You’d never guess the 30-unit complex known as Downtown Terrace in San Luis Obispo, Calif., was made up entirely of mobile homes. Each two-story unit was manufactured in a factory and delivered with OSB siding. As a finishing touch, corrugated panels from McElroy Metal were installed as the façade to each building.
“Technically, they’re mobile homes,” says John Belsher, project manager at Belsher Law of San Luis Obispo. “They are registered by the state as mobile homes, licensed as mobile homes and taxed as mobile homes. They were manufactured in a mobile home factory. I didn’t like the factory finishes that were available, so I found the corrugated metal siding.”
Mathieu Anfosso, Lead Designer at Ten Over Studio in San Luis Obispo, says the Multi-Cor panel from McElroy Metal was selected for its aesthetic qualities and paneled look, which was in line with the pre-manufactured concept of the homes.
“Metal siding was really helpful in our design and assembly process,” Anfosso says. “It allowed the construction crew to side the buildings after assembly on site, rather than in the home manufacturing plant, since each building is composed of four different modules. Siding on site helped the design team hide the modules for a more holistic siding design on each building.”
Anfosso says the colors are reminiscent of the direct project surroundings and the San Luis Obispo area. “The darker gray echoes the dramatic mountain backdrop of the Cerro San Luis, while the burgundy is a playful nod to the wine heritage that San Luis Obispo is nestled in,” he says.
The four Sherwin-Williams Fluropon PVDF colors selected for 24-gauge Multi-Cor panels were Charcoal, Brandywine, Ash Gray and Light Stone. Consistent, rounded corrugations make Multi-Cor the ideal panel to achieve nostalgic appeal.
“Metal is very durable and it has a very avant-garde feel to it that appeals to millennials,” Belsher says. “It’s a clean, distinct look, an industrial revitalization; a hip look for young urban professionals. It can easily be cleaned and will never have to be repainted. It’s a lifetime product.”
Belsher says extra care was taken during the installation process to ensure all details were waterproof.