A graphic panel is a facade panel, usually fiberglass, perforated metal or metal mesh, printed or formed with imagery, color or text and mounted on the outside of a parking structure.
Garages are big, blank and often next to streets people care about. Graphic panels screen the cars and headlights, add color, carry branding or public art, and can reinforce wayfinding by giving each side or level a recognizable identity.
Common materials
- Fiberglass or composite panels, light and printable, but solid.
- Perforated metal, with images formed by the size of the holes.
- Woven metal mesh or tensioned fabric, open enough to let air and light through.
Design checks
- Openness: in an open parking garage, panels must not reduce wall openings below what the code requires for natural ventilation. See natural ventilation.
- Wind loads on the panels and their supports. See wind loads.
- Fire performance of the panel material.
- Durability of printed graphics in sun and weather, and a plan to replace them.
The Parkonomics view
A garage facade is one of the largest canvases in a downtown. A graphic panel can turn a dead wall into a landmark, as long as it lets the building breathe.
Related terms: Wayfinding, Cognitive Map, Natural Ventilation, Wind Loads, Biophilic Design, EIFS