barrier remain in the same plane to ensure the weathertightness of the system.

Sustainability was a project goal and accomplished with the building being zero-net-energy ready and all-electric without the use of fossil fuels. The metal wall panels add to the building’s sustainability with metal’s recycled content and recyclability. Dri-Design panels also do not use any sealants, caulks, or tapes.