Mountain-Inspired Aluminium Batten Screens
South Dakota Mines’ Surbeck Centre
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.
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.
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.
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
Related Projects