Markel Building, Modernist office building in Henrico County, United States
The Markel Building is an office building on Markel Road in Henrico County, Virginia, designed by Haigh Jamgochian and commissioned by the Markel Corporation. Its exterior siding consists, on each floor, of a single 555-foot piece of aluminum, the longest unbroken pieces of aluminum ever used as siding material. Jamgochian shaped the form after a baked potato wrapped in foil.
The Markel Building was commissioned by the Markel Corporation and designed by Haigh Jamgochian (1924–2019), the son of Armenian Genocide survivors. It is his only surviving building. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 2017.
The building's form comes from a baked potato wrapped in foil that Haigh Jamgochian was served at an American Institute of Architects dinner. He was the son of Armenian Genocide survivors, and the Markel Building is the only one of his designs still standing. It joined the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 2017.
The building sits in Henrico County near the Willow Lawn shopping center and is straightforward to locate. Keep in mind that this is an active business facility, so visitors should approach with respect for the workspace.
The architect hammered texture patterns directly into the aluminum exterior before contractors completed the remaining work. This hands-on approach created an unusual tactile quality that breaks the sterile look often associated with modernist buildings.
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