Using Metal Panels As Functionally Beautiful Design Elements

A great way to incorporate your signature design style into a commercial project and increase the functionality of the building is to use metal panels as versatile and beautiful design elements. Unique metal panels are the perfect blend of aesthetic appeal, shade, and privacy.

Metal panels enhance a pergola’s, and building’s, visual identity while providing durability, energy efficiency, and low-maintenance decoration.  

Thanks to modern fabrication techniques and the precision of CAD, metal panels can be made with intricate patterns, custom perforations, and dynamic textures that elevate modern facades while improving the function and comfort of the building.

Whether used for cladding, partitions, or artistic accents, metal decorative panels deliver both form and function, allowing architects and construction professionals to create striking, high-performance commercial spaces.

Incorporating Metal Panels Into Commercial Design

Metal panels can be integrated into commercial design to create unique design elements, change the style of an existing pergola, or just give a facelift to a structure that needs a refresh. Metal panels also are a fantastic way to turn unused outdoor space into a cohesive part of a building’s overall design and improve functionality. Some of the creative ways to add metal panels to a design are:

Cladding and Façade Panels
Metal cladding and façade panels are protective and aesthetic exterior panels that can be used to improve the visual impact of a building and make it really stand out. Metal panels provide weather resistance, insulation, and durability as well as improving the building’s appearance.

Common metal cladding and façade panels are custom manufactured from aluminum, steel, copper, or zinc. They’re also treated with weather resistant coatings that improve durability and cut down on necessary maintenance.

Facade decorative panels are architectural elements used to create visually striking exteriors. They can be custom cut to bring your design vision to life using perforations, laser-cut patterns, textures, or custom finishes.

Privacy And Screening
Architectural screen panels are a beautiful way to create unique private spaces and maximize outdoor space. Adding metal privacy panels is an unexpected way to give employees of an office building outdoor dining and relaxing spaces where they can eat meals or take breaks. Architectural panels can also create private spaces for cafes and restaurants to that offer privacy and social distancing. Perforated metal panels also can create entries and exists that are shielded from the sun or wet weather.

Shade Panels

Architects who are mindful of the heat, and who create designs that will provide relief from extreme sun and heat in the future can use metal design panels attached to pergola’s to shade walkways, courtyards, and outdoor living spaces while maintaining the visual appeal of the building’s design.

Metal shade panels can seamlessly blend with the design aesthetic of your existing structures, or can feature intricate patterns to create a unique look and increase the shade coverage of any structures.

Guardrails and Service Rails

Architectural panels are the perfect design choice for guardrails and service rails because they allow for natural light while still providing privacy and protection. They’re sturdy, don’t require a lot of maintenance, and can visually tie into the building’s design to create a cohesive and immediately recognizable space while hiding untidy spaces, workspaces, trash and recycling areas, and employee entrances and exits.

Metal Panel Designs

Innovations in technology have made it possible for metal panel designs to be manufactured in a wide range of stylish and unique patterns, finishes, and colors. Architects can create a signature pattern or design and incorporate that into the building design using metal panels.

Companies can create custom branded metal panel designs that can be added to existing buildings so that they can make sure their business stands out from the others around them or create unique designs that highlight the local area to add visual interest to their building. The sky is the limit when it comes to creating unique metal panel designs.

Patterns
Patterned metal panels can be customized with patterns like:

Perforated patterns: Perforated metal design panels have precisely spaced holes in geometric, organic, or abstract arrangements, allowing for controlled light filtration, ventilation, and visual transparency.

Waterjet-cut patterns: Waterjet-cut architectural panels have intricate detailing that allows for the creation of custom motifs, branding elements, or signature design elements. Expanded metal panels, created by slitting and stretching metal sheets, can have diamond or hexagonal patterns that provide durability and a dynamic sense of depth.

Corrugated or textured patterns: Textured metal panels have linear or wavelike patterns that enhance rigidity and add a rhythmic visual effect to facades and railings.

Louvered patterns: Metal panels with angled slats are great for letting in natural light and improving airflow while providing sun shading and privacy. By selecting the right pattern, architects can manipulate light, airflow, and privacy levels while reinforcing the overall design language of space.

Shapes
Architectural panels that are rectangular or square can also be used in innovative ways to complement the design of a building. Traditional square panels offer a clean, modular look, making them ideal for contemporary and minimalist designs where uniformity and precision are essential for the design.

Geometric panels, such as hexagons or triangles, create dynamic patterns that add visual interest and a sense of movement to facades and railings. Curved or arched panels introduce fluidity and softness, helping to break rigid lines and create organic, sculptural elements within a design.

Irregular or asymmetrical shapes can be used by architects who love avant-garde design to create bold custom designs that add a signature look to a design. 

Branding And Logos

Using metal panels with custom cut brand logos, initials, or other recognizable branding is a fantastic way to add interest and create a connection in the minds of customers.

Whether it’s a new building or adding custom branded metal panels to an existing building when a new tenant moves in or a new business buys a building architectural panels are a cost-effective way to work custom branding into the design of a building.

Finishes And Colors
Powder-coating means that architectural panels can be custom color-matched to almost any color. Traditional colors like black, gray, and beige are available, along with on-trend colors, dark colors like burgundy and dark green, and even powdered metallics like gold, bronze, or copper. Custom colors can make architectural panels pop as part of a commercial building design.

Find Your Next Design Inspiration Today

Metal architectural panels can elevate your next commercial design while adding function and style so that your signature design aesthetic will shine. Browse through our gallery of colors and finishes or see how these panels add flair to a wide variety of building designs. Then, talk to the design pros to get advice and design inspiration and find out how these unique architectural panels can be used for modern commercial designs