Metlox Parking Garage

What was once the site of a flourishing Manhattan Beach ceramics fabricator known initially as Metlox Pottery is now a modern retail center with an underground parking garage.

Architects for the parking structure that now bears the company’s name chose ¼” Fabricoil attached to Cascade’s sturdy and reliable Secura Track for its functionality and appealing aesthetics.

Connected to what can be best described as a metal pergola above the garage escalators, Fabricoil plunges from the top level (which is in fact the street level) to the ground floor, serving as a decorative solar shading solution for pedestrians and drivers.

The drapery hangs freely – attached at its highest point only – and hovers just above the ground at its base. This manner of installation enables the metal mesh to gently sway in the wind, allows for airflow and ventilation for car fumes, and mitigates the bright California sunlight. Fabricoil’s mobility serves as a welcome contrast to the structure’s otherwise very rigid materials.

The Metlox Parking Garage also showcases Cascade Architectural’s versatility and its breadth of product offerings. Metlox displays the fabric in various widths and colors, including natural tones such as copper and silver along with pops of blue.