Novak Center for Children’s Health: Terracotta Façade
The University of Louisville Novak Center for Children’s Health features a colorful Argeton terracotta façade designed to create a welcoming environment for children and their families. More than 15,000 terracotta panels in 15 custom-glazed colors cover the building’s exterior walls and soffits, giving the pediatric care center a warm, playful identity while contributing to the performance of its exterior envelope.
Opened in 2018, the state-of-the-art eight-story facility brings pediatric specialists and primary care providers together in one convenient location. Every aspect of the building, from its vibrant terracotta rainscreen to its clinical and family spaces, was chosen with care and informed by years of studying leading pediatric facilities throughout the country.
A Welcoming Environment for Pediatric Care
The Novak Center contains seven clinical levels along with a rooftop garden and conference center. Its pediatric services include examination and treatment rooms, infusion rooms, laboratory and radiology services, a pharmacy and a variety of specialty practices. By bringing these services together, the center allows children and their families to see multiple providers without traveling between separate buildings.
The designers, physicians and caregivers were determined to create a place where children would feel safe, comfortable and cared for during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. The architecture supports that goal with inviting colors, abundant natural light and imagery inspired by the landscapes and wildlife of Kentucky. The exterior terracotta cladding establishes this experience before patients and their families even enter the building.
Planning began in January 2015, with GBBN serving as the core and shell design lead, executive architect and architect of record in collaboration with Stanley Beaman & Sears, now part of EYP. Messer Construction served as the project’s contractor. The teams were selected for their extensive experience designing and building healthcare environments for children.
A Custom Terracotta Façade in 15 Colors
More than 15,000 Argeton terracotta panels make up the Novak Center’s distinctive façade. Working closely with the architects and contractor, Telling Architectural Systems and Argeton initially developed five base colors in three shades each. The colors and shades were then refined through multiple rounds of sampling until the project team found a harmonious combination for the exterior walls and soffits.
Creating 15 custom-glazed terracotta colors required close coordination with Argeton’s manufacturing specialists in Görlitz, Germany. Telling and Argeton welcomed the challenge, developing numerous glaze trials before the final shades of teal, red, green, white and yellow were selected. Each major color group includes light, medium and dark variations, adding depth and movement to the terracotta rainscreen.
The color palette draws inspiration from Kentucky’s natural landscape, including cardinal red for the state bird, blue for the sky and green for the state’s rolling fields. Rather than appearing childish, the carefully composed colors give the building a sense of curiosity, exploration and optimism. The varied glazed terracotta panels enliven the large building while creating a recognizable destination within the Louisville medical campus.
High-Performance Terracotta Rainscreen Cladding
Rainscreen façades have become increasingly common in healthcare architecture because they can support energy efficiency, moisture management and long-term exterior performance. At the Novak Center, the vivid terracotta cladding is installed as part of a ventilated rainscreen system that allows air to circulate within the wall cavity and helps reduce the radiant heat load on the façade.
The Argeton terracotta tiles are colorfast and installed without mortar or sealants, reducing ongoing façade maintenance. Natural fired clay gives the building the warmth and character of a traditional masonry material while the engineered rainscreen system provides a modern approach to exterior wall construction. The result is a durable architectural façade that supports the center’s performance goals while creating a colorful and welcoming visual experience for children.
Terracotta rainscreen panels also give architects considerable creative flexibility. Panels can be produced in a broad range of colors, dimensions, profiles, textures and surface finishes. For the Novak Center, this flexibility allowed the design team to create a sophisticated arrangement of custom colors that carries across both vertical exterior walls and horizontal soffits.
Collaboration and Custom Color Development
Producing the final combination of terracotta panels required constant communication among the architects, contractor, Telling Architectural Systems and Argeton’s manufacturing team. Multiple samples were developed and reviewed before the exact balance of colors and shades was achieved. This collaborative process ensured that the terracotta façade could meet the architect’s design vision while remaining practical to manufacture and install.
Kristofer Johnson, Vice President, Telling Architectural Systems
“Color matching and selection was a welcome challenge. We were tasked with developing many samples before the perfect combination was found. Constant communication and a total team effort resulted in a spectacular project that we are extremely proud of.”
An Innovative Architectural Terracotta Solution
The Novak Center demonstrates how a high-performance terracotta rainscreen can become a defining element of a building’s identity. The system combines the timeless character of natural fired clay with the precision and customization required for contemporary architecture. Its glazed ceramic façade panels are resistant to weather and require minimal maintenance, while the range of available colors, shapes, profiles and surfaces gives architects the freedom to develop distinctive exterior designs.
At the Novak Center for Children’s Health, the terracotta façade does more than protect the building. Its combination of color, depth and texture helps establish an uplifting setting designed around the needs of children and families. The result is a pediatric care facility that feels warm, optimistic and approachable while supporting long-term building performance.
About Argeton Terracotta Rainscreen Systems
The Argeton terracotta rainscreen system is an architectural cladding system made from natural fired clay. Developed in Germany more than three decades ago, Argeton has been installed on thousands of projects worldwide. Its terracotta panels are available in a wide selection of dimensions, profiles, colors, textures and glazed finishes.
Telling Architectural Systems has distributed Argeton products for more than 20 years, providing architects, contractors and installers throughout North America with custom color development, technical information, system design assistance, detailing guidance and installation support.
Explore Argeton terracotta façade panels or contact Telling Architectural Systems to discuss a custom rainscreen project.
Frequently Asked Questions About Terracotta Rainscreen Panels
What is a terracotta rainscreen?
A terracotta rainscreen is an exterior cladding system made with fired-clay panels installed over a ventilated wall cavity. The cavity allows air to circulate behind the panels and helps manage moisture within the exterior wall assembly.
Can terracotta rainscreen panels be custom glazed?
Yes. Terracotta panels can be custom glazed to achieve a project-specific color palette. For the Novak Center, Telling Architectural Systems and Argeton developed 15 custom-glazed colors through multiple rounds of sampling.
What design options are available for terracotta façade panels?
Terracotta panels are available in a range of colors, dimensions, profiles, textures and finishes. Architects can use these options to create subtle variation or a distinctive façade, including cladding that continues from exterior walls onto soffits.
Is terracotta rainscreen cladding suitable for healthcare buildings?
Yes. Terracotta rainscreen cladding can provide a durable exterior while giving architects flexibility to create a welcoming setting. The Novak Center shows how custom color can give a large healthcare facility a warmer, more approachable appearance.
How are terracotta rainscreen panels installed?
Argeton terracotta panels are installed as part of an engineered rainscreen system without mortar or sealants between the panels. The panels are mounted over a ventilated cavity; the specific attachment and wall assembly details depend on the project.
