Custom Radiator Covers for School Expansion
Owner: St. Paul Academy and Summit School
General Contractor: McGough
Architects: HGA
Product: Gamma Radiator Covers
Project Overview
The St. Paul Academy and Summit School (SPA) expanded its campus with the addition of the Hugh K. Schilling Math and Science Center. The 40,000-square-foot new building provides updated classrooms, science laboratories, and flexible collaboration areas designed to support SPA’s Harkness approach to education. By creating adaptable learning environments, the Schilling Center encourages student engagement, group problem-solving, and active participation in learning.
As part of a two-story building addition, StellarCraft’s Gamma Radiator Covers were incorporated to provide an architectural solution for concealing the perimeter heating and cooling units. Located along the exterior walls of each floor, custom radiator covers allowed for the required airflow to be expelled by the system while visual integrating with the surrounding interior design.
Precision Measurement and Custom Fabrication
A total of 100 custom radiator covers were fabricated and installed throughout the project, including 49 covers on the first level and 51 covers on the second level. Because each radiator location presented unique field conditions, StellarCraft began the fabrication process with detailed on-site measurements to verify dimensions and ensure proper fit before production. This field verification process allowed the team to account for site-specific variations and fabricate each cover to the exact requirements of the installation.
StellarCraft fabricated two custom radiator cover designs to accommodate the project’s varying requirements.
- The primary covers were constructed from 8-gauge 5052 aluminum and incorporated a perforated panel design. Utilizing in-house fabrication capabilities, each panel was laser cut to precise dimensions, perforated with a 0.140-inch round hole pattern in a 60° triangular staggered layout, and formed to create a durable enclosure around the radiator units while maintaining necessary airflow.
- In addition, StellarCraft fabricated solid 8-gauge 5052 aluminum covers designed to conceal the radiator units while allowing the existing grillwork to remain visible. These panels were laser cut and formed to match the specific radiator dimensions, providing a clean, streamlined appearance where a perforated design was not required.
Architectural Details and Installation
Each of the custom radiator covers incorporated a continuous solid border surrounding the perforated field. This detail provided structural rigidity while creating a clean visual transition between the radiator cover and adjacent architectural elements. Equally spaced mechanical fasteners were integrated into the design, allowing for secure installation.
Each radiator cover was finished with a durable powder-coated surface, utilizing black or white coatings selected to coordinate with the surrounding wall finishes. This attention to material selection, fabrication precision, and finish coordination allowed the radiator covers to function as a seamless architectural element rather than simply a mechanical enclosure.
Through careful field verification and custom fabrication, StellarCraft delivered a radiator cover system that combines both practical performance with refined architectural detailing.
