The James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27 is named in honor of James R. Herman, a former port commissioner and president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Featuring architectural metal products from CENTRIA, the new terminal at the Port of San Francisco will be point of entry for many of the cruise lines that come to port and on days when there are no cruise lines to service, the space can accommodate special events and functions.

The first major event at the pier was to play host port for The America’s Cup competition. In addition, several mega-conferences are held throughout the year at the nearby Moscone Center, attracting close to 100,000 conference attendees. During these events, spillover is welcomed in this new flexible space.

The 1,358-foot shore line space handles the largest of cruise lines that come to dock. The cruise terminal accommodates ships up to 1,200 feet, carrying roughly 2,600 passengers, with the capabilities to service vessels containing up to 5,000 passengers.

Expansive vistas and a central waterfront location, make the new 60,000 sq. ft. cruise terminal the perfect picture frame for all that is both iconic and exciting about San Francisco. Arriving at such an architecturally stunning facility will beckon visitors to explore the city and its beautiful surroundings.

Dealing with strict time constraints for the upcoming America’s Cup and the corrosive marine environment of San Francisco, architects faced several challenges in specifying the right building envelope system. CENTRIA’s Concept Series proved to be the perfect choice for both challenges. The panels can be installed quickly and easily, which also benefits the bottom line. In addition, stand-off clips provide a ventilation cavity and drain plane behind the panel, which accommodates the thermal challenges and seismic movements that are important to consider in Northern California. This feature allows the fasteners to be away from the salty elements of the harbor, protecting them weathering.

From an aesthetic standpoint, the single-skin panels have a common-lock joint that allows them to be mixed to create custom profiled wall reliefs. The smooth-finished, horizontal panels used for this project have an unbroken appearance which adds to the building’s sleek, modern exterior. The EcoScreen Perforated Screenwall product provided an interesting aesthetic accent that also helps control light and provide ventilation – all without sacrificing aesthetics.

The architects were Pfau Long Architecture, Ltd. & KMD Architects, a Joint Venture of San Francisco, CA; the CENTRIA products dealer was Blackwood & Associates of Fairfield, CA; the CENTRIA products installer was Best Contracting of Hayward, CA; and the contractor was Turner Construction of San Francisco, CA.

CENTRIA products used on this project included:

• Concept Series® CS-260 – Square Feet: 28,590; Color: Galaxy Silver; Finish: Smooth; Coating: Versacor Ultra PF; Gauge: 22

• Concept Series CS-210 – Square Feet: 6,858; Color: Galaxy Silver; Finish: Smooth; Coating: Versacor Ultra PF; Gauge: 22

• Concept Series CS-200 –  Square Feet: 6,448; Color: Galaxy Silver; Finish: Smooth; Coating: Versacor Ultra PF; Gauge: 22

• EcoScreen® Perforated Screenwall – Square Feet: 515; Color: Galaxy Silver; Coating: Versacor Ultra PF