Designed by Manhattan-based Luca Andrisani Architects, this 10-unit residential building in Brooklyn is clad in black insulated Galvalume panels by Kingspan, and wrapped in a dynamic screen of copper panels by Hi-Tech Metals.

Set in a clean stack bond pattern, the Galvalume panels vary in size; their height measures either 24 inches or 30 inches and lengths range from 2 to 13 feet. Showing through the square hole punches that perforate screens, their dark color contrasts the subtle gleam of the weathering copper.

“Our primary design move was to clean up the facade by presenting a single plane to the street, like the neighboring brownstone,” says Andrisani. While copper was a logical aesthetic choice, as it effectively mimics the warm coloring of the adjacent masonry building, it also proved to be the best selection in terms of material performance: It is durable, compatible with other building components, and produces minimal run-off.

The screen is composed of 1/8-inch-thick panels of metal, pierced to create an interplay of shadow and light. The facade mixes fixed and operable panels. Located in front of the windows, bi-fold shutters that pivot and slide along trolley rails allow residents to control the view, as well as the amount of light and air entering an apartment. Andrisani says, “The facade is almost alive—it’s always dynamic and changing.” It’s with this quality in mind that the building was given its name: Aperture 538.