Mountain-Inspired Aluminium Batten Screens

South Dakota Mines’ Surbeck Centre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surbeck Centre Exterior with Sculptform Click-on Screen M Feature

Set against the backdrop of the Black Hills, South Dakota Mines’ Surbeck Centre takes inspiration from its surrounding landscape through a series of custom-designed architectural screens.

Sculptform’s Wood Finish Aluminum Click-on Screens in Coffs Blackbutt feature two distinct applications. One draws on the forms of the surrounding mountains, while the other integrates the university’s logo directly into the screen design.

Product
Click-on Screens 

Materials
Aluminium  
Applications
Feature Screens
Sector
Education
Architect
CO-OP Architecture 

Builder
Scull Construction Service  
Location
Rapid City, United States 
Completion
2026
Photographer
Cody Lere Photography 

Translating the landscape into design

Rapid City sits on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, a landscape defined by granite peaks, forested slopes and undulating ridgelines. These natural forms provided the inspiration for one of the Surbeck Centre's feature screens.

Using approx. 1.18in x 2.36in Click-on Screen block profiles, the architects created a mountain-inspired pattern that brings the surrounding landscape into the building through a distinctive arrangement of aluminum profiles.

Black Hills Surbeck Centre Drawings
Surbeck Centre Black Hills feature Click-on Screen

Branding built into the architecture 

A second screen takes a different approach,  using approx. 1.97in x 5.91in block profiles to integrate the South Dakota Mines logo directly into the design. Positioned behind glazing, the screen makes the university's identity part of the architectural feature while also helping filter daylight and reduce glare.

Both screens are mounted using Sculptform's back mount screen configuration, accommodating the multi-level spans. 

Landscape-Image-Template-1 

Surbeck Centre Sculptform Click-on Screen M Branding Detail
Surbeck Centre Sculptform Click-on Screen M Branding Detail and Feature Wall
Surbeck Centre Sculptform Click-on Screen M Branding Detail and Feature Wall

The look of wood, with the durability of aluminum 

Finished in Coffs Blackbutt, the aluminum screens introduce the warmth and texture of a woodgrain finish, complementing the surrounding feature ceiling.

For a high foot traffic environment with UV exposure, maintaining the finish over time was an important consideration. Unlike sublimated powdercoat finishes, Sculptform's Wood Finish Aluminum uses a durable surface treatment that is three times more fade-resistant, making it well suited to high-traffic environments where UV exposure can affect the appearance of architectural finishes.

Surbeck Centre Sculptform Click-on Screen and Feature Wall
Surbeck Centre Sculptform Click-on Screen M Branding Detail and Feature Wall

Product Specifications


Product

Click-on Screens  

Material

Aluminum

Finish

Wood Finish Coffs Blackbutt

Profile

Profile – Block, approx. 1.18in (30mm) x 2.36in (60mm) & 1.97in (50mm) x 5.91in (150mm)

Spacing

Approx. 2.80in (71.1mm) gaps & 9.52in (241.8mm) gaps 

Mounting

Back Mount Screen Configuration

Surbeck Centre Black Hills Sculptform Click-on Battens

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