Take a closer look at South's new copper roof

Press the play button above to watch the video

The weathervane at the top of South Building hasn’t been the highest point on campus in nearly a century, but for now, anyway, it is the newest. The directional device was the finishing touch on a major roof construction project that wrapped up in March.

South Building, which dates to 1798 and is among the oldest public education buildings in the country, had not undergone a project this extensive since 1927.

“This was a significant undertaking,” said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. “But it was an important step in making sure that one of the most important buildings in the state of North Carolina is preserved for generations to come.”

Here are a few highlights from the project:

New roofing material

The steel roofing material installed in 1927 was at the end of its lifespan and has been replaced by copper panels, in keeping with the architectural style of South Building and its history. Unlike the steel roof, which needed a protective coating applied every now and then, the copper is designed to be unsealed, so it will oxidize and change color over time. That means the roof of South Building will one day have a bluish-green hue, similar to the roof of the Old Well, but that process usually takes about 25 years.

Quadrant photo of what the new South Building roof will look like over the next 25 years.

An estimate for how South Building’s roof could change color over time as it oxidizes. Renderings based on data from the Copper Development Association. (Rob Holliday; UNC-Chapel Hill)

Rebuilt cupola

The domed structure that sits at the peak of South Building’s roof had also fallen into disrepair and received a new copper roof and several structural updates as part of the overall project. Added to South Building in 1861, the cupola had not been renovated this extensively in nearly a century. The cupola houses a large bell that was once used to alert the campus to class changes but is now only rung on special occasions.

Before and after of the South Building’s cupola. (Rob Holliday; UNC-Chapel Hill)

A new finial and weathervane

Smartphone apps are how most people check wind direction these days, but there’s a new and decidedly analog option now installed at the top of South Building. The copper weathervane, its spinning arrow and N, S, W and E lettering to mark directions was created to match the original version, which had a few elements missing and was not repairable. The weathervane rests on a finial, which is also made of copper and re-created based on the original design. The finial and weathervane installation required a temporarily closed street, a bucket lift and a compass to make sure the weathervane was installed with accurate directionality.