June 1, 2005
Silver Screen
Cambridge Architectural Mesh.
From facades and fences to staircases and sculptures, metal mesh is a shining medium for architects and artists alike.
Since 1917 Cambridge Architectural Mesh (CAM) has been fabricating wire mesh—heavy-duty variations of the screens you might find in your house—for commercial and industrial applications. Originally, the company made conveyor belts and, during the 1960s, began producing rigid, tightly woven metal panels for elevator interiors in collaboration with the Otis Elevator Company. But it was only in 2001 that the architectural-mesh division was established to boost business growth at a time when industrial uses were waning.
Unlike its industrial counterpart, architectural mesh has a clean, crisp look—it is cleaned, degreased, and sometimes lacquered—but maintains the functional characteristics of industrial mesh, says CAM’s Kevin Mayer. The company makes four main types of decorative mesh: Veil, which uses large-scale, flexible open weaves for use in facades and screen structures; Drape, flexible chain mail-like weaves used mostly for window treatments and as space dividers; Fill, rigid open weaves often used in handrail systems and grillwork; and Panel, rigid weaves used for wall cladding. Installation hardware includes framing for panels, track systems for curtains, and tension systems for canopies or large openings in facades, such as you might find in a parking garage. “Architects struggle with large openings that need to be covered up, and traditionally they’ve had to go through the time-consuming process of developing a panel system to fill out the area,” Mayer says. CAM prefabricates panels, “allowing us to cover gaps very quickly and economically.”
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Cambridge Architectural Mesh Systems
Composition:
Complex woven stainless steel. Additional mesh products in brass, aluminum, bronze, and copper, depending on the application.
Applications:
Sun-shade systems, curtain walls, parking garages; drapery and other window treatments; space dividers, semiprivate screening, light diffusers, catchers, and reflectors; staircase and handrail systems, grillwork, fencing; displays and signage; countertops, panels for doors, walls, flooring, and ceilings; and custom applications.
Properties:
Can be translucent, opaque, or reflective; framed in panels, bent, or otherwise shaped. Corrosion-proof, scratch-resistant, and durable. Easy to clean and recyclable. Can be woven in large panels (15 to 18 feet wide and up to 150 feet long) to cover open areas and building exteriors.
Manufacturer:
Cambridge Architectural Mesh
105 Goodwill Road
Cambridge, Maryland 21613
T. (866) 806-2385
www.architecturalmesh.com
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