The Polk Penguin Conservation Center

A monolithic tabular iceberg rises inside the Detroit Zoo, sparkling brightly in the sun. Although not literally made out of ice, the exterior of the Polk Penguin Conservation Center resembles the look of an Antarctic iceberg. The center is designed to not only house penguins, but also reflect their natural habitat, drawing inspiration from Antarctica’s icy landscape. Set to open in April of 2016, the state-of-the-art facility is the largest of its kind in the world and houses 83 of the aquatic birds.

Home to more than 2,400 animals of 255 species, the 125-acre Detroit Zoo is one of the premier animal caretaking sites in the country. Adding on to the impressive campus was not an easy undertaking for architects from Albert Kahn Associates. Accounting for more than 326,000 gallons of water and 33,000 square feet of space, designing the interior of the center was only half their battle. When it came to building’s exterior, developers had even grander plans in store.

At the onset of the project, Register and the Sherwin-Williams team planned to develop a custom color with Sherwin-Williams Fluropon Effects Kameleon, due to the advanced coating’s pearlescent and unique color-shifting finish. Despite the coating’s dynamic and innovative appearance, the sheen swayed yellow, rather than the crisp white the team was looking for. Shifting gears, the Sherwin-Williams team returned to the drawing board and set their sights on using Sherwin-Williams Fluropon Classic II Special SR, in order to capture a shade of white possessing hints of blue that is more visible in Antarctic snow. The finalized samples turned out flawless, emitting a piercing white color, which now shields the striking exterior of the Polk Penguin Conservation Center. Specially named for the project, the custom shade of Fluropon Classic II Special SR was anointed “Iceberg White.”

Not only does Sherwin-Williams Fluropon Classic II Special SR provide the penguin center with a beautiful exterior, the coating also contains 70 percent PVDF resins, resulting in outstanding protection against dirt and staining as well exceptional color consistency and retention. The custom Iceberg White coating also features Sherwin-Williams solar reflective technology, which offers high resistance to harmful UV rays. The solar reflective coating will help reduce overall energy consumption and keep the interior of the penguin center cool, maintaining an environment as natural as the penguins’ Antarctic habitat.

Now open to the public, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center will welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors each year as part of the Detroit Zoo. Thanks to the combined efforts of Albert Khan Associates, Imetco and Sherwin-Williams, the 83 penguins living in the penguin center will have a beautiful, durable and memorable place to call home for many years to come.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on February 16, 2017. Valspar was acquired by The Sherwin-Williams Company on June 1, 2017.