Interior Surfaces and Materials: Aesthetics, Technology, Implementation 3764388099, 9783764388096

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in ∂

Interior Surfaces and Materials Aesthetics Technology Implementation

Christian Schittich (Ed.)

Edition Detail

in ∂ Interior Surfaces and Materials

in ∂

Interior Surfaces and Materials Aesthetics Technology Implementation Christian Schittich (Ed.)

Edition DETAIL – Institut für internationale Architektur-Dokumentation GmbH München Birkhäuser Basel . Boston . Berlin

Editor: Christian Schittich Project management: Steffi Lenzen Editorial services and copy editing: Cosima Strobl Editorial services: Florian Krainer, Michaela Linder, Petra Sparrer, Daniela Steffgen, Melanie Weber Translation German/English: Catherine Anderle-Neill Drawings: Bettina Brecht, Dejanira Bitterer, Daniel Hajduk, Martin Hemmel, Caroline Hörger, Claudia Hupfloher, Nicola Kollmann, Simon Kramer, Elisabeth Krammer DTP: Roswitha Siegler

A specialist publication from Redaktion DETAIL This book is a cooperation between DETAIL – Review of Architecture and Birkhäuser – Publishers for Architecture Library of Congress Control Number: 2007927593 Bibliographic information published by the German National Library The German National Library lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at . This book is also available in a German language edition (ISBN: 978-3-7643-8809-6). © 2008 Institut für internationale Architektur-Dokumentation GmbH & Co. KG, P. O. Box 33 06 60, D-80066 Munich, Germany and Birkhäuser Verlag AG, Basel · Boston · Berlin, P. O. Box 133, CH-4010 Basel, Switzerland This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in other ways, and storage in data banks. For any kind of use, permission of the copyright owner must be obtained.

Printed on acid-free paper produced from chlorine-free pulp (TCF ∞) Printed in Germany Reproduction: Martin Härtl OHG, München Printing and binding: Kösel GmbH & Co. KG, Altusried-Krugzell

ISBN: 978-3-7643-8810-2 987654321

Contents

Designing with Materials Christian Schittich

8

Material Summary of Projects

14

Apartment in Oberlech Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, Vienna

16

Holiday Apartment at Attersee Atelier Ebner + Ullmann, Vienna

20

The Design Scope of Melamine-Resin Coated Surfaces Heinz Peters

90

Stores: Labelled Worlds Natalie Marth and Karl Schwitzke, Designbüro Schwitzke & Partner, Dusseldorf

92

Use of materials in shop design moysig retail design

96

Fashion Store “Maison Louis Vuitton des Champs-Elysées” in Paris Carbondale, Paris

98

Apartment Renovation in Berlin Behles & Jochimsen, Berlin

24

Hotel “The Emperor” in Beijing Graft, Beijing

28

Shop in Barcelona EQUIP Xavier Claramunt, Barcelona

102

Floor in “Hotel Puerta América” in Madrid Zaha Hadid Architects, London

32

Fashion Store in Berlin Corneille Uedingslohmann, Berlin

104

Guest Pavilions in Olot RCR Arquitectes, Olot

38

Shoe shop in Amsterdam Meyer en Van Schooten, Amsterdam

110

Hotel “Ginzan-Onsen-Fujiya” in Obanazawa Kengo Kuma & Associates, Tokyo

42

Shoe Shop in Rome Fabio Novembre, Milan

114

Parish Centre and Youth Club in Thalmässing meck architects, Munich

48

Linden Pharmacy in Ludwigsburg ippolito fleitz group – identity architects, Stuttgart

118

Multimedia-Pavilion in Jinhua Erhard An-He Kinzelbach KNOWSPACE, Vienna

52

“La Rinascente” in Milan Department Store Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, London

122

Theatre in Zurich EM2N, Zurich

54

Wine Tasting Tavern in Fellbach Christine Remensperger, Stuttgart

126

Theatre Agora in Lelystad UN Studio, Amsterdam, B+M, The Hague

58

Restaurant and Bar in Zurich Burkhalter Sumi, Zurich

130

Casa da Música in Porto OMA, Rotterdam

62

French Restaurant “Aoba-tei” in Sendai Hitoshi Abe + Atelier Hitoshi Abe, Sendai

134

Architectural Documentation Centre in Madrid Aparicio + Fernández-Elorza, Madrid

68

Restaurant “Georges” in Paris Jakob + MacFarlane, Paris

138

Film and Visual Media Research Centre in London Surface Architects, London

74

Interior Surfaces and Materials Christiane Sauer

144

Artists’ Agency in Berlin ANGELIS + PARTNER, Oldenburg

78

Multi-materials Claudia Lüling and Philipp Strohm

160

Dentist’s Practice in Berlin Graft, Berlin

82 Architects – Project details Authors Illustration Credits

168 175 176

Design Concepts and Surface Qualities of Dry Construction Systems Karsten Tichelmann

86

Designing with Materials Christian Schittich

Timber and bamboo in their natural tones; strictly, geometrically ordered with minimal, clear detailing, create an elegant, almost meditative atmosphere in the Onsen Hotel bathhouse by Kengo Kuma (ill. 1.1, 1.2 and p. 42ff.). Contrastingly vibrant and energetic is the appearance of a restaurant in Zurich by Burkhalter Sumi (ill. 1.3 and p. 130ff.) with its flowing forms, strong colours and covered surfaces. At first glance, the contrast between the two examples could hardly be greater – but they do have something in common: both cases demonstrate contemporary interior architectural designs which are striking, direct responses to specific assignments. The use of forms, building materials and lighting enable architects to create remarkable atmospheres, whereby the selected surfaces for walls, ceilings, floors and furnishings play decisive roles. It is with these materials that design becomes reality; materials determine the atmosphere of spaces with their surfaces, colours and textures. Users of buildings come into direct contact with a building’s interior surfaces much more so than with its facades. The perception is immediate; he can touch and feel them and even take in their scent. Thus the visual and haptic, the acoustic and the olfactory qualities of materials acquire great importance and weight. Do they appear matt, or do they reflect the light, are they rough or smooth to the touch, do they reflect or absorb sound; are they glossy or silky, transparent or shimmering, untreated or coated? The emotional qualities of materials are also capable of affecting us; they can attract or repulse us, play with our associations, awaken memories or intellectually challenge us. The available range of suitable materials for use in interiors appears to be almost inexhaustible in this day and age. In addition to the traditionally familiar construction materials (which in this age of globalisation are also increasing in choice – when stone out of Brazil or China, or exotic timbers from Africa or South East Asia are readily available) new synthetic products are being rapidly developed, often being transferred to architecture from other sectors of industry. In addition to the aforementioned sensual qualities of building materials, the technical aspects are becoming continually more important. Materials are becoming ever more efficient, provide custom-designed surface qualities or even present themselves as “smart” materials; materials capable of reacting to external impulses like temperature differences with reversible changes in their properties. The range of building products is increasing correspondingly with higher expectations and demands from architects and designers of specific

qualities of these materials; not the least of which is sustainability. Designers and users alike are demanding more information about the materials used in the fabrication of individual products, not only through a concern for the climate and the environment, but also with regard to their own health and well-being. The selection of materials according to ecological principles is becoming an increasingly relevant issue in design.

Designing space Interior space constitutes, if you will, the essential purpose of architecture. It is where people linger; to live and work, to shop and partake in recreational activities, to pray and to meditate. The ideal situation is, of course, when building design and interior design stem from the same designer. The majority of interior design projects, however, are carried out within existing built forms. The designer is presented with an existing space which is to be renovated, that is he is forced to adapt to a pre-determined situation within a completed building. That is not always necessarily a disadvantage, however; the confrontation with an existing structure can be just as fascinating as the total creation of a new space. Balancing the contrast between old and new, taking advantage of the charms of existing features and revealing their hidden qualities has its own special appeal. Internal fit-outs are usually of shorter life-span than the buildings themselves. This is particularly so in the areas of fashion and consumption. Especially in shop design or in gastronomy, where swiftness is often one of the defining principles, trends can be seen to replace each other with alarming 1.2

1.3

9

rapidity. It is this very transience (usually in association with minimal constructional demands for interiors) which offers great potential. Architects and designers are presented with great freedom of scope, which allows them to experiment at will, even occasionally to dare to try the unconventional. It is exactly this transfer of building materials into unexpected contexts that can often present new aesthetic freedom. Particularly when designing the spaces for retail outlets, restaurants and bars; the tasks of suggesting “lifestyles” and creating atmospheres are becoming increasingly relevant. Predominantly the leading fashion labels recognise that architecture is an important element of corporate identity, one which can be effectively utilised for spectacular, mediaeffective performances. For the design of their flagship stores in top metropolitan locations, these labels are prepared to furnish huge sums of money and demand exceptional creativity from architects and designers. It is therefore, not unusual that designers take advantage of these exceptional challenges to experiment with innovative materials or even develop new ones.

1.4

Exclusiveness and flair with synthetic materials Particularly original lifestyle-worlds have been created for the Prada outlets in New York and Los Angeles by the architects OMA in Rotterdam; the architect Rem Koolhaas has himself labelled these designs as “shopping experiments”. The two flagship stores were to fulfil both private and public functions, and were to interpret luxury as a form of generosity or even extravagance. Distinctive flair is critical in such a case. A number of years ago, when Koolhaas and his team received their commission for the project which – in addition to the design of further shops also included redefining the brand image – they sought suitable materials which would be capable of transporting not only a new identity for the label but also a sense of exclusivity. The architects themselves contributed to the experimental work and created shelving made of moulded plastics and silicon floor mats with integrated bubble structures. The majority of the research, including numerous experiments in collaboration with suitable manufacturers, was concerned with a porous material which was later named “Prada Foam”. This “hybrid somewhere between air and material”, as the designers themselves called it, is a poisonous-green Polyurethane foamed creation. They used it to line the complete interior of the Los Angeles “epicentre”; back-lit large expanses of it and achieved an exclusive, contemporary atmosphere (ill. 1.6).

Cultural edifices – between materiality and form With the Casa da Música in Porto (ill. 1.7, 1.8 and p. 62ff.) the architects of OMA demonstrate to us their enthusiasm for new, experimental materials. Rem Koolhaas’ practice has achieved an impressive, high-quality cultural building, fitted out with contemporary building materials, and still created the celebratory ambience expected for concerts and great operatic events. In addition to which, the architects also accomplished a variety of visual quotes and allusions to the history of the location by presenting surfaces of gold-leaf or Portuguese Azuzlejos tiles in unconventional situations. The interior development of this white, exposed-concrete monolith is itself a fascinating architectural experience with a range of diverse and unexpected revelations resulting from the varying and dynamic spatial sequences – but particularly due to the selected materials and their appearance. The 10

1.6

1.5

stairs with their aluminium clad steps and perforated metal wall panels appear both modern and elegant. Individual spaces are decorated with tiles in geometric patterns or painted with Christian motives, while others are clad with stippled plastic surfaces. The great concert hall, shaped rather like a shoe box, presents itself in a minimal yet exuberant manner at the same time – a joyous interaction of industrially fabricated materials and decorative surfaces: the corrugated glass which simultaneously allows views out of the space yet alienates the image, gold leaf decoration on plywood panels alluding to both Portuguese Baroque and to traditional opera houses, and a transparent plastic pneumatic pillow, astutely located above the stage to enhance acoustics. All of this is naturally combined, stimulating the boundaries of aesthetic possibilities without ever overstepping the mark. An essential element of the festive atmosphere of the great hall is the seating – designed in a modern, contemporary fashion by Maarten van Severen – the grey velvet fabric corresponds effectively with the aluminium covered floors. The particular qualities of this trend-setting concert house in Porto become more apparent to the observer when compared with other contemporary, renowned cultural constructions: the new opera house in Beijing, for example, designed by the French architect Paul Andreu. Appearing like a spaceship that has just landed in the centre of the Chinese capital, this futuristic building with glittering titanium skin is located in close proximity of the historic emperor’s palace. Those expecting similar avant-garde architecture in the interior of the building are sorely disappointed. Particularly the largest of the three concert halls presents itself as a dignified, conservative space complete with red velvet seating and dark timber finishes. Most dramatically, however, the large, badly proportioned foyers demonstrate just how much materials and surfaces influence the quality of interiors. There, in spite of the elaborate and expensive building materials – polished natural stone and stainless steel textiles – the effect is more like the sober sterility of a bank foyer than one appropriate to a cultural centre of this rank. Andreu’s opera house is not alone in this respect. It can even be alleged, if you will, that in Frank Gehry’s world famous Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao the interior quality of specific internal areas was sacrificed, spatially and emotionally, to the spectacular external image of the building. Building materials like painted steel, ascetic glass and polished stone in combination with rough detailing, occasional poor spatial quality and uninteresting lighting effects can lead to a less than sensual materiality, even in such a construction as this expressively fashioned public magnet. In total contrast to those constructions which seem to cry out for attention is Peter Zumthor’s Kolumba Museum in Cologne – its appearance is reserved, yet the building is entirely thought through down to the smallest detail (ill. 1.11).

1.7

1.8

1.1, 1.2 Hotel “Ginzan-Onsen-Fujiya” in Obanazawa, 2006; Kengo Kuma Associates 1.3 Restaurant and Bar in Zurich, 2006; Burkhalter Sumi Architects 1.4 Louis Vuitton Store in Paris, 2005; Carbondale Detail of ornamental screen 1.5 Wedding chapel in Osaka, 2006; Jun Aoki & Associates woven steel rings 1.6 Prada Stoaare in Los Angeles, 2004; OMA Detail “Prada-Foam” 1.7, 1.8 Casa da Música in Porto, 2005; OMA

11

Sensitive approach to materials

1.9

Zumthor’s Museum is distinguished by skilful spatial sequences demonstrating changing proportions and lighting effects, by inspired views and not least by carefully composed details and elegant surfaces. The warm-toned clay render dominates which, together with the solid masonry, also takes on a climate-regulating function. Primarily, however, it radiates an elegant, sensual material quality which allows the continually changing installations of artwork from two millenniums to be presented in a particularly effective manner. Peter Zumthor has produced a place of interaction, of experience, with his Kolumba Museum – a calm, peaceful place where visitors can stop, look and think – a museum which presents an effective contrast to so many contemporary, loudly gesticulating exhibition buildings. A similarly sensitive approach to material properties is demonstrated by Andreas Meck (ill. 1.10 and p. 48ff.) in his modest parish centre and youth club in Thalmässing. He restricted himself to a limited number of attractive, highly effective materials – oak woodwork, willow wickerwork, exposed concrete and a dark asphalt screed. The natural appearances of these materials, in conjunction with concise, clearly thought out detailing serve to produce a subjective, personalised impression. The materials themselves, their colours and structures, determine the quality of the surfaces.

1.10

1.11

In contrast, Kazunari Sakamoto revokes the material qualities of the surfaces in his small boutique for fashion and handcrafted products located in one of Tokyo’s trendiest areas. The principal element in this predominantly white space is of the architect’s own design – a clean, simple furniture system of medium density fibreboard which only achieves its attractiveness when combined with the articles for sale (ill. 1.9). Rather than the material of the interior design dominating the space, it is the vibrantly colourful objects which establish the atmosphere of the boutique – the space is only completed when its purpose is introduced. Sakamoto’s spaces are reserved, modest and genuine – but instantly captivate the observer. That is also the case with his own house, where he applied a similar furniture system. Once again, it is not the material which dominates – there in warm timber tones with a variety of different expressions – but the space itself; with numerous off-set planes, versatile connections and an irregular, dynamic layout often resulting from the setbacks. Sakamoto’s maxim of “everyday poetry” is admirably demonstrated.

Three-dimensional spatial landscapes out of a single mould With their hotel and bar in Berlin Q!, the architects of Graft have created a true “space landscape” where the materials play the lead role. Floors, walls and ceilings are all covered with reddish, patterned linoleum and form a spatial continuum in which the various functional areas merge and flow into one another. Thus, an organically formed structure serves as seating, space divider, work bench or storage area (ill. 1.12). The individual guest rooms are also thoroughly formed and fashioned, where the flooring of dark smoked-oak merges into the bed and on to the wetroom. Graft applied a similar design language for their second hotel “The Emperor” in Beijing 12

(page 20ff.). The architects interpreted the interior design as an interaction of material, colour and form; the internal spaces are once again plastically formed, but the selected surfaces are different. The continuous, interconnecting element is, in this case, velour leather. It can be seen – in bands of varying vibrant tones spreading from wall cladding, to sofas, beds and even cushion covers – throughout the entire hotel. Since individuality and design have been recognised as profit-making marketing devices in the hotel industry, building projects have become dramatically more attractive for architects and designers, and have gained in importance and credibility. In addition to the personal signature of the designer, increasingly original and unique designs are demanded for the fit-out which – similar to shop design – opens the possibility to experimentation. The stay in a hotel should be an attraction in itself for the guest. The guest’s desire for a unique experience, the wish to break out of his everyday world (even for a short period of time) lead him to accept an eccentric, perhaps even avant-garde interior décor – often contrastingly different from his home, where conservative comfort prevails. A dozen international architecture and design stars were invited by the management of the Hotel »Puerta América« in Madrid to each design a floor of the hotel. The British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid used the opportunity to create an expressive 3D landscape; as continuous as if cast from a single mould (page 32ff.). The individual, organically formed rooms are produced entirely in either white or black. Everything; floor, walls, furniture and bathroom fittings

flow and merge – appearing to be cut from a giant block of mineral-bonded synthetic compound. The thermally formable compound is, in fact, only a surface material mounted on traditional substructures of timber building panels. The perfect illusion of material and space has been created. Associations with the bold, dramatic architecture of the Baroque are awakened, not only formally but also in the approach to the material. Zaha Hadid’s futuristic hotel design in Madrid gives us a taste of the possible future development of interior design – at least where spatial experience or perhaps even spatial furore is desired. In other situations though, the straightforward and sensitive approach to tradition building materials can hold its own. There will always be countless nuances between these two extremes, however. The deciding factor will continue to be the selection of the most suitable, appropriate material for each application.

1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12

Fashionboutique in Tokyo, 2005; Kazunari Sakamoto Parish and youth centre in Thalmässing, 2004; Meck Architekten Kolumba Museum in Cologne, 2007; Peter Zumthor Hotel Q! in Berlin, 2004; Graft

1.12

13

Material Summary of Projects

Page Project 16 20 24 28 32 38 42 48 52 54 58 62 68 74 78 82 98 102 104 110 114 118 122 126 130 134 138

Apartment in Oberlech Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, Vienna Holiday Apartment at Attersee Atelier Ebner + Ullmann, Vienna Apartment Renovation in Berlin Behles & Jochimsen, Berlin The “Hotel Emperor” in Beijing Graft, Beijing Floor in “Hotel Puerta América” in Madrid Zaha Hadid Architects, London Guest Pavilions in Olot RCR Arquitectes, Olot Hotel “Ginzan-Onsen-Fujiya” in Obanazawa Kengo Kuma & Associates, Tokyo Parish Centre and Youth Club in Thalmässing meck architects, Munich Multimedia-Pavilion in Jinhua Erhard An-He Kinzelbach KNOWSPACE, Vienna Theatre in Zurich EM2N, Zurich Theatre Agora in Lelystad UN Studio, Amsterdam, B + M, The Hague Casa da Música in Porto OMA, Rotterdam Architectural Documentation Centre in Madrid Aparicio + Fernández-Elorza, Madrid Film and Visual Media Research Centre in London Surface Architects, London Artists’ Agency in Berlin ANGELIS + PARTNER, Oldenburg Dentist’s Practice in Berlin Graft, Berlin Fashion Store “Maison Louis Vuitton des Champs-Elysées” in Paris Carbondale, Paris Shop in Barcelona EQUIP Xavier Claramunt, Barcelona Fashion Store in Berlin Corneille Uedingslohmann, Berlin Shoe Shop in Amsterdam Meyer an Van Schooten, Amsterdam Shoe Shop in Rome Fabio Novembre, Milan Linden Pharmacy in Ludwigsburg ippolito fleitz group – identity architects, Stuttgart “La Rinascente” in Milan Department Store Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, London Wine Tasting Tavern in Fellbach Christine Remensperger, Stuttgart Restaurant and Bar in Zurich Burkhalter Sumi, Zurich French Restaurant “Aoba-tei” in Sendai Hitoshi Abe + Atelier Hitoshi Abe, Sendai Restaurant “Georges” in Paris Jakob + MacFarlane, Paris

Usage

Material

Surface

living

plasterboard timber construction board plasterboard timber construction board plasterboard timber construction board plasterboard timber construction board timber construction board

oak veneer, slate, fabric synthetic resin coating, coloured finish, fabric melamin resin coating, coloured finish velour leather, fabric, coloured finish mineral compound

steel frame

glass

reinforced concrete timber reinforced concrete

hiba timber, bamboo, etched-glass, Japanese paper willow wickerwork, oak timber bamboo plywood

living living hotel restaurant hotel hotel living hotel culture education culture culture restaurant culture culture culture education education

reinforced concrete reinforced concrete timber construction board plasterboard timber construction board reinforced concrete reinforced concrete masonry plasterboard timber construction board timber construction board

velour covering, coloured finish bamboo parquett, carpet, fabric, coloured finish glass, timber, ceramic, foam exposed concrete

retail

reinforced concrete timber construction board steel

fabric, leather, coloured finish rubber flooring, fabric elastomer coating, fabric, coloured finish aluminium, glass, timber polycarbonate web panels glass fibre reinforced plastic acrylic plastic

retail

steel

mineral compound

health care

plasterboard timber construction board aluminium

coloured finish acrylic plastic

timber construction board

oak veneer

plasterboard timber construction board steel

coloured finish, fabric fine steel sheeting

steel aluminium

rubber flooring, coloured finish

office health care retail retail retail

retail gastronomy gastronomy gastronomy gastronomy gastronomy

plasterboard timber construction board plasterboard aluminium aluminium

15

Apartment in Oberlech Architects: Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, Vienna

project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

living timber 2.25 m 680 m3 258 m2 2006 5 months

Occasionally used holiday apartment Plastic shapes and flowing spatial sequences Variety of high-quality surfaces This holiday apartment with more than 250 square metres of usable area is located in the traditional, well-established ski resort Oberlech at an altitude of 1,750 metres above sea level. The client sought a retreat; a place for peace, quiet and relaxation.

4 5 2

On the narrow, yet long and sloping site the dwelling is stretched over three storeys and is organised according to the functions. Access to the apartment is provided on the upper level, where the bedrooms are located. From here a stair leads down to the lower, generously dimensioned, living zone. Violet seating niches set a colourful accent in this space. The central element here is the leather-upholstered “lounge landscape” and the sculptural fireplace. The space benefits from storey-high glazing which allows views of the surrounding countryside. Children’s rooms and the wellness area – complete with steam bath and fitness equipment – are accommodated in the lower level. The interiors are fitted out in warm, earthy tones. The continuous flooring, as well as wall and furniture elements, are finished in oak timber and enable the spaces to appear as if cast from a single mould. Fireplace and kitchen unit are finished in slate. The walls acquire various functions and forms; for example the back-lit wine rack which flows in and out of the adjacent seating niche. Sufficient storage space is also provided by way of integrated shelving. The wall furniture is constructed of veneered MDF panels.

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floor plans scale 1:200 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

entrance guest room library bedroom bathroom living area dining area kitchen wine store children’s room spa area

17

aa section scale 1:200 wine rack and seating horizontal section • vertical sections scale 1:20 1 suspended ceiling: plasterboard, painted white 2 flooring: 12 mm oak parquet 3 shelving: 19 mm MDF panel 4 cupboard fronts: 19 mm MDF panels with oak veneer 5 integrated lighting, fluorescent 6 acrylic-glass cover plate, clear 7 textile covered foam padding, violet 8 textile covering, violet 9 wine rack dividers 16 mm MDF panel, painted black 10 honeycomb-milled cover plate: 16 mm MDF panel with oak veneer

material properties application: material: product name:

wall and furniture elements timber MDF

density: fire protection rating: all. bending:

450–750 kg/m3 B2 3.6 –8.0 N /mm2 (perp. to panel) all. compression: 2.8–4.5 N /mm2 (in panel) thermal transmission: 0.1–0.17 W/mK contraction: 0.2 % per % change in timber moisture content colour: light permeability: gloss: surface structure:

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brown impermeable medium smooth

c

b

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10 bb

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Holiday Apartment at Attersee Architects: Atelier Ebner + Ullmann, Vienna

Flexibly used living space Multi-purpose furniture Ornamental surfaces The new internal fit-out of this apartment, located directly on the lake shore at Attersee near Salzburg, has transformed it into a highly functional and flexible apartment. In order to achieve as much living space in this temporary holiday dwelling as possible, all existing, non-load-bearing walls were removed and a long, slender furniture element was inserted. Only the bathroom is fully enclosed behind walls, and the beds for the children are built-in. Kitchen, dining table and storage spaces all recede behind ceiling-high folding doors. The central furniture element is on one hand a part of the room, on the other hand an object in itself. In the closed, “rest position” it is 8.1 metres long and 3.0 metres high and appears to be a fully closed box. Hatches, doors and drawers open up to reveal a myriad of alternative functions. Thus a door becomes a partition element between the children’s bedroom and the parents’ bedroom, simultaneously revealing a high-quality work station with pull-out writing desk. The walk-in change rooms for both parents and children, in addition to the cloakroom, offer a huge variety of storage alternatives. Walls, floor, ceiling and shadow elements were designed by Rainer Füreder, an artist from the Austrian city of Linz. The concrete screed flooring was finished with a beige coloured coating, before the artist enhanced it with a pattern of leaves and twigs. A final sealing layer of epoxy resin was then applied. The partially translucent sliding panels were constructed of MDF sheeting; a pattern was initially sawn out of the panels which were subsequently covered with felt.

floor plan scale 1:150 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

20

WC cloakroom parents’ change room children’s change room writing desk kitchen dining table living bathroom children’s bedroom parents’ bedroom

project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

living dry construction 3.0 m 225 m3 75 m2 2005 4 months

7 8 6

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a

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material properties application: material: product name:

floor coating epoxy-resin Sto Cretec

density: viscosity: fire protection rating:

1.07 g/ml 600 mPa · s B1

colour: light permeability: Shore D hardness: surface structure:

colourless, glossy transparent 45 smooth

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9

8

aa

22

vertical sections furniture scale 1:20 1 2≈ 12.5 mm plasterboard suspended ceiling, painted with latex 2 glass pane, clear, frameless 3 19 mm MDF painted matt beige 4 halogen spot 5 children’s change room: 19 mm MDF internally painted matt red 6 writing desk top: 22 mm MDF painted matt beige 7 20 mm Ø steel clothes rail 8 bed on wheels 9 30 mm Ø door handle, milled 10 parents’ change room: 19 mm MDF internally painted matt silver

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Apartment Renovation in Berlin Architects: Behles & Jochimsen, Berlin

Fully gutted apartment Storage element articulates space Timber materials painted high-gloss pink

frosted-glass wall which allows daylight to enter and can also be backlit at night. Access to the cabinet’s contents is via numerous flaps, doors and drawers. This element not only offers a great range of storage alternatives, but also integrates bathroom, kitchen and household appliances, diverse installations, and a number of lighting options. Where the openings in the wall were widened, mirror-backed doors double as space defining elements between the two rooms and the bathroom/hall space.

This tower-like building on Karl Marx Allee known as “Haus des Kindes” (Children’s House) is a number of storeys taller than the structures surrounding it and, paired with the nearly identical “Haus Berlin”, creates a gateway to Strausberger Platz. The floor plans of the building – inspired by 1950’s Soviet neo-classicism – are based on a uniform grid which does not assign specific uses to the rooms. The client, a musician who travels frequently, wanted to rid herself of unnecessary belongings and was in search of a small, cultivated flat, as immaculate as a hotel suite. She chose this flat in the “Haus des Kindes” because it is on the seventh storey and has a large, south-facing terrace. A small corridor between the storey’s lobby and the terrace was annexed for the flat, thereby enlarging the dwelling to a two-room apartment. The architects’ concept foresaw unifying the middle square, which had previously consisted of corridor, bathroom and kitchen, and enabling it to be truly experienced as a square. All non-structural walls were removed and the existing door openings in the load-bearing, transverse walls were widened to the extent allowed by the structural restrictions; a long cabinet now extends through the centre of the openings.

Colourful accent in a neutral space The highly specific new object is a foil to the neutral spaces; the contrast is also manifest in their visual presence. The exterior is coated in high-gloss pink, the interior matt, deep red. The walls, on the other hand, are light grey; the ceilings, windows and reveals are painted white.

existing floor plan scale 1:200 sections • floor plan scale 1:100

Temporary seclusion This new, door-high element links the three spaces into one large room, but also makes it possible to close off the spaces. The middle room is divided into a hallway with kitchenette and a bathroom; the two remain linked, however, by a

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entrance hallway/kitchen bedroom bathroom living room

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6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

terrace wardrobe wash basin washing machine and dryer cloakroom refrigerator and oven kitchenette pantry

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project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

living dry construction 2.86 m 145 m3 53 m2 2006 7 months aa

bb

25

detail sections scale 1:20

7 MDF painted white 8 bench top: sanded stainless steel, backsplash at sides and back 9 3 mm simulated joint 10 cover for electric installations 11 22 mm particleboard cupboard door, exterior painted high-gloss pink, mirror on entire interior surface, adhesive fixed 12 cupboard doors inner: 19 mm particleboard melamine coating, painted dark red 13 cupboard/room outer door: 22 mm particleboard, exterior painted high-gloss pink, 6 mm mirror interior surface 14 stainless steel metal sheeting 15 door handle with 3 mm groove

1 suspended plasterboard ceiling, painted white 2 dimmable florescent lights 3 glass pane, inner face frosted, frameless (in kitchen/washing niche extending to upper edge of stainless steel backsplash) 4 22 mm particleboard, painted high-gloss pink 5 400 ≈ 90 mm herringbone oak parquet, oiled and waxed, new in kitchenette, hallway, bathroom, former terrace, to match existing floors 6 seal beneath parquet in bathroom, kitchenette and hallway

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1900–2700 N/mm2 450 –750 kg/m3 B2 0.1–0.17 k/mK

colour: bending strength: compression strength: gloss: surface structure:

pink NCS S 1020-R 3.6 –8.0 N/mm2 2.8 –4.5 N/mm2 high smooth

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Hotel “The Emperor” in Beijing Architects: Graft, Beijing

project details usage: hotel and restaurant construction: dry construction internal ceiling height: 2.63 m (basement), 2.73 m (lobby) 2.50 (guest rooms), 2.40 (corridors) total internal volume: 14,000 m3 total built area: 4,800 m2 date of construction: 2008 period of construction: 9 months

Conversion to design hotel in central Beijing Integrated furnishings merge with spaces Design concept of various colours

décor. An elegant roof terrace on the third floor provides a spa area, swimming pool, bar and conference room, all of which benefit from a spectacular view of the Forbidden City.

The hotel “The Emperor” opened in April 2008 on the northeastern edge of Beijing’s greatest attraction – the Forbidden City. With its 55 rooms and five suites, the hotel conversion is notably for the organically flowing spatial sequences and the interaction of material, colour and form.

Velour leather as repetitive material

Flowing space compositions The existing building was fully gutted and entirely reorganised, as is usually the case with Graft. The ground floor accommodates the welcoming lobby with seating options and an information area. The appearance of this level is determined by generous dimensions and space. Individual functional zones, like lounge, restaurant and bar, blend to create an open spatial sequence. The space benefits from natural day lighting from the south-facing bamboo patio. Guests are guided into this zone from the street level via external stairs and through the patio, and thus remain independent of the hotel proper. The guest rooms are divided into five categories ranging in size from 30 to 69 square metres. A special feature of this hotel is that no room numbers exist – new arrivals are obliged to identify their rooms via an abstract sketch of a historic emperor on their magnetic room cards, this sketch corresponds with the enlarged portrait of the emperor on the door of their room. A semi-transparent pane of glass separates the bathroom from the living and sleeping area in the standard rooms. Black, slate tiles contrast with the otherwise white

Velour leather functions as the continuous material application on a variety of different architectural elements. Its vibrantly coloured presence flows, ribbon-like, through the entire building. It commences in the seating area in the foyer, where it can be seen as wall treatment and presentation area; it then reappears in the corridors to the guest rooms where further seating alternatives are provided. In the guest rooms themselves, the banding continues on the walls and built-in wardrobes, to finally arrive at the sofas, beds and cushions. Individual levels are treated in different colours – green, turquoise, and orange – although the colour in the publicly accessible spaces is kept to orange. The colour also dominates the bar and restaurant in the lower level, where both fixed seating and mobile chairs are covered in velour leather.

Lighting concept The deliberate, consistent use of indirect lighting in all situations produces a pleasing atmosphere; recesses integrated into the suspended ceiling articulate the spaces, identifying communication routes and provide for glare-free illumination. Back-lit textile partitions create soft lighting in the lounge area and separate the seating islands from one another.

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floor plans basement ground floor top floor section scale 1:500 1 VIP room 2 patio, bamboo garden 3 restaurant 4 kitchen 5 reception

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bar access to lobby staff canteen lounge WC lobby, reception standard room “deluxe” room “junior” room bar spa area fitness room conference room

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detail 1st floor “deluxe” room scale 1:500 detail section scale 1:20 material properties 1 suspended ceiling: 12,5 mm plasterboard, painted white 2 indirect lighting, fluorescent 3 foam padding, leather covered 4 reading lamp 5 2≈ 18 mm MDF side table, painted white 6 flooring: 50 ≈ 25 ≈ 600 mm walnut parquet 7 writing desk top: 2≈ 18 mm MDF 8 frosted glass cover 9 9 mm MDF panel, padding, leather covered

application: material: product name:

furniture covering velour leather Alcantara

stability: weight: abrasion value: water resistance:

unstable lightweight resistant splash resistant

colour: light permeability: surface structure:

various impermeable matt, soft

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Floor in “Hotel Puerta América” in Madrid Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects, London

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Futuristic 3D landscape Thermally formable mineral compound Zaha Hadid, in addition to a number of other renowned architects, was given the opportunity of designing an entire floor for the Hotel Puerta América in Madrid. Each floor was identical in plan – consisting of a small foyer, 28 rooms and two suites – but otherwise the owners left the design of the interiors entirely up to the architects’ imaginations. The result is a conglomerate collection of remarkably different floor designs – a layered patchwork of architectural styles and design directions.

Foyer and corridor Zaha Hadid’s futuristic first floor is particularly distinctive: as the lift doors open, the guests are immediately immersed in a curving, sculpted 3D landscape. A bizarrely twisted sculpture serves as a light fitting, benches grow out of undulated walls and ceilings, and the white walls of the corridors bulge out to create cavernous recesses. The indirect lighting of the corridors enhances these effects. Room numbers and letters are milled into the door panels and are individually illuminated by LED panels. The inevitable “Do not disturb” sign and any other special requests can be selected by the guests and simply switched on to be read by hotel staff from the hallway.

Flowing surfaces in hotel rooms The foyer and corridors, however, are simply a prelude to the rooms themselves; walls, floors and ceilings appear to merge and flow into each other. The furniture in the rooms – beds, desks, armchairs and wardrobes – seems to grow out of the very structure of the building. No right angles, no hard edges disturb the snow-white or pitch-black room sculptures. Even the bathrooms look as if they were moulded in one piece. The bathtubs, wash basins and counters flow seamlessly into one other, while even the towel rails and rubbish bins blend into the scheme. This unusual interior landscape is created with a thermally formable synthetic compound. Prefabricated sections were mounted on MDF structures, adhesive fixed and sanded so that the joints are invisible. The light sources are located in the folds created by the wall and ceiling components. Even the spots for direct lighting near the beds and writing desks are integrated flush with the panels so that nothing disturbs the smooth flowing surfaces.

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project details usage: construction:

hotel mineral compound on timber structure internal ceiling height: 2.20 – 2.60 m total internal volume: 3,480 m3 (floor) total built area: 1,200 m2 (floor) date of construction: 2005

1st floor plan scale 1:750 floor plan • section bedroom scale 1:100

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foyer bedroom suite bathroom cupboard with sliding door bed desk bench

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C indirect and direct lighting details scale 1:5 A bed head B shelf under television C bathroom mirror 1 fixing for cold cathode lighting, wire clamp 2 adjustable spot reading light, black matt 3 opaque cover 4 6 mm mineral compound, thermally formed, d = 90 mm drill hole 5 19 mm chipboard white, removable

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6 freely formed cold cathode lighting 7 opaque surface to close lit niches, white matt 8 2 mm mineral compound, translucent 9 19 mm MDF substructure, white 10 19 mm particle board substructure, white 11 adjustable downlight 12 cold cathode lighting, single row, freely formed, removable for maintenance purposes 13 6 mm mineral compound, thermally formed hand basin

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material properties of walls, ceilings, furniture material: acrylic-bonded mineral compound product name: LG Hi-Macs stiffness: density: fire protection rating: thermal expansion: water absorption: colour: bending strength: tensile strength: hardness: impact resistance: light fastness: surface structure:

E modulus 8,900 MPa 1.71 g/cm3 B1 0.048 mm/mK < 0,1 % Alpine White (S28), Fiery Red (S25), Black (S22) 76,9 MPa 32,7 MPa 257 N/mm2 (Brinell hardness) > 25 N >6 pore-free

vertical section indirect lighting of hotel corridor horizontal section door to hotel room with illuminated writing scale 1:5 1 19 mm chipboard substructure 2 suspended ceiling: 6 mm mineral compound, Alpine White 3 10 mm square grid, black matt fort the absorption of scattered light 4 80 ≈ 50 mm reflector mirror, adjustable, fixed to light with steel pin 5 light recessed into wall cavity 6 illumination of writing: 3 LED-strips for entire length of writing 7 6 mm mineral compound door, Alpine White, with 2 mm engraved lettering 8 timber door, white matt 9 spacer/separator between words 10 empty field, free of writing

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Moulded Room Shells Zaha Hadid is well known for her highly expressive architectural designs. Dynamic shapes – pointed, angled or curved – are her trademark. However, these are not always easy to realise. It was not without reason that it took some time before this now famous architect was finally able to manifest one of her many competition-winning designs. Her buildings are now a familiar and accepted part of our modern architectural landscape. Often forgotten, however, is that behind those dynamically shaped sculptures are tremendous technical challenges and accomplishments. This was also the case with the floor of rooms that Zaha Hadid designed for the Hotel Puerta América in Madrid. Although the end product may look like an easily designed flowing landscape, it was in fact a highly complex technical achievement. The walls, ceiling and furniture in these rooms form a single, continuous surface – with the additional complexity of continually changing contours.

Execution of complex design In order to be able to produce the three-dimensional room shell, it was first necessary to find the right material. The one selected is a synthetic material called LG HI-MACS from the Korean manufacturer LG Chem – a material that is used in making kitchen counters, for example. It consists of twothirds mineral compound (aluminium-trihydrate) and one third acrylic resin; moreover it is thermally formable, a key criterion for the complicated task it was to perform. In addition the material is very easy to clean, thanks to its pore-free surface. Also it has invisible joints, and conforms to fire-resistance classification B1. The far from everyday job of fabricating these sculpted rooms was entrusted to Rosskopf & Partner, specialists in working with mineral-based materials. First a model of the hotel room was created, in a scale of 1:10, plus an originalsized model of the complex top part of the sofa. The construction company received a digital 3D model which was divided into individual segments from the architects rather than the usual construction drawings. The data for making the mould was derived from this model, then fed into CNC machines that milled the mould components out of MDF. The complicated contours of the surfaces had to match the requirements precisely, with very small tolerances. The precut sections of synthetic material were then thermally formed on these mould sections. Although “LG Hi-Macs” is classified as part of the group of

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thermally formable materials, its formability is normally regarded as limited, because the mineral components in the material can only be encouraged to flow to a certain extent. In this project, however, it was possible to achieve smaller radii and larger curved surfaces by using higher forming temperatures and longer forming times. The moulded modules were then mounted onto a frame of MDF, fitted together and adhesive fixed on site. Finally the joints were sanded to make them invisible. Around 250 individual sections were moulded for each room, including bathroom; there were four different styles of room and two styles of suite. The moulded sections were fitted to the unfinished floor and ceiling slabs and to pre-erected plasterboard partition walls. All the cabling and ducting for the air-conditioning systems and waste water from the floor above had to be run through the ceiling slab. Deviations of up to 17 cm arose, which were compensated by the lighting fold in the ceiling and by changing the length of the bed from 200 to 190 cm. As well as the technical challenges this project presented, it was also a significant logistical effort. At peak times five trucks per week set off from Germany to the Spanish capital, arriving at times that were carefully determined in advance; this precision was necessary due to the limited capacity of the cranes at the inner-city building site. Up to 70 fitters were working on site at any one time, operating on a two-shift basis. Martin Funck

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bonding of bathtub segments final inspection and sanding down of a work piece joint-free bonding of material digital 3D model of an inner wall with integrated cupboard and desk; divided into segments

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Guest Pavilions in Olot Architects: RCR Arquitectes, Olot

Reflective surfaces Minimalist design Fully glazed walls and floors Restaurant owners in Olot, Catalonia, wanted to offer their guests a place to stay for the night; it was to be modern, yet also encourage contemplation and reflection. After following a screen of artificial reeds (green-painted steel tubes), guests come to a metal walkway flanked by shimmering green, opaque-glass louvers which ensure privacy. At this point, it is still not apparent that one is standing directly in front of the five guest pavilions with their small internal courtyards. As soon as one passes through the glazed screen, spatial definitions seem to merge. One is entirely surrounded by green glass; all surfaces reflect the light. The boundaries

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between external and internal space are blurred, and the sensation of being “outside” is somewhat confusing. There is only one item of furniture on the glass floor; a flattish rectangular object that serves as a bed, sofa or table. There are no televisions or electrical sockets, no chairs or cupboards – nothing can be seen that might disturb the contemplative atmosphere. The “bathroom” has further surprises in store; at first sight, it seems to be an empty space. The water surfaces are scarcely distinguishable from the glass surfaces. The washbasin has no fittings; like the floor-level “bath tub”, it is constantly filled with water, which is monitored by a sensor and changed as soon as it is used. The inbuilt elements were designed by the architects themselves and accentuate the sense of detachment experienced in this environment; a place where guests can enjoy a night of peace and contemplation.

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cupboard / fridge wardrobe washbasin shower tub bath tub internal courtyard

project details

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usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

hotel and living steel frame, glass 2,5 m 325 m3 130 m2 2005 12 months

material properties

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application: material:

walls, floor, ceiling glass

stability: density: fire protection rating: melting point:

E modulus 6.8 ≈ 104 N/mm 2.5 g/cm3 A1 1100 °C

colour: light permeability: compressive strength: bending strength: gloss: surface structure:

green, transparent 82 % 800 –1000 N/mm2 50 N/mm2 high smooth

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1 pivoting glass louvers: 2≈ 8 mm lam. safety glass, green, translucent, in 30 ≈ 20 mm steel channel 2 triple glazing: 6 mm tough. glass + 12 mm cavity + 6 mm tough. glass + 78 mm cavity + 2≈ 5 mm lam. safety glass 3 2, 150 ≈ 12 mm steel-flats, with 26 mm steel cross-piece 4 door surround: 410 ≈ 10 mm steel-flat 5 entrance door: 2≈ 8 mm lam. safety glass 3 mm sheet steel, painted 2≈ 4 mm translucent lam. safety glass 6 sliding door: 2≈ 8 mm lam. safety glass

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7 3 mm perf. sheet steel bituminous sealing layer 30 ≈ 30 mm steel SHS 150 mm PU insulation 120 ≈ 60 mm steel RHS 8 ceiling: 2≈ 5 mm laminated safety glass, 2 mm sheet steel, painted 30 ≈ 60 mm steel RHS 9 6 mm Ø steel cable 10 textile sunblind 11 air conditioning 12 roof light: 2≈ 8 mm lam. safety glass 13 2≈ 10 mm lam. safety glass 14 stainless steel grating 50 ≈ 10 mm steel flats 100 mm steel channel 520 ≈ 250 ≈ 15 mm steel plate 15 2, 120 ≈ 12 mm steel flats

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Hotel “Ginzan-Onsen-Fujiya” in Obanazawa Architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates, Tokyo

Complete renovation and modernisation Traditional Japanese materials Many of Kengo Kuma’s projects are characterised by experiments with materials and their presentation in a striking or dominant form. In the extensive refurbishment of this hotel, the architect used various traditional hand-crafted materials with minimised details. Obanazawa – set in the snowy north of Honshu, the main island of Japan – is a resort popular for its hot springs, known as Onsen. Here, traditional lodging houses are clustered cheek by jowl along the Ginzan River. Even if many of the hotels have clearly been modernised, there was no question of making major changes to the scale or volume of the 100-year-old Ginzan Onsen Fujiya. Such measures would have disrupted the entire ensemble. The existing building was largely demolished and then reconstructed, using the old as well as new materials. A modern interpretation of the traditional Japanese inn or guest house can be recognized in two features: in the clearly articulated facade, with its enlarged window openings and a skin of spaced timber louvers; and in the entrance area, which opens on to the street, yet which is separated from it by a pool of water and translucent sliding glass walls. A spacious two-storey foyer has been inserted into the structure. Handmade Japanese paper can be found in many wall screens internally, while slit-bamboo panels are used as wall and ceiling cladding in the circulation and bathing areas, in addition to the semi-transparent space dividers around the foyer. Together with etched-glass wall elements, these screens articulate specific zones in the entrance and access areas. In the communal bathing areas, individual materials like bamboo and hiba timber are used to striking effect. In combination with indirect lighting and carefully composed views, these materials help to create a calm, relaxed atmosphere. The sparing application of the custom designed, clear-cut furnishings in the foyer and guest rooms help to create modern, meditative spaces within the traditional outer shell.

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floor plans section scale 1:400 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

pool of water entrance foyer cafe kitchen office staff room /change room communal bathing area guest room dining area loggia

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material properties panels application:

interior fit-out, furniture, lightweight construction material: bamboo stability: E modlus 1700 –2200 kN/cm2 weight: 600 kg/m3 fire protection rating: B 2 light permeability: opaque compression strength: 5.25 – 9.3 kN/cm2 (perp. to fibre) 8.63 kN/cm2 (parallel to fibre) tensile strength: 23.25–27.58 kN/cm2 bending strength: 1650 kN/cm3 surface structure: rough

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detail section of bathroom scale 1:20 1 30 ≈ 100 mm elm boarding at 102 mm spacings on 30 ≈ 50 mm elm battens 2 laminated safety glass, etched 3 60 ≈ 120 mm timber rafters 4 stainless steel closing strip 5 15 mm elm boarding, off-set (100 mm face width) 15 ≈ 40 mm battens 6 12 ≈ 40 mm hiba timber battens at 33 mm spacings 15 mm hiba timber boarding 9 mm moisture-proof panel 25 ≈ 40 mm battens

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26 mm PU insulation panel sealing layer 150 mm rein. conc. slab stainless steel curved rail for indirect lighting gravel filling, 20 mm screed sealing layer hiba tub 12 ≈ 40 mm hiba timber battens at 10.5 mm spacings 20 ≈ 40 mm battens 90 ≈ 90 mm battens aomori-hiba timber washbasin 12 ≈ 40 mm hiba timber battens at 21 mm spacings 20 ≈ 50 mm battens vertical bamboo cladding

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vertical section scale 1:20 detail section of stairs scale 1:5 1 Japanese paper, adhesive fixed aluminium hydroxide paper 2≈ 12.5 mm plasterboard 9 mm laminated sheeting 2 Japanese paper, adhesive fixed 3 translucent acrylic glass 4 1.6 mm steel sheeting, bent 5 lighting element, magnetically fixed 6 15 mm elm parquet, 12 mm laminated sheeting 60 mm insulation, 18 mm laminated sheeting 7 36 mm elm stair tread 8 9 mm Ø steel rod, treated with phosphoric acid 9 2 ≈ 14 mm Ø steel sleeve, phosphoric acid 10 Japanese paper, adhesive fixed aluminium hydroxide paper 2≈ 12.5 mm plasterboard 11 bamboo cladding on elm framing

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Parish Centre and Youth Club in Thalmässing Architects: meck architects, Munich

Elegant, restrained surfaces Restricted number of different materials Wickerwork wall cladding The sole catholic church in the otherwise protestant community of Thalmässing is somewhat isolated from the rest of the small-scale residential and commercial development. It is located on a sloping site set back from the main thoroughfare. The brief to build a new parish centre and youth club for the small church was therefore also a chance to redefine the urban link between it and the village. Now, a terraced, trapezoidal shaped, village square connects the old and the new and simultaneously provides new access routes. The site originally suggested in the competition from 2001 was rejected for a location to one side of the church. The architects considered that a large volume directly opposite the church would have spoiled the view of its main portal. The long low concrete structure stands at a respectful distance from the original neo-baroque structure and has an unobtrusive, reserved appearance. In order to restrict the building height as much as reasonably possible, the rooms are arranged in order of height following the slope of the site.

In response to the client’s wish for a sensory component, the architects opted for finely woven wickerwork cladding stretching the whole length of the building, along the rear wall of the parish hall. This eye-catching component was handmade in a single piece. The effect is a lively and warm surface, and the visual and tactile qualities continually change depending on the quality and incidence of light and the position of the observer. Additionally, the soft, open structure promotes good acoustics. Another noteworthy factor is the continuous flooring. The dark, almost black mastic asphalt is suitable for the entire design; even the demands of the sanitary facilities are met. The highly polished and seamless surface rounds off the overall high-quality, yet restrained, effect of the selected materials.

project details usage:

Finely woven wickerwork Inside the parish and youth centre only a few materials are used, all of very high quality. The focal point is the large multi-purpose hall, fully glazed towards the square and the church. Rotating, full-height oak wall panels can be fixed in the open position and thus allow the space to extend into the foyer.

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culture, education construction: reinforced concrete and masonry internal ceiling height: 2.79 – 4.20 m total internal volume: 2,381 m3 total built area: 525 m2 date of construction: 2004 period of construction: 20 months

floor plans • section scale 1:400 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

foyer parish hall kitchen group room inner courtyard meditation room office music practice room

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1 double glazing: 6 mm toughened glass + 16 mm cavity + 2≈ 4 mm laminated safety glass 2 80 ≈ 50 ≈ 5 mm steel T-section 3 opaque, light-diffusing PVC sheeting 4 roof construction: 50 mm gravel polyolefine sheeting 90 –240 mm rigid-foam, polystyrene insulation to falls bituminous vapour barrier 350 mm reinforced concrete slab 20 mm suspended oak ceiling, glazed 5 50 mm laminated plywood 6 wall construction: 300 mm exposed concrete 100 mm aerated glass thermal insulation 115 mm brick facing wickerwork on timber frame, partially backed with absorbers 7 revolving door: 20 mm solid oak 80 ≈ 80 ≈ 10 mm steel SHS 80 mm mineral-wool insulation 8 30 mm solid oak bench 9 80 mm steel Å-beam deep with 250 ≈ 250 ≈ 10 mm top flange 10 floor construction: 30 mm mastic asphalt, sanded, polished, waxed 65 mm screed for underfloor heating polyethylene separation layer 120 mm thermal insulation bituminous vapour barrier 200 mm reinforced concrete floor slab 80 mm subbase 11 double glazing: 2≈ 5 mm laminated safety glass with 16 mm cavity 12 laminated oak facade post, glazed 13 parapet cover: polyurethane seal on base coat

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wall cladding willow

stability: density: fire protection rating:

E modulus 8800 N/mm2 0.41 g/cm3 B 1 (protective coating)

colour: tensite strength: compression strength: impact resistance: strength/ hardness: gloss: surface structure:

natural 77 N/mm2 30 –35 N/mm2 50 kJ/m2 30 N/mm2 minimal smooth

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Multimedia-Pavilion in Jinhua Architect: Erhard An-He Kinzelbach KNOWSPACE, Vienna

project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

Polyvalent room Consistent use of bamboo surface Integration of projection areas This multimedia pavilion is part of the Jinhua Architecture Park, a project intended to enhance the value of the area. The artist and architect Ai Weiwei together with Herzog & de Meuron acted as curator. In the first instance the multimedia pavilion is designed to be a space for presenting films. The translucent glazed short facades open out to the park, and serve both as an entrance area and as a projection surface for films screened inside interior. Outside screening times the glass facades, which can be opened, enable the interior to blend with the surroundings and visitors to look right inside. The tiered steps of

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culture reinforced concrete 2.90–3.80 m 166 m3 67 m2 2007 12 months

the roof, intended as seating for open-air screenings, tempt people to clamber up and relax. The pavilion space is formed by two projection “funnels”. Essentially the structures are linear sequences of twenty frames with cross-sections varying from axis to axis. Together they form a stepped landscape in which surfaces, construction and programme content are resolved into a single structure. The continuous surface of the pavilion is transformed into a landscape incorporating different spatial zones. Accommodated within the levels are seating, media surfaces, storage, loudspeakers and lighting, thus obviating the need for additional furniture. The resulting polyvalent space not only fulfils the multimedia space programme but also provides a peaceful place of interaction and encounter in the midst of the park, a place where virtual and physical worlds are superimposed.

section • floor plan scale 1:200 horizontal section • vertical section

scale 1:20

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1 mosaic tiles, 18 ≈ 18 mm stainless steel sheet, brushed tile adhesive 300 mm reinforced concrete slab 60 ≈ 20 mm timber scantling 8 mm plywood 12 mm bamboo boards, with transparent coating 2 20 ≈ 10 mm stainless-steel angle 3 exposed concrete, white 4 80 ≈ 60 mm steel RHS 5 door; laminated safety glass, 8 mm float + 6 mm matt acrylic 6 6 mm matt acrylic lighting cover 7 loudspeaker 8 touch-sensitive flat screen

material properties application: material:

interior furnishings timber

product name: stability: density: fire protection rating: heat resistance:

bamboo plywood E modulus 14,000 N/mm2 820 kg/m3 B1 400 °C

colour: tensile strength: compression strength: impact strength: surface structure:

natural 55 –75 MPa >80 MPa 600 – 850 J/m natural

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Theatre in Zurich Architects: EM2N, Zurich

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Extension and renovation of a theatre Rough industrial surfaces Red as the sole accent For a number of years the industrial district Oerlikon in northern Zurich has been undergoing a transformation process, exemplified in the Stadthof theatre’s metamorphosis into a venue for musicals. The brief called for 500 additional seats, a larger foyer and modern stage technology, necessitating a radical overhaul of the existing building. Only the fly tower and basement remain intact.

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A new, uniform spatial layer encloses the enlarged hall and stage space, now discernible as a discrete entity. Dark-grey, perforated, trapezoidal steel sheeting envelopes the entire building and causes it to look somewhat like an angular sculpture, when combined with the polygonal faceting of the building skin. A limited number of large-format, square windows penetrate the perforated metal skin, furnishing glimpses into the building, which, due to their varying dimensions and irregular composition, give no clues as to how the building’s different levels are arranged. Numerous small openings concealed behind the skin are barely perceptible during the day, but mysteriously shimmer red at night. The facade’s upward slope culminates at the entrance, which is situated below the steel envelope’s highest point. It cuts a triangle into the facade, draws in theatre-goers like the yawning mouth of a beast, and leading them into deeper recesses of the structure. The rough, industrially toned aesthetics of the building envelope are revealed by the untreated surfaces of the carcass construction, the visible technical services and the in-situ concrete flooring. Alone the armchairs and the red carpeting convey a vibrant accent to the otherwise dark, shadowy auditorium.

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entrance foyer cloakroom main stage wings

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back stage restaurant kitchen auditorium void above stage

floor surface velour Vegas, manufactured by Balta

fire protection rating: CflS1 thermal transmission: 0.09 m2K/W colour: gloss: surface structure:

red R2203 / S110K4 minimal soft

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1 50 mm extensive green substrate polymer-bitumen sealing membrane 160 mm mineral wool thermal insulation vapour barrier 15 mm fibre plasterboard 120 mm steel Å-beam 2 2 mm perforated aluminium sheeting, baked-enamel finish 3 mechanically operated air vent 4 light fixture 5 2 mm steel sheeting, baked-enamel finish 6 45 mm perforated trapezoidal steel sheeting 110 ≈ 110 mm aluminium Z-section

45 mm trapezoidal steel sheeting 40 ≈ 45 aluminium Z-section ventilation cavity membrane 160 mm mineral wool insulation polyethylene vapour barrier 80 mm trapezoidal metal sheeting with perforated webs 7 0.8 mm sheet metal box gutter 8 300 – 400mm steel Å-beam 9 45 mm perforated trapezoidal steel sheeting 40 ≈ 45 aluminium Z-section 45 mm trapezoidal steel 160 mm mineral wool insulation

300 mm reinforced concrete 10 2 mm aluminium casement for sun protection, baked-enamel finish 11 double glazing: lam. safety glass 10 mm + 20 mm cavity + 16 mm + 4 mm 12 100 ≈ 60 mm steel RHS 13 300 mm reinforced coated concrete 14 30 mm cement-bonded wood-wool acoustic insulation board 15 80 mm insulation 16 200 mm reinforced concrete base 17 1000 mm steel Å-beam 18 10 mm carpet 19 floor register opening 20 24 mm cement-bonded particleboard

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Theatre Agora in Lelystad Architects: UN Studio, Amsterdam, B + M, The Hague

Room sculpture with folded walls Glowing colour concept from exterior to interior Experimental yet economical

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Vibrant colours and free forms dominate the Agora Theatre, the new cultural centre in the city of Lelystad in the Netherlands. This eye-catching, crystalline building glows by both day and night thanks to its radiant orange colours and shimmering lighting effects, and provides orientation from afar. The colour nuances of the facade range from yellow through to red; even metal elements are incorporated into this colour scheme – as smooth panels, perforated or as edged trapezoidal sheeting. The free-formed envelope encases the auditorium with its stage flies, a smaller hall and multi-purpose rooms as well as gastronomy areas and delivery, administration and technical service zones.

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Colourful spatial experience The entrance is through a glazed segment inserted into in the otherwise orange skin of the theatre. Visitors are literally drawn into the foyer, where the colours change to the pink of the reception space and stairwell. This vertical stair space opens itself to the sky via a triangular skylight. The stair itself is pink on the outside face but white to the inside. Facetted, tilting surfaces meander their way up the walls. Diagonal and bent areas further strength the dynamics of the stair. The underside of the stair is clad with white, rectangular aluminium louvers. The auditorium offers seating for 753 viewers and is bathed in vibrant red. The technical areas – backstage and the wings – are completely out of sight of the theatre guests.

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project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: usable areas:

culture steel, reinforced concrete up to 19 m (theatre flies) 30,000 m3 5,890 m2 195 m2 (stage main hall) 500 m2 (backstage main hall) 82 m2 (stage small hall) 135 m2 (backstage small hall) capacity: 753 seats (main hall) 207 seats (small hall) date of construction: 2007 period of construction: 2002 – 2007

floor plans • sections scale 1: 800 A ground floor B 2nd floor

1 ticket counter 2 reception / congress office

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cloakroom foyer café changing rooms main hall store small hall bar multi-purpose hall kitchen

Rather than a standard rectangular form, the Lelystad auditorium is conically shaped. The walls of the hall are of textured triangular, folded panels which resolve the defining contours of the space. The selected angles were limited to 5, 7 and 11°. The play of light and shade act similar to a kaleidoscope and produce an enormous range of different red tones which change depending on the viewer’s position. Red coloured carpets, seating and even the textile-covered loudspeakers contribute to the overall impression of the space. The triangular wall areas alternate between textured acoustic MDF panels and plasterboard, in order to scatter and direct the sounds produced in the space. The reverberation time of the space could be automatically calculated with the help of a computer simulation based on the data model of the auditorium. In addition to the necessary acoustic quality, it was desired that the space radiate an atmosphere of calm; to be achieved, in this case, by the repetition of the angular forms.

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vertical sections grand stair scale 1:10

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40 mm bamboo step 5 ≈ 8 mm non-slip strip edged steel sheeting 5 mm impact-sound protection layer 480 mm steel Å-beam HEA 500 suspended ceiling: 30 ≈ 39 ≈ 0.5 mm aluminium ceiling scrolled fire-retardant textile screen, dark 50 mm mineral wool insulation between 0.95 mm aluminium prefabricated substructure 12.5 mm. fire-proof cladding 190 mm steel Å-beam HEA 200 floor construction: 15 mm bamboo parquet 35 mm planed concrete flooring 60 mm poured concrete compaction layer 200 mm prefabricated pre-stressed coffered slab 30 mm MDF plate 3 ≈ 50 ≈ 100 mm steel angle 20 mm MDF acoustic cladding, perforated 140 mm compacted rockwool insulation between 96 ≈ 146 mm timber framework 20 ≈ 100 mm MDF skirting pink reflective membrane on 2≈ 12.5 mm perforated plasterboard

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material properties of floor surface material: bamboo parquet product name: Moso weight: 0.7 g/cm3 fire protection rating: B 1 thermal transmission: 0.17 W/(mK) colour: light permeability: strength/hardness: surface structure:

natural impermeable 4 N/mm2 smooth

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Casa da Música in Porto Architects: OMA, Rotterdam

Contemporary concert hall Modern materials Classic auditoriums In 2001 Porto, together with Rotterdam, held the title of European Capital of Culture, and many long-term investments were made in the urban and cultural structure of the city. In association with this development, five international architectural practices were invited to compete for the design of the new concert hall. The office OMA in Rotterdam was the successful applicant.

Principle of subtraction The majority of cultural establishments are only used by a small, continually reducing segment of the population. The majority may be familiar with the exterior, but only the minority knows what goes on inside. OMA concerned itself with the relationship between the concert hall and the surrounding open, public areas, because the architects considered the building to be a solid form, out of which the functional brief was to be removed until only a hollowed-out block remained. The large auditorium stretches through the entire width of the building. The classic, rectangular form was finally selected – in spite of the architects’ preferences – due to the advantageous acoustic properties. Transparency and openness are the central themes of the Casa da Música. The building reveals its inner working to the city, while the city simultaneously presents itself into the interior spaces through the generous openings in the facade. The sanitary facilities, located between the areas adjacent to the windows, are secondary zones, as well as the foyers, a

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restaurant, terraces, technical services and the vertical communication zones. A continuous, but only partially accessible, route interconnects all the public functions and zones which are arranged around the principal space of the building – the large auditorium. This circulation solution enables the building to be used for a variety of different functions and performances simultaneously.

Gold leaf on plywood During the design stage, OMA experimented with a great variety of new materials and new applications for more standard, traditional materials; for example the white concrete for the exterior envelope and the reconstructed faience tiles applied in a variety of different spaces. The undulating glass of the auditorium improves the acoustic properties of the window areas, and filters the outside world before it can impose itself on the interior space. The walls and ceiling of the concert hall are clad with plywood panels, decorated with over-dimensioned, gold-leaf timber grain. On one side, this veining animates the light falling into the space; while on the other side, the gold leaf alludes to the imagery of the Portuguese baroque. The grey, velvet seating, designed by Maarten van Severen, contrasts dramatically with the timber walls, while contributing a sense of well-being and comfort. The armrests are made of acrylic-coated stainless steel sheeting with the seat numbers milled into them and eventually rear-lit. In spite of the solitary external form of the Casa da Música, the interior is, in many ways, in accord with the tempers and moods of its surroundings.

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project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

culture reinforced concrete max. 16 m 22,000 m2 2005 5 years

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change room delivery zone office musicians’ restaurant terrace public entrance foyer practise room

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soloists’ room tickets / cloakroom cyber music room large auditorium VIP room teaching space small auditorium restaurant

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horizontal section • vertical section glass wall VIP-area scale 1:20

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1 12.5 mm plasterboard 50 mm insulation reinforced concrete 850 mm 2 5 mm steel sheeting, edged spacers, elastic fixed 3 water supply for fire 4 25 ≈ 80 mm extruded, aluminium RHS 110 ≈ 80 mm rubber section 6 mm aluminium sheeting 5 5 mm steel sheeting 6 steel fixing angle insulation 6 mm aluminium sheeting 7 sprinkler 8 20 mm composite wood boarding with pattern 9 3 mm aluminium sheeting

200 mm steel Å-beam 10 stage curtain 11 2≈ toughened safety glass, undulated, with silicon joints 12 6 mm aluminium sheeting 140 mm steel Å-beam 13 6 mm aluminium sheeting 20 mm extruded, aluminium SHS 110 ≈ 20 mm rubber section 14 180 ≈ 270 mm steel channel spacers, elastic fixed 15 joint for water discharge 16 drainage for sprinkler system 17 5 mm aluminium sheeting 200 mm steel Å-beam 18 hatch 19 internal curtain

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Architectural Documentation Centre in Madrid Architects: Aparicio + Fernández-Elorza, Madrid

Floating concrete auditorium well Railway tunnel as documentation centre Different curtains control lighting effects Located in the arcades of the Nuevos Ministerios in Madrid is “Las Arquerías”, a state-run architectural documentation centre. During the 1980’s parts of the arcades were converted into an exhibition room by Alejandro de la Sota; little of this now remains internally. The institution has been extended by a new auditorium and vaulted underground space predominantly reserved for exhibitions.

Conversion to auditorium Access to the new auditorium is directly from the Paseo de la Castellana. Visitors are led onto a gallery overlooking the simply yet impressively designed space; this bright, high volume, with good, largely glare-free illumination, was created by removing the vaulted ceiling from the underground level. A staircase leads down from the gallery, past a steelframed projection and interpreting booth, to a U-shaped, exposed concrete basement well which encompasses the auditorium. This well hovers above the floor and produces an all-enclosing cavity which accommodates installations in the junctions between the existing walls and floor. The hall level is equal with that of the underground railway station on the northern side; this permitted an additional entrance, or when necessary an emergency exit. The windows to the arcade above can be screened with translucent blinds and heavy, black, room-defining velvet curtains in order to produce varying lighting effects and to cater for differing functions. A lifting platform serves as a stage for

the speakers, and also as a service lift for the slightly lowerlying vaulted space on the southern side. Alternatively, folding stairs located either side of the platform can be used.

Underground documentation centre A 2.35 m high horizontal slit under a one-metre thick concrete beam leads down into the underground part of the documentation centre. This long, linear barrel vaulted space, used as a railway tunnel until 1955, was carefully converted into an exhibition space; all technical systems are concealed behind the half-height cavity-leaf side walls. The most distinctive new element here is a free-standing filigree steel staircase, which pierces the barrel-vaulted ceiling, leading up to the original ground-floor exhibition room in the arcades.

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project details usage: culture, education construction: reinforced concrete internal ceiling height: 4.5 m (exhibition space) 12 m (lecture hall) total internal volume: 7,072 m3 total built area: 1,400 m2 date of construction: 2004 period of construction: 25 months

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section through arcades floor plan • section scale 1:1000 lecture hall floor plan • sections scale 1:400

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1 intermediate level underground station 2 exhibition hall (existing) 3 lecture hall 4 vaulted exhibition space 5 projection booth 6 lifting platform

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section lecture hall scale 1:50 1 duct for lighting cables 2 500 mm reinforced concrete 3 maintenance walkway, grating on steel angles 4 projection / interpreting booths 5 rear wall cladding 5 mm steel sheeting 6 ventilation slit 100 mm inside, 200 mm outside 7 ventilation grille 8 floor construction: 100 mm sealed granolithic screed 500 mm reinforced concrete 9 installation duct 10 500 ≈ 500 mm reinforced concrete column

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material properties of curtains

material: stability: density: fire protection rating: water absorption:

concrete high 2.4 g/cm3 high none

material: stability: density: fire protection rating: water absorption:

velvet high 0.0009 g/cm³ B1 high

colour: light permeability: strength / hardness: gloss level: surface structure:

grey none high none raw

colour: light permeability: strength / hardness: surface structure:

black none soft textured

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projection and interpreting booth section scale 1:20 1 300 ≈ 70 mm solid pine rostrum, on 40 ≈ 45 ≈ 5 mm steel T-sections 2 balustrade: 45 ≈ 5 mm steel flats and 1.5 mm Ø steel rods 3 floor construction: 10 mm steel plate 40 ≈ 40 mm steel SHS 2 mm steel sheet 4 160 mm steel Å-section 5 120 mm steel Å-section 6 380 mm steel Å-section between existing longitudinal walls 7 25 ≈ 100 ≈ 5 mm steel angle 8 50 ≈ 45 ≈ 5 mm steel angle 9 5 + 5 mm laminated safety glass 10 20 ≈ 50 ≈ 5 mm steel angle 11 steel sheeting 12 5 + 5 mm lam. safety glass door 13 wall cladding; 5 mm sheet steel on 40 ≈ 20 ≈ 2 mm steel RHS and 40 ≈ 40 ≈ 2 mm steel SHS 14 emergency lighting 15 2 mm bent steel sheeting 16 100 mm sealed granolithic screed

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Film and Visual Media Research Centre in London Architects: Surface Architects, London

project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

Renovation of a heritage-listed terrace house Spatial dynamics and colourful areas Application of cross-laminated timber panels The Bloomsbury area of Central London – once home to artists and writers like Roger Fry and Virginia Woolf – now houses one of the most prestigious colleges of the University of London. The building for the present Film and Visual Media Research Centre once accommodated a variety of different uses. Built in the 19th century, this Georgian terrace house originally provided the nobility and upper class with representative reception rooms. Administrative offices for the University of London have dominated since the middle of the 20th century; tiny rooms and endless corridors determined the appearance of the building. The alteration of this heritage-listed terrace house included the modernisation of the administrative and seminar rooms in both basement and ground floors as well as the complete renovation of the 1970’s extension. It was necessary to totally reorganise the rooms and their functions within the existing structure in order to attain the resultant spatial generosity. An 80-seat digital cinema space with projection room, a multi-media auditorium as well as meeting, seminar and administration rooms were all incorporated. But most importantly for communication between students, wide corridors with enough space for sitting and relaxing as well as a leisure zone were created.

Computer generated space model The architects developed the interior based on a fundamental design concept; crystalline forms and volumes were to be

education dry construction 2.75 –7.25 m 1800 m3 920 m2 2007 14 months

cut out of a solid block. This subtractive method of form generation results in sloping areas, sharp and blunt angles alike. A highly complex geometric form is produced. Standard 3D software was used for the positioning of the cut-out geometric shapes. In order to economise assembly processes and reduce working drawings the complex, interconnecting volumes were “unfolded” on computer and transferred into a coordinate system. Thus it was possible for exact positions and dimensions to be determined. Simultaneously, these developments were used as the basis for production. Information defining these planar, polygonal line drawings was directly transferred to the timber construction company where the elements were cut out of 80 mm thick cross-laminated plywood panels. These panels of softwood timber sheets stacked and laminated with the fibres running in alternating directions, are particularly resilient and dimensionally stable. The resultant self-supporting panels could thus be incorporated into the existing building with a minimum of structural invasion. Accurate production of elements and coordination of connections were advantageous for assembly. The finished, assembled forms were clad with either plasterboard or velour textile panels depending upon situation and location.

Colour and material properties A vibrant colour scheme defines the communication zones and public areas of the centre lending the interior a friendly, cheerful atmosphere. Different colour tones; from yellow, through pink and onto blue, spread across the synthetic-resin coated flooring and textile walls. Leather-padded seating niches invite the building’s users to rest and relax.

material properties

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application: material: product name:

ceiling, wall and floor panels timber cross-laminated plywood panels

stability: density: fire protection rating: bending strength: compression strength: tensile strength: thermal transmission: moisture content:

E modulus 12 000 MPa (parallel to fibre) 480 kg/m3 B2 24 MPa (parallel to fibre) 2.7 MPa 0.12 MPa 0.13 W/mK 12 ± 2 %

colour: light permeability: surface structure:

brown impermeable smooth

floor plans section scale 1:500 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

entrance void auditorium seminar room offices leisure zone services

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Artists’ Agency in Berlin Architects: ANGELIS + PARTNER, Oldenburg with Alexander Thomass Architect, Berlin

Loft conversion Back-lit acrylic walls Rubber surfaces

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Limited time and a small budget do not necessarily equate with substandard quality. A newly founded artists’ agency commissioned the architects to transform an empty loft space above the German Architecture Centre (DAZ) in Berlin into their new office. The time frame between the founding of the agency and completion of the project was approximately three months. An additional challenge was that the graphic design of the company’s presentation was also included in the budget. The interior is 14 metres deep and only glazed from one direction. Two rows of work stations run the length of the glazed elevation; set off in such a way that the employees sit diagonal from one another. The open meeting lounge is located on the landing of the agency at the end of the double row of desks. It is furnished with a continuous, padded bench and small timber cubes which act as tables. The lack of natural lighting on the side furthest removed from the windows led the architects to create an illuminated box with four integrated, single work stations. Here the employees can telephone in private or listen to the music samples by the artists being represented. This box assumes the contours of the pre-installed sanitary core and is glazed on the side directed toward the centre of the space. Red or white back-lit acrylic glass panels were employed to clad the shorter sides of the box and the top of the roof panel. The uniform materials and colour treatment which the surfaces of the tables and internal shelving received, as well as those of the floor, walls and roof panels cause them to merge with one another.

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entrance / reception work stations lounge work “box” store tea kitchen WC

office dry construction 3,5 m 750 m3 195 m2 2006 3 months

material properties

floor, wall and writing desk coating

material: product name:

natural and industrially produced rubber Noraplan uni

density: fire protection rating: heat conductivity: abrasion value: anti-slip:

930 –980 kg/m3 B1 0,61 W/mK 200 mm3 (ISO 4649, A) R9

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grey 2454, yellow-orange 2449, yellow-green 2485 7–20 N/mm2 low 92 smooth

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7 22 mm MDF, rubber flooring, adhesive fixed 8 100 ≈ 260 mm timber section 9 fluorescent lighting 10 20 mm Polycarbonate web panels, translucent 11 10 mm toughened glass sliding wall 12 10 mm toughened glass, fixed 13 38 mm MDF, rubber coating, adhesive fixed 14 100 ≈ 120 mm timber section 15 fluorescent lighting, triple-coloured, separately controlled

1 acrylic glass panel fluorescent lighting 2 plant trough 3 38 mm MDF, painted 4 22 mm MDF, painted 5 padded upholstery, synthetic leather cover 6 veneered plywood, stained, varnished

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Dentist’s Practice in Berlin Architects: Graft, Berlin

Fluid plasterboard internal landscape Pleasing practice atmosphere in yellow tones Integrated furniture As part of the total renovation of this dentist’s practice, the upper floors in an existing building were entirely transformed with new spatial and colour concepts. The architects’ design was based on the creation of a space where patients could combine a visit to the dentist’s with positive associations and a sense of relaxation. Thus, this internal landscape was designed; the vaulted floor and ceiling elements in a consistent yellow tone allow spatial contours to blend and disappear. In addition to the practice rooms allocated for prophylactic, orthodontic and surgical treatment, the zone for employees – change rooms and break room – is incorporated into the lower level. Inclined, protruding and receding corridor walls and indirect lighting determine the appearance of this storey. An internal stair leads up to the upper level where treatment and office spaces are located, as well as the waiting lounge with adjacent sun terrace. Continuous glass banding and glass doors allow visual contact with the treatment rooms and provide the corridor with natural lighting at the same time.

Sophisticated dry construction technique The entire practice is executed in dry construction. In the lower level, plasterboard panels were formed with radii of up to 275 cm and subsequently fixed to the pre-built substructure. For smaller radii, prefabricated, pre-formed panels were used.

The glass partitioning between corridor and treatment rooms is constructed on a customised steel frame. Floors, ceiling and inclined walls are clad with a variety of different plasterboard panels. The uninterrupted transition between the upward swelling floor surfaces and the inclined walls was finished with prefabricated coved skirting elements; highstability fibre-plasterboard sections, which meet the requirements of impact resistance, were used up to heights of 30 cm. The substructure, beneath the dry construction for the “waves” on the floor and those hanging from the ceiling, is also fixed by steel construction elements. The curved walls are inclined up to 12 ° in some places; when particularly small curvature or complex forms were required, 6.5 mm thick plasterboard panels were employed. The ceiling is constructed on a classic suspended ceiling system, based on standard, preformed vaulted sections. A high level of prefabrication proved particularly advantageous for the more sophisticated convex and concave curving.

Sprayed elastomer surfaces After initial filling, the plasterboard surfaces were then coated with a colourless plastic fluid, applied with highpressure spray equipment. Subsequently a yellow-orange sealing layer was applied and then a white point-grid pattern, which was finally covered with a transparent, gloss sealant. The integrated furniture – work benches, seating and reclining areas – manufactured in coloured painted MDF formwork panels, was also completely designed by the architects specifically for the practice.

project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area:

health care dry construction 2.4 m 3,077 m3 5th floor 538 m2 6th floor 402 m2 date of construction: 2005 period of construction: 7 months

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material properties

floor plans scale 1:400 axonometric

9 prophylaxis 10 meeting room 11 alternative practitioner 12 surgery 13 relaxation room 14 x-ray room 15 services 16 treatment room 17 bar 18 terrace 19 waiting lounge 20 reception 21 oral hygiene

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staff change room staff room laboratory office preparation room sterile room ceramic laboratory 8 orthodontics

application: material: product name:

floor coating, concrete and roof sealant elastic Polyurethane Degussa Mastertop

stability: fire protection rating: impact sound resistance: impact resistance:

elastic from -30 °C to +80 °C B1 good good

colour: Shore-A-hardness: tearing resistance: adhesive strength: surface structure: maximum elongation:

colourless 80 12 N/mm2 2– 4 N/mm2 smooth, non-slip 400 – 500 %

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section • floor plan scale 1:200 vertical section scale 1:10 1 floor construction: 50 mm elastomer coating, sprayed 450 mm screed, separation layer 125 mm impact-sound insulation 200 mm reinforced concrete slab 2 50 ≈ 50 ≈ 2.9 mm steel SHS upper construction 3 50 ≈ 100 ≈ 3.6 mm steel RHS lower construction 4 dry construction section 5 plasterboard cladding 6 20 mm safety glass, fixed 7 12 mm MDF built-in furniture

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Design Concepts and Surface Qualities of Dry Construction Systems Karsten Tichelmann

In recent years dry construction systems have enjoyed both increased acceptance and influence in all areas of the construction industry. They unite, better than most other techniques, the fundamental principles of lightweight construction with regard to materials, structure and systems. Both classic dry construction techniques and the combination of prefabricated system-components represent efficient and costeffective building systems. The separation between the industrial production of the individual system components – panels, sub-structure systems and suspended systems – and the actual site assembly of the systems, however, is quite distinct. Dry construction includes such systems like: • partition and system-built walling • wall cladding and facing walls • ceiling cladding and suspended ceilings • installation and cable ducting • floor systems and dry screed • cladding of beams and columns • load-bearing and non-load-bearing lightweight construction systems The principles of the various construction systems are similar for walls, ceilings and floors. The basics of sub-structure, planar cladding and, usually, a layer of insulation in the ensuing cavity are fundamental to all systems. The most widely used materials for the cladding and surface layer are gypsum-bonded panels, plasterboard, fibrous plasterboard and timber construction panels. Various newer developments demonstrate the seemingly unlimited technical and design innovation potential of these systems; high-performance composite materials, conductive panels, heating and cooling systems integrated into construction systems, sound insulating ceilings, walls and floors, and panels coated with timber, glass, aluminium or other materials. Even the more commonplace, traditional systems of plasterboard and fibrous plasterboard represent optimised composite materials, resulting from on-going technical development. The application of various compositions and additives, enable panels to be developed for almost any imaginable function; surface treatments like perforations, embossing or milling all aid sound absorption. While higher material densities are advantageous for higher thermal transmission – for example, for cooling ceiling systems – greater porosity is better for the reduced of thermal transition, for example for 86

internal insulation systems. The proportion of bonded water and higher structural density assist in meeting fire protection requirements, while higher stability and composite fibre systems enhance structural stability. Additives are responsible for adequate moisture content, or serve to increase the thermal storage capacity of materials, while high elasticity and bending properties are essential for the ability to free-form panels. It is crucial to select the appropriate materials for the particular location and function. The mechanical properties of spatially defining panels are only one aspect of the design features to be considered in dry construction building systems. The use of the various materials according to their individual properties and their relevant application is essential for dry construction. It can be seen that these systems offer great potential for innovative planning and design, with particular respect to not only form and surface, but also functional efficiency. The manufacture of over 1,500 million square metres of plasterboard panels per year demonstrates the true magnitude of the economical and design aspects of these versatile systems, which continue to enjoy increased significance. Too often, however, dry construction systems are considered to be merely functional building solutions. The popular opinion that dry construction systems are incapable of meeting the demands of specific material and system properties necessary for the creation of sophisticated architectural design is an indication of the lack of contemporary creative interaction with the huge range of possibilities inherent in these construction techniques. A creative approach to the different interior construction systems and the great variety of materials can lead to an almost unlimited repertoire of design alternatives and functions.

From planar areas to free forms The interaction of surfaces, forms and light determines the architecture of interior spaces. Due to the aspect of economy, the successful implementation of highly complex forms and structures is usually dependent upon modern dry construction techniques. It is possible to create highly precise, pre-designed contours which simultaneously impose only minimal load on supporting structural systems. Furthermore, the requirements of fire protection, sound, thermal and acoustic insulation of interior spaces, in addition to the integration of technical services and lighting, can all be met.

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Stainless steel and glass wall cladding Hotel “Puerta América”, Madrid 2005, Plasma Studio Foyer in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, 1997 Architect: Frank O. Gehry, Los Angeles Architecture installation and Berlinale lounge in Berlin, 2007; Graft Curved wall corner detail Free-standing curved wall detail Surfaces enhanced by indirect lighting Hotel Ku’ Damm 101, Berlin 2003; Mänz and Krauss 2.1

Frank O. Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is a powerful example of how dry construction systems can sustain spatial design and atmosphere. The various materials used in this example (plasterboard panels, fibrous plasterboard, timber construction boards, metal surface cladding, cementbonded construction panels etc.) in combination with the spatial construction are just as ingenious as the external form of the building (ill. 2.2). Neither the plastic architecture nor the desire for lightness of form could have been convincingly achieved with more solid, monolithic structural techniques, for example with concrete. The application of new building materials has greatly influenced spatial language to such an extent that almost no boundaries are set. Every year, in the field of dry construction, new panels and composite materials are being brought onto the market. These range from mineral and synthetically bonded materials with various organic polymers to metal surface coatings. The Hotel Puerta Amèrica in Madrid (ill. 2.1 and page 32ff.) is just one example of what is possible with an innovative approach to contemporary materials. Designing and constructing also entails the placement of the most suitable materials in the correct position, with respect to combinations of different building materials and construction elements. The right material and surface selection greatly influences the ambience and intrinsic value of interior spaces.

huge selection of forms: cylinder, cone, ellipse, dome, rotunda, vault, wave-form and shell. In addition to which, freely-formed geometrical shapes can be quickly and economically produced as stable, precise elements – the complexity of the geometry is only restricted by its own limitations. Prefabricated forms also offer economical design alternatives. The radius of curved shells is only limited by the thickness and type of panels selected. Special modified panels have been developed for the forming of curved forms, for example modified synthetic-resin fibre panels can attain radii of 30 cm. Smaller radial forms can be achieved by way of milling, casting and deep drawing. The joints can either be accentuated as design elements or invisibly filled and subsequently sanded. For the eventuality that forms must fulfil spe2.2

The desire to erect complex spatial structures with high levels of efficiency, economy and functionality has led to the development of novel dry construction building systems, whereby the additive combination of materials with dissimilar values of mechanics and building physics is necessary. Synergetic effects can be achieved by the layering of these materials to produce a system. These systems comply with the basic principles of lightweight construction. Thus the combination of thin substructures, with only limited ability to bear loads in combination with flexible panels, leads to lightweight yet highly stable wall constructions. From automobiles to high-speed trains, ships and aircraft, the same construction principle is applied. The concept is no longer the simple combination of individual structural ribs; rather it is the complex interrelationship of low-weight, functionally optimised components of a system. When designing spaces, in addition to the almost unlimited range of available materials, designers can choose from a 87

cific requirements of construction or building physics, it is possible to fix a number of panels together to create curved yet stable forms.

2.3

2.4

2.6

2.5

Sharply-edged, folded panel forms can be produced by way of V-shaped milling. The products are either delivered flat and simply folded and adhesive-fixed on site, or assembled in the factory and delivered as complete objects to the site. Spherical, freely-formed ceiling sails and vaulted shells can be fully produced in the plant and delivered, complete with sub-structure to the site. Pre-formed metal sub-structures are curved in the factory to the required radii. For simpler assembly, the entire area can be subdivided into smaller pieces and curved segments. Individual fabrication, being based on modular systems, allows the free choice of diameter and height dimensions. This greatly simplifies the coordination of design specifications with existing built situations on site. Two factors determine the selection and further development of these technological systems: on the one side the assembly costs on site and on the other side the costs of prefabrication and transport. The advantages of factory-located fabrication are predominantly the cost-savings resulting from reduced numbers of joints and the associated joint filling, in addition to shorter assembly times and greater accuracy of production depending upon individual requirements, and greater cost stability. Extremely unusual constructional forms like complex domes, spherical forms and freely-formed elements can be produced in very high quality of glass-fibre reinforced elements. Largescale cladding for ceilings, walls, columns and down-stand beams are also realistic. Wall and ceiling construction systems can incorporate individually designed lighting concepts in addition to the technical components of area heating and cooling systems, ventilation, and sprinkler and fire alarm systems. The possibility also exists of modifying the surface to provide sound insulation; this can either be directly incorporated into the material, for example through embossing, perforating or stamping, or achieved in an additive manner by applying suitably absorbent surface coatings. Reverberant, curved areas, made of materials with high rigidity, can be used for the controlled scattering or concentration of sound waves to pre-defined areas. It is usually necessary to involve the skills of technical specialists, like acoustic and lighting planners, when coordinating highly expressive spatial designs with physically defined perceptions.

Surface specifications and grades In reality, and quite often subjectively, great variations exist with respect to the surface quality of dry construction systems. In addition to the smoothness, visible characteristics like texture of the top surface or jointing are considered important. With regard to the filling of these surfaces four quality grades have been decided upon for Germany. • Quality grade 1 (Q 1): basic filling • Quality grade 2 (Q 2): standard filling • Quality grade 3 (Q 3): special filling • Quality grade 4 (Q 4): full-area filling Quality grade Q 1 For surfaces where no optical requirements are made, basic filling according to quality grade Q 1 is sufficient. 88

The standard according to quality grade Q 1 includes: • the complete filling of all butt joints with filling material • the covering of visible fixing elements (e.g. screws) with filling material Visible marking resulting from processing is allowable. Basic filling allows for the use of joint masking tape, when necessary for constructional reasons. With multi-layered cladding, the bottom layer must also be filled in order to comply with fire and sound protection requirements. It is not necessary to cover the fixing elements in the lower layers. Quality grade Q 1 is sufficient for areas which are to be subsequently clad with ceramic elements (tiles) or natural stone surfaces.

ably less than those resulting from standard filling Q 2.

Quality grade Q 2 Standard filling Q 2 is sufficient for the usual requirements of wall and ceiling areas. The intention of the filling is to achieve an uninterrupted transition between joints and panels. The same applies for fixing elements at internal and external corners as well as the junction of building elements.

This standard of surface treatment is suitable for: • smooth or structured high-gloss wall cladding (e.g. metal or vinyl wallpaper) • varnishing, painting or coating with medium gloss • stucco lustro or other comparable high-quality surface coating techniques A surface treatment with fulfils the highest standard according to this classification minimises all possible visible markings. In as much as light effects can influence the appearance of the finished surface, undesirable effects, e.g. shadowing on the surface or minimal local markings, should be avoided. They cannot, however, be entirely excluded due to the fact that light effects vary greatly and cannot be analysed or valued. In addition to which, the natural limitations of handwork skills should be taken into account. In individual cases it may be necessary to further prepare the surface for subsequent coating when e.g. high-gloss paint finished or wallpaper is to be applied.

The standard according to quality grade Q 2 includes: • basic filling (filling of butt joints and covering of fixing elements) • secondary filling with fine or finish-filler in order to achieve an uninterrupted transition between joints and panels. No visible marking resulting from filling work is allowable, when necessary filled areas should be sanded. This standard of surface treatment is suitable for: • medium and roughly structured wall cladding like standard and rough-textured wallpaper • smooth, finely structured and filling coatings (e.g. smooth emulsion paints) which are applied by hand • render with grain size of >1 mm • timber cladding and planar glued veneer cladding with thicknesses of ≥ 1.0 mm • planar glued metallic surface cladding with sufficient thickness (usually ≥ 0.5 mm) When quality grade Q 2 is the selected as the basis for wall cladding, painting and other coatings, markings made visible by glancing light can not be excluded. These effects can be reduced in combination with special filling techniques (Q 3).

Quality grade Q 4 Compared with grade Q 3, here the entire surface is covered with an uninterrupted layer of filler or render. In order to fulfil the highest specifications of the surface, a full area filling is carried out for the entire area or sections of the total surface. Filling according to Q 4 includes: • standard filling according to Q 2 • wide filling of joints, as well as full covering and smoothing of the entire area with an appropriate material (thickness approximately 3 mm)

In addition to which, surface specifications are freely definable. This particularly applies to special coatings and applications for dry construction systems. Dependent upon the panel materials and construction systems used, specific surface treatments may be necessary. Conductive coating, for example, may be applied to dry construction systems in order to fulfil the requirements of control of electromagnetic waves. The coatings of self-cleaning surfaces, room ventilation catalytic coatings for the reduction of harmful substances in the air and adaptable coatings are being increasingly applied to the surfaces of dry construction systems.

Quality grade Q 3 When higher standards are demanded of the filled surface, additional measures beyond the range of Q 2 are necessary. Filling according to Q 3 includes: • wide filling of joints • smoothing of the remaining plasterboard surfaces in order to all seal pores with filler, when necessary filled areas should be sanded. This standard of surface treatment is suitable for: • finely structured wall cladding • matt, non-structured paints and coating • top render, whereby the largest grain size is not larger than 1 mm, as specified by the manufacturer for that specific plasterboard system When this standard of special filling is selected visible markings made visible by glancing light cannot be fully excluded. The level and extent of these markings is, however, consider89

The Design Scope of Melamine-Resin Coated Surfaces Heinz Peters

Melamine-resin coated materials have long proven their worth in the fields of interiors and furniture design due to their unique material properties and inexhaustible design possibilities. Until now decorative printing had been restricted to the gravure printing process. The scope for design was limited, however, since large batches were required in order to make the process economical. The increased demand for individually designed high pressure laminates (HPL) for small and medium sized projects cannot be competitively met by gravure printing processes due to the restrictive production costs. This is the field where digital decorative printing processes have been able to establish themselves. With digital decorative printing processes it is now possible to work economically with smaller series, allowing special design wishes to be implemented more easily. The attraction here is that interior surfaces can be created which coordinate with wall and floor textiles. The result is complete, unified design schemes; spatial solutions which achieve their atmosphere from the formal language and colouration of the interior decoration and which can be further combined with other materials. In mutual, cooperative work processes, manufacturers and designers are continually developing and improving the production methods for innovative products. Thus high-gloss floor surfaces with extremely high resistance to abrasion have been developed for commercial situations which complement furniture surfaces and wall cladding. Individual designs, pictures and graphic data can all be used for the design of HPL surfaces. Creativity is (almost) unlimited. Essentially one distinguishes between two different layering processes; the opaque-image layer technique and the transparent-image layer technique, which are each associated with different task definitions.

Opaque-image layer technique The opaque image-layer technique is only applicable to HPL systems. In this case the decorative print is applied to thick, opaque decorative paper; whereby the colour saturation is greater than with overlay papers (ill. 3.2). Intensive penetration of the resin – which is necessary to guarantee the requisite bonding strength of the material – can only be achieved with very high pressure, high temperature and long application times. White, unprinted paper appears slightly grey after the printing process; when warmer white tones are desired, it is necessary for designers to take this into account while 90

specifying the printing data. This opaque paper results in the best colour effects and greatest contrast. Alternative opaque papers with neutral white values are also available.

Transparent-image layer technique In the case of the transparent image-layer technique, a monochrome, unprinted layer is placed beneath the darker patterned overlay paper (ill. 3.3). This method is usually applied to layered HPL panels when for example monochrome panels for cupboards and front panels are to be combined with decorative panels and it is desired that the background colour tones are to be as similar as possible. This technique also allows the application of different white tones for decorative designs. The unprinted areas of the overlay paper become transparent after pressing, thus acquiring the colour of the monochrome paper below. The patterned section of the overlay paper combines with the colour of the layer below to create the final decorative effect. This combined technique allows design tasks to be economically achieved. The decorative printed layer must always be darker in tone, however, than the monochrome layer; a decorative layer containing white cannot be successfully applied over a darker monochrome layer. Generally speaking, the colour absorption of thin overlay papers is less than that of thicker, opaque decorative papers.

Techniques for high pressure laminates (HPL) With the high-pressure system, individual decorative patterns 3.1

a b c d e f g h i j k l 3.2

transparent melamine resin decorative print on opaque paper phenolic resin core backing sheet monochrome paper backing sheet melamine resin transparent melamine resin decorative print on overlay paper monochrome paper phenolic resin core backing sheet monochrome paper backing sheet overlay paper backing sheet melamine resin

3.3

are applied under great pressure and high temperatures, and the sheets require more time in the press. In this process, the resin not only penetrates the thin overlay paper, but also the thicker opaque papers. A layer of monochrome paper is inserted beneath the decorative paper layer, or opaque paper depending upon the desired effect; beneath this monochrome paper is the hard, phenolic-resin core which provides the material stability and impact resistance of the HPL product. The 1 mm thick HPL must be applied with the relevant backing sheets to the appropriate substrate. This method of manufacture enables the production of solid, self-supporting panels. With the application of additional UV and weather-resistant layers, panels of this kind can also be used for balcony, facade and other external construction situations.

Colour properties of decorative print For opaque decorative and overlay papers water-based pigments with high light-resistance are used, similar to the gravure printing process. Specialised pigments are used which have values of 7 or 8 on the “blue wool scale”, with the addition of further UV protection material, they achieve lightfastness values of up to 8. Achieving this quality is also dependent on the application of the colours and therefore on the design. Surfaces with 100 per cent colour opacity resist radiation better than those with only 10 per cent opacity. The duration of ultraviolet solar radiation and the orientation of the surface also affect the durability of colours even in internal situations. With digital inkjet printing, all colours are laid out in a series of dots next to each other and can, therefore, be well saturated with resin. The special papers used are absorbent and permeable to the resin, so that adequate adhesion with the substrate board is achieved.

Digital decorative printing technique High-quality digital decorative printing requires very high resolution, which is imperceptible to the human eye at normal distances. Various different droplet sizes are used for the printing process. For a HPL slab with a printed area of 130 ≈ 300 cm, some 112 billion dots have to be individually controlled by the computer and printed by the printing system. Digital decorative printing allows innovative, individual, object and client specific HPL surfaces to de designed and manufactured in even small series. Although planning opens up new opportunities, design is, however, still restricted to a certain extent by technical pro-

duction limitations. Similar to gravure printing processes, digital decorative printing techniques are also subject to colour variations. These originate with both the production of the printing pigments and the decorative and overlay papers. Variations in the printing process, for example material fatigue, also influence the final product. When producing decorative boards with the HPL process, variations in the melamine resin – which is applied over the decorative paper and thereby influences the colour value of the design – introduce uncontrollable effects in the final product. The ability to reproduce digital decorative printing is relatively high, continual quality checks are necessary, however. When variations are detecting during the printing process, immediate corrections can be made in order to coincide with the requested colour values of the design – whether or not the variations are the result of the equipment or the materials. Slight colour junctions do then result in the printing process. These variations, which are unavoidable by current technical standards, must be taken into account when planning. Subsequent orders of decorative surfaces are inevitably affected by colour variations. This can be minimised by ordering decorative elements in larger quantities, for example. The technical implementation must be discussed with the manufacturer early enough in the design stage.

Conclusion Nevertheless, digital decorative printing allows the creation of individual HPL surfaces of high quality, at a reasonable price and at short notice. Even small batches or discrete items can be economically manufactured, compared with the costs of other printing processes. Costs associated with the preparations for gravure printing become redundant. This allows individual design ideas to be tested on the market, experience to be accrued and evaluated, before larger series are finally produced. Internet links: www.universal-decor.de www.resopal.de www.larscontzen.de

3.1 Change rooms, KaDeWe in Berlin, 2003; decorative design »New Transparency«: Lars Contzen 3.2 Decorative print on HPL board printed with opaque-image layer technique 3.3 Surface design “Transparent” on HPL board printed with transparent-image layer technique

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Stores: Labelled Worlds Natalie Marth and Karl Schwitzke, Designbüro Schwitzke & Partner, Dusseldorf

Stores manifest label images in three-dimensional space. They transfer the concept of the brand into a tangible, tactile world that can be experienced with the senses. Interior concepts transport label images into the public awareness thereby directly influencing their position in the marketplace. The presentation of the brand within the store, at the point of sale, as it were, is indispensable for the development of the brand because it is there that purchasing decisions are made. It is the emotional bond or commitment to a label which causes a customer to become dedicated to a brand. Successful companies are continually renewing that image experience for their customers at the point of sale. The stores transport the image and let the labels enter into dialogues with the customers.

Reinforcement of labels – store concepts strengthen profiles Successful labels are continually confronted with the challenge of strengthening their profiles in order to remain interesting to the customers. The DNA of a brand equates to the guiding concept for the design of the stores. Surf brands will always refer to water, beaches and sport, while a manufacturer of organic products is more likely to refer to the protection of nature and environmentally friendly production methods. These individually defining characteristics are the point of origin for the development of a visual, spatial representation of the label. The prerequisite is that a label is already strongly rooted and has an authentic story to tell. The sportswear brand Tom Tailor, based in Hamburg, offers a casual collection within the middle price category, thereby moving in a highly competitive field. The label aims at the lifestyle-orientated core group of 25 to 35 year olds. The store concept is intended to further strengthen the profile of the label and to communicate a relaxed yet high-quality lifestyle to customers without losing touch with its foundation (ill. 4.1– 4.3). Our approach to the concept development was to mix the spirit of the age with the mythology of the company’s foundation. The history of the Tom Tailor Company was referred to, yet presented in a new context. The Hamburg fashion company is firmly based on the hanseatic merchant traditions. The historical warehouses in the docklands of Hamburg once served the merchants of the 19th century as store and shipping centres for their wares. They were dispatched from this location throughout the entire world. The docklands became the fundamental concept behind the design intended to represent a hanseatic identity and competence in fashion. 92

Simply quoting history without commentary, however, leads to a somewhat rigid and unemotional product. The goal was to produce design elements capable of calling up associations and, by playing with the “story” of the label, to create a new dimension for the staging of the label. Detailed solutions ensure that the design is not simply a copy, rather that it demonstrates individuality and creates an easily recognisable image. Cast iron balustrades, open steel beams on the ceilings and weathered brickwork transport the charms of the old docklands and warehouses to the Tom Tailor stores. Homey picture galleries, oak floor boards, deep pile carpets and designer furniture all combine to create a loft-like atmosphere, while the vaulted ceiling gives an historic flair. Tom Tailor’s philosophy is based on affordable luxury. This feeling is transported by the presentation of the products for sale in weathered, used-look timber furniture; the elegant silk paper lining presenting a stylish contrast to the rustic furniture. A lifestyle is celebrated – one which has developed from the authenticity of the label. A high level of credibility is thus achieved, with the result that the target consumer group identifies with the brand message; affordable luxury, the spirit of the age and a reliable sense of fashion. The more individual and credible the design language is, the more publicly recognisable the label presence; thus enabling extensions of the brand’s competence into new areas of the fashion industry.

Strengthening labels – interior design directly influences appeal Not only the brand image is transmitted at the point of sale; it is also a critical location for the development of brand values. The immediate contact between customer and label demonstrates whether the brand message is being absorbed. If the message is accepted, the label acquires increased credibility which is the basis for image transport. A common problem is that a brand enjoys a high level of trust from customers based on reliable products, but has somehow failed to establish itself as a strong label. The appeal is simply missing. That is often the case of multi-label traders which have allowed themselves to be defined by individual brands within their assortment. Their competence lies in the very range available to their customers and their selection of the right product spectrum. They are the label themselves, and should communicate that via their store concept. This enhances store image and secures strong traders the option of growing with successful labels over time.

4.1

4.2

It is exactly the local establishment of these businesses which offers the opportunity of fixing their position long-term. The deeply traditional department store Ludwig Beck in Munich was founded in 1861 and has continually increased sales area by the absorption of neighbouring buildings (ill. 4.5–4.6). Thus a continued strengthening of local recognition has been achieved. The department store is a firmly established part of the shopping culture in Munich. It is exactly this strengthened identity of Ludwig Beck which secures its unique, independent position and enhances its image. In order to not only retain this position, but to expand on it, Ludwig Beck has continued to work on its image. In addition to the main building on Marienplatz, the store includes the original building on Dienerstraße as well as an adjoining historical building from the 19th century and two further com-

plexes. It was only recently that the facades of all five buildings underwent total design treatment. The five objects represent an array, from the decorative historic facade of the 19th century through to that of the 1960’s. The deeply rooted identity of the store has been once more revealed with the redesigning of the facades. The Keilheim sandstone facade at ground floor level acts as an interconnecting element for the group of buildings which are protected as an ensemble. The design of the individual elements is independently appropriate to each house; arches, restored decorative plaster facades, plinth and cornices, as well as colour-accented profiled facades with elaborate stone inserts from the 1960’s, determine the new street frontage. An open arcade runs around the main building on Marienplatz. The presentation shop windows which dominated the entrance area have given way to a generously designed area finished with granite Flossenbürg floor tiles. The coffered ceiling with suspended lighting elements allows the unusual ambience to be felt even outside the building. Ludwig Beck has managed to extend its position from one of a locally established business to that of a strong, recognisable, nationwide brand through consistence in assortment selection, in marketing, and through its visual presence. A store which exudes enthusiasm attracts customers with similar values. Identification leads to loyalty.

4.3

Quite often the redesigning of a store is the result of a desired upgrade. Multi-label traders like Kaufhof or Karstadt in Munich have been able to establish themselves solidly and over a protracted period of time in the retail landscape of the region, yet have remained comparatively free of public image. It is not until an authentic store design is created for these businesses that a democratic coexistence of different suppliers can be achieved and thus enhanced brand recognition. The purchasing experience is significantly raised by creativity and ingenuity. It was desired that the image presentation of the Roland Shoes, a subsidiary of Deichmann Shoes, should increasingly represent the fashion and lifestyle aspects of the sector. The corporate design solution we developed positioned “Roland” as a brand name and demonstrated a design language of dramatically enhanced value (ill. 4.7–4.8). The strategic goal was to securely link the concepts of fashion and lifestyle to the brand name in order to win customers and suppliers alike for the premium sector. The point of sale is not only the place where sales happen, it is also the location of 93

self-presentation for a trader with the goal of becoming a valued trading partner for labelled products. The reverse should also be noted; that well established traders enjoy certain privileges when searching for better retail locations.

4.4

4.5

The newly designed logo, as well as the new blue corporate identity colour, became an essential element of the architecture. A blue, multi-storey LED light-wall extends up through the core of the stairwell. The logo is lightly applied to the glass and subtly transmits the identity of the label (ill. 4.8). The storeys are generously dimensioned and allow views throughout the entire area. The levels are optically structured by the offset ceilings and blue ceiling panels above the walkways. White lighting cubes and the new shoe presentation elements reinforce the fresh, transparent character. White painted shelving and cubes are used to present the products. The assortment is revealed within a fashionable context; photos of people and fashionable colours are graphically applied to the rear walls in order to make clear statements of style. Store design takes on the key function in resolving the customers’ quest for the right shop. Will the customer find what he is looking for? Will his expectations be met? The product is first truly appreciated when the customer enters the store and experiences it as an integral element of the store design. The store design must convey the label image. Any inconsistency of image is immediate noticed by and irritates customers. A confident sense of style ensures that the store is interesting for customers. It becomes even more attractive when the customer discovers something new; here the assortment of products must dominate. But it is the presentation within a unique atmosphere which transforms the decision to purchase into something else, something which leaves a lasting impression. Label and customer begin to trust one another. The visual experience leads to contact, which can later be transformed into customer loyalty to a label. The selection of brands and products, which each and every one of us does, is directly associated with our image of ourselves. The phenomenon of popular labels is that they support the self-definition of their devotees. This relationship is encouraged at the point of sale. Labelled dreams become charismatic reality.

Positioning brands anew – store design transmits goals 4.6

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Store design makes the profile of a brand tangible, assuming that the brand desires this polarisation. For this new positioning is it imperative that the traditional field of trade be abandoned. Established customers should be taken with the brand and new customers should be won. The brief for Noris Bank, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank, was to develop a new position for the bank – with the specific target group being younger clients. An open, contemporary design language was developed which combined the conventional, more serious elements of banking with the desire of the target group for faster, less complicated banking services (ill. 4.4). Clear spatial structures contrast dramatically with intense colours. The interior design is in accord with the contemporary taste of the target group; young people up to 30 years of age who are moving between families and carrier responsibilities, fun, lifestyle and the desire for financial independence. The new corporate identity colours are red and orange and are

decisive for the effect of the entire concept. A clear-cut, pragmatic room structure meets lounge personality. A red band on top of the otherwise grey flooring leads from the entrance area through the entire space to the rear wall. This band marks the area where the various employees’ work stations are located. Round, intimate interview tables connected to the work stations and folding partitions ensure discretionary privacy at all times. The red band extends up the rear wall, spreads out to become a panel of colour on the ceiling and so provides the interlinking visual element. The entrance area is bright and transparent, thanks to the large-scale glass panels which also express the open character of the Noris Bank to the outside. An information counter, designer chairs and a large seating island in the corporate colours are all details designed to create a sympathetic, fresh atmosphere. Continuous information boards on both sides of the branches present banking products and services pertinent to the target group.

4.7

The concept of the Noris Bank demonstrates what is essentially true for the presentation of all brands and labels: the complexity of the presentation should be appropriate to the desired awareness and comprehension of the targeted consumer group. The artificially created “world” of the label must be capable of immediately and comprehensibly transmitting the desired message; with the Noris Bank, this meant a clear reduction in the range of materials. The brand and the presentation of the products were accentuated, while the style-defining elements remain the corporate identity colours. When the intention of an interior design concept is to reach the widest possible target group, it is essential to first analyse the consumer group in order to determine defining parameters for the visual scheme. The Noris Bank branches are all located in energetic shopping zones, with aggressively priced fashion stores, mobile telephone shops and take away restaurants nearby. Due to personal budgets, the target group is price conscious, but also aware of trends and well informed. The store concept must be able to call attention to itself within such a streetscape without compromising its brand message. The design language is not merely decorative; it is responsible for transmitting the essential brand substance of the Noris Bank using a limited number of highly effective materials. The services on offer – investments and loans – are quickly understood and easily obtained. The customer is not required to alter his “purchasing behaviour” simply because he has walked into a bank. The new store design transmits the bank image as immediately comprehensible user information, which can be quickly integrated into his consumer awareness.

4.8

To summarise; sales areas which have been designed with inventiveness and creativity generate shopping experiences. Consistent store design directly influences both the label experience and the customers’ perception of the label’s intrinsic value. Image transport is more successfully achieved at the point of sale than in any other location. 4.1– 4.3 4.4– 4.5 4.6 4.7– 4.8

Tom Tailor Store in Dusseldorf, 2007 Ludwig Beck Department Store in Munich, 2007 Norisbank in Frankfurt, 2007 Roland Shoe Store in Dortmund, 2007

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Use of materials in shop design moysig retail design

5.1

“Create a walk-through advertisement” that was the title which defined the desired result for the new store concept of the men’s fashion label Bugatti; which now can be “seen” in various stores throughout Germany and world-wide. An extended process of development is, of course, concealed behind this product – from initial designs, through prototypes and on to globally applicable, so-called multipliable systems. The design was based upon the existing shop-in-shop system as well as the international Bugatti showroom in Dusseldorf. The desired recognisable repetition of systems led to the application of materials like walnut veneer, stainless steel and other high-gloss surfaces in the design of the new stores. The client also demanded a continual development of the store design which was to proceed over a period of years; one capable of responding to the constantly growing spectrum of products within the businesses; a Bugatti store is articulated into “casual” and “business” departments. Separate product groups, like shoes, accessories and travel ware, also complement the assortment of goods. The goal was to present a brand image and to fix customers firmly to that brand. It is the responsibility of a shop designer to transmit the “lifestyle” of a brand into the subjective image of a store and – in the case of Bugatti – the practical reproduction of the store design must also be guaranteed throughout the world from Warnemünde on the Baltic Sea to Beijing. A particular challenge was apparent with transfer of the socalled “walk-through advertisement” as desired by Bugatti into the third dimension. An essential element of this advertisement is the large-scale black and white poster which acts as cornerstone of the architecture; whereby the customers are guided directly to the poster rather than the products. Thus an immediate integration of the customers into the store landscape occurs, one with which he can easily identify. This idea is called “identity shopping” – an important component of modern brand generation. The advantages of this oversized poster element are, on one hand the striking initial effect on the customers and, on the other hand, the freedom granted to the designers by way of scale and exchangeability. As a brand aimed at the upper-middle class, as Bugatti itself declares, specific expectations exist with regard to material selection and surface quality. High-gloss surfaces present these expectations and simultaneously harmonise with the 96

corporate identity of the label. These materials dominate the surfaces of the walls as well as the display elements, and manifest the desired quality. The epoxy-resin coated surfaces themselves, easy to clean and low maintenance, also offer highly effective reflections of the light installations. The striking contrast between the grey (RAL 7016) and white (RAL 9010) coloured elements create an effective ambience. The corporate colour, grey, is subtly treated and finely incorporated. The delicate colouration creates a flawless, holistic effect, while the materials and surfaces enter into a dialogue, rich in contrast, with the textures of the clothing. The timber surfaces contrast effectively with the concrete ones of the store. These materials, vastly different both visually and texturally, serve to harmonise the contrasting desires of the customer group for both comfortable familiarity and the striving for global identity. The walnut veneer, which conveys the “warm” characteristics of timber, effectively brings the essence of solid timber to the design thus transmitting an atmosphere of stability. The same is true for the concrete surfaces – although with an entirely different tactile effect this material is characterised as solid and reliable, yet completely modern. Poured concrete elements are usually, if not entirely, unsuitable for store design interiors, due to their sheer weight and the need to adapt to a large variety of different local layout situations. The alternative in this case was a modern panelproduct of medium density fibreboard (MDF) with the concrete optic achieved by a compacted mineral filling compound which is available in different colours and surface textures (in this case grey and smooth). The lightweight panels are easily processed with standard joinery tools and can even be bent when so desired. A very effective material, although used in a reserved and economical manner, is stainless steel. This timeless product was used for the clothing rails, bars and other metalwork elements on the rear walls. Stainless steel symbolises solidity and quality in addition to the “technical” and “masculine” attributes; two highly relevant characteristics when it comes to men’s fashion. In fact all metal elements in the store design were manufactured of stainless steel. Even the flooring was required to simultaneously fulfil both functional requirements and subjective image transfer. Abrasion-resistant stoneware tiles, in “black and white” effect,

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guide customers to the highlights of the shop design (poster wall and bar) and serve as both zoning and orientation elements. They radiate reliability and are robust and easy to care for, as is appropriate to the standards expected of such a project. The resistance to wear and scratching, as well as the ease with which it can be maintained, guarantee a long working life of the flooring – even when subjected to intensive wear. The homogeneous image of the ceramic floor tiles is interrupted in the shoe presentation department by grey-brown carpeting. Two vibrant orange armchairs offer an opportunity for relaxation. The customer can sit in designer chairs while trying on his new shoes and, in between, can stroll in his socks on a soft, warm, comfortable carpet. A grey ceiling set above the principle routes is noticeably higher than the white suspended ceiling hovering over the main display areas; this serves to reinforce the orientation function of the floor surfaces. Additionally, the light installation determines the ambience in the store; covered, indirect lighting indicate the pre-determined pathways through the space while large, hanging lamps illuminate the various customer zones, thus achieving the desired intimacy. The atmosphere around the bar – located to the rear of the space – appears comparatively “cool” when compared with that of the shoe department. The contrasting colours of the high-gloss surfaces, grey and white, are in direct contact with one another. The customer perceives the bar, located immediately adjacent to the change rooms, as being the communicative focal point of the store. Here he can experience the lifestyle of the brand – progressive, contemporary, and urbane – while sipping his espresso macchiato.

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entrance window front lounge cashier poster wall bar change rooms

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Fashion Store “Maison Louis Vuitton des Champs-Elysées” in Paris Architects: Carbondale, Paris Screen engineering: RFR, Paris

Elaborately detailed solutions Luxurious materials Orientation concept defines space The Louis Vuitton’s flagship store on the Champs-Elysées in Paris was conceived as a continuous promenade. The architects resolved the existing four storeys into a single terrace structure. Customers are received at the entrance by an escalator, which is animated by video installations, and transported directly up to the second level where the downward promenade, through the various departments of the store, commences. The architects decided to make the journey the purpose; therby solving the problem of how to entice customers into the upper floors of a multi-storey retail establishment. At the end of the journey the customer finds himself – after exploring the entire store – back in the main lobby near the entrance. These open, meandering areas result in the customer being able to stroll through the store and browse – similar to outside on the Champs-Elysées itself.

Ornamentation with thousands of elements An ornament constructed of thousands of metallic elements is the ever-present theme throughout the interior of the space. It was developed with the technical support of the engineering company RFR which have specialised in the production of customised constructions. This “skin” has its origins in the flagship store design in Tokyo in 2003 and has developed into the constant theme present in all branches of the fashion label. Due to the heritage rating of the external facade, it was not possible to envelope the entire building with a screen as had been previously intended; the space is

now enclosed from within. The mesh dimensions of the individual elements are so selected as to diffuse the light entering through the large window openings before it illuminates the interior. Internally, the screen acts as an aid to orientation as well as a spatially defining structure. Thus, it is necessary to pass through the metal screen in order to enter certain parts of the store, for example, the jewellery department. Here the screen alters its appearance by way of elaborately incorporated intarsia of porcelain, leather, wood and coloured glass. These elements are intended to bear homage to the handcrafting traditions of the company and simultaneously represent the luxury associated with the haute couture fashion label.

Video animation on the escalator Just as effective, however, are the other surfaces employed in the store. Particularly the single escalator is elaborately detailed – one side being decorated entirely of glass-fibre optic cables which relay installations designed by renowned video artists. Other areas of the store are defined by individual design treatment of the wall and floor surfaces – for example with wooden inserts. These elements always bear reference, however, to the trademark logo of Louis Vuitton. project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

retail dry construction max. 20 m 15 000 m2 2005 30 months

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entrance / foyer retail space cashier escalator sick bay security / observation 7 office entrance

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Concept The metallic screen provides a changing background to the visitor’s promenade, on the one hand presenting a recurring element and, on the other hand characterising the different zones, departments and displays. Simultaneously, it serves the practical function of hiding the external perimeter wall. The screen also filters the light from the windows, giving the buyer a sense of privacy from the people walking by on the ChampsElysées. The intricacy of the metallic screen also provides an alluring background for the window displays as seen from the street. The first idea of a screen based on movable elements which would be capable of creating variable images was, in spite of technical feasibility, incompatible with the desired completion schedule and inauguration date of the store.

Hand crafted or industrially fabricated? The screen has an approximate surface area of 1,000 m2 and is composed of approximately 100,000 elements made of high pressure cast aluminium. The main element is ringshaped, but with a curvilinear perimeter. When all the elements are assembled together, the pattern looks like a series of interconnecting circles. At the same time it alludes to the standard Louis Vuitton pattern printed on its leather goods. The shapes of the elements are different when seen from the street outside or from within the building. In the interior of the store, they have sharp edges in order to reduce their presence, while on the side facing the street, the elements present flat edges in order to increase the visible surface. Assuring the static and dynamic resistance with so little material required using a sophisticated digital tool such as finite element analysis. The task was made even more difficult by the requirement of concealing all connections between the elements. The solution consisted in having only one of every two elements act structurally, so that the arrangement of the screen corresponds to the layout of a chessboard, with the non-structural elements acting only as infill components. This decision reduced the number of structural parts but increased the forces transferred through each connection. The connecting screws are machined with a high degree of precision – more typically required in mechanical engineering – so that it was possible to maximise the resistant section of each element at each connection. The aesthetic advantage of the structural chessboard pattern is that the connection point could be concealed by the infill element which was fixed with a very small dowel, resulting in only a tiny, almost invisible hole. 100

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The strength of the screen was successfully tested up to an impact load of 1,200 joules using the sand ball method. This test certified the usage of the screen as a balustrade. Considering the number of elements, the industrial process, the complexity of the connections, and the quality of the finishes, this screen cannot properly be considered a work of craftsmanship, but rather, as an industrial design object. It was possible to produce and deliver the individual elements on schedule after only a few months.

Surface finishing The surface treatment of the cast aluminium pieces enriches their interaction with light and reflections; the surfaces are matt or glossy depending on the location of the surface. Each element is coated with various metals; the aluminium was originally coated with copper and then with nickel. This is a highly suitable basis for complete silver dipping, while the inner surfaces were enhanced with gold. The final stage of the treatment consisted of a clear protective coating. This multitude of different finishes on single elements greatly increased the complexity of production. Since the elements were treated by immersion different areas had to be masked prior to each dipping.

Intarsia The cast aluminium elements constitute the reference frame of the screen, but each section of the store is made unique by the insertion of intarsia in the centre of the aluminium elements. If the metal parts of the screen correspond to an industrialized product, then the intarsia are pieces of highquality craftsmanship. These inserts were made of coloured glass, ceramic, wood, and even leather and are fixed in position by a small stainless steel wire acting like a spring.

Assembly The elements were pre-assembled in the form of panels and then delivered to the site. Each panel is hung from a continuous guide rail that allows for vertical movements. The screen has fixing pins at its base in order to restrain lateral movements. Considering the large number of discrete elements, the tolerances were an important issue since cumulative fabrication errors could have resulted in an error of significant length. The resulting discrepancy is so slight, however, that it can be absorbed by the integral elasticity of the linked elements.

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material properties material:

ornamentic screen aluminium

stability: weight: fire protection rating: heat conductivity: melting point:

E modulus 72 200 N/mm2 2703 kg/cm3 A1 222 W/mK 640 °C

colour: tensile strength: hardness: gloss grade: surface structure:

gold, silver 90–120 N/mm2 22–35 HBW medium smooth

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1 300 ≈ 15 mm steel plate, screw fixed adjustment shim reinforced concrete 2 180 ≈ 80 ≈ 10 mm extruded stainless-steel section, welded 3 300 ≈ 10 mm stainless-steel plate, screw fixed 4 guide rail: 125 ≈ 25 mm steel plate, screw fixed 5 120 ≈ 60 ≈ 35 mm cast-aluminium section, decorative, silvered and gilded, welded 6 25 mm plasterboard suspended ceiling 7 120 ≈ 120 ≈ 35 mm cast-aluminium section, structural, silvered and gilded, screw-fixed 8 120 ≈ 120 ≈ 35 mm cast-aluminium section, decorative, silvered and gilded, with mortise joint 9 wall fixing: 200 ≈ 30 mm stainless-steel, RHS mounting panel 60 ≈ 240 mm stainless-steel RHS double-clip, with elongated holes 10 12 mm Ø threaded steel pin 11 floor fixing: 3 mm stainless steel cladding, with elongated holes 30 mm Ø steel core 60 ≈ 30 ≈ 3 mm ¡ steel RHS, screw fixed 12 30 mm limestone floor tiles

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Shop in Barcelona Architects: EQUIP Xavier Claramunt, Barcelona

Chameleon-like appearance through play of light Translucent polycarbonate web panels

mood in the morning, through delicate pink on to the vibrant red of the evening atmosphere. These effects are achieved by a modular system of translucent polycarbonate panels fixed to aluminium framework. The panels act as both ceiling-cladding system and freestanding partition walling. Red and white coloured fluorescent tubes are located behind the translucent panels and are operated by a time switch that combines the colours in different ways. The rear-lit panels envelope the retail areas of the shop, both on the ceiling and on the walls while storage space and change rooms are concealed by the partitions. The lighting concept, together with the glass furniture, is intended to become the hallmark of the company and, as such, will be incorporated in the design of other branches.

This diminutive shop for bathroom accessories is located in the elegant shopping area Passeilg de Gracià in the centre of Barcelona. It is not easy to find, however, being hidden away deep in one of the blocks of the “Eixample”; that is the name used by the people of Barcelona for the grid-like quarter, designed by Cerdà at the end of the 19th century, at the edge of the old town centre.

Material and lighting concept To distinguish it from other premises in the same arcade, the shop undergoes a three-phase lighting change in the course of the day. The light spectrum ranges from a serene, white

a material properties of walls and ceiling material: thermoplastic polymer product name: stability: weight: fire protection rating: abrasion value: melting point: water absorption:

polycarbonate web panels E modulus 2,000 – 2,400 MPa 1.2 g/cm3 V0–V2 10 – 15 mg/1000 vibrations 267 °C 0.16– 0.35 %

colour: light permeability: tensile strength: compressive strength: impact resistance: hardness: gloss grade: surface structure:

white, translucent 90 % 55–75 MPa > 80 MPa 600 – 850 J/M M70 medium smooth

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material properties of counters and shelving material: glass stability: weight: fire protection rating: abrasion value: melting point: water absorption:

E modulus 7,400 MPa 2,53 g/cm3 V0 100 –125 mg/1000 vibrations 1,000 °C 0.08 %

colour: light permeability: tensile strength: compressive strength: impact resistance: hardness: gloss grade: surface structure:

transparent 99.9 % 290 – 395 N/mm2 340 – 395 N/mm2 490 – 690 J/M M110-120 high smooth

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floor plan • section scale 1:200 shopping arcade illuminated sales area change room illuminated partition 2 mm aluminium sheeting bent to shape Ø 20 mm fluorescent lighting tube (white/red) 15 ≈ 15 mm steel angle framing 16 mm polycarbonate hollow cellular slabs fixed to steel framing with Velcro strip 9 aluminium base plate, adjustable in height 10 15 mm plasterboard 11 35 ≈ 35 mm steel SHS

project details usage: construction:

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Fashion Store in Berlin Architects: Corneille Uedingslohmann Architects, Berlin

Furniture of glass-fibre reinforced plastic Complex geometry and shapes Little Red Riding Hood has opened its flagship store in Berlin’s Friedrichstraße. From the street it is only possible to see the entrance area where, behind the shop front mannequins, surreal images are projected onto a screen. A single-flight stair leads into the actual store located in the basement. The walls and display counters are all exclusively executed in white plastic; variously curved vaulted niches and hollows accommodate the items on sale – in addition to clothing and shoes, books and CDs are also available. Even the four space-defining, supporting columns are fitted with display compartments. Between these objects are a variety of plastic-clad elements – islands in space – which serve as seats, display cases or presentation tables. While the screed flooring and revealed ventilation ducts are reminiscent of an industrial hall, it is the smooth, organically formed, plastic clad objects which create the synthetic atmosphere. Illuminated joints in the flooring further enhance this impression. The wall shelving units are constructed of glass-fibre reinforced panels (GRP); they were prefabricated in sizes of maximum 7m2 based on a ribbed construction system. The architects produced sections of the walls at 2 metre centres with the help of a CAD program to enable the joiner to be able to construct the substructure for the shelving.

material properties application: material:

furniture and internal fit-art glass-fibre reinforced plastic

stability: bending strength: compressive strength: tensile strengh: weight: fire protection rating: hardness:

E modulus 16 000 MPa approx. 260 MPa approx. 180 MPa approx. 220 MPa approx. 7 kg/m2 B1 45-50 BarCol approx.

colour: light permeability: surface structure:

white impermeable smooth

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retail glass-fibre reinforced plastic on timber structure internal ceiling height: 3.2–8.0 m total internal volume: 1320 m3 total built area: 410 m2 date of construction: 2004 period of construction: 4 months

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6 mm GRP cladding, painted white lighting with opaque acrylic-plastic cover 19 mm laminated-timber frame lighting backed by steel reflector, brushed 120 mm matt-varnished screed floor 30 mm Ø stainless-steel tube clothes rail, brushed monitor screen mirror felt-covered foam material on 19 mm MDF 10 mm acrylic plastic with suction pads

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Glassfibre reinforced plastic When fitting out the interior of the Little Red Riding Hood store in Berlin, conventional building materials were not suitable; the curved, 3 dimensional wall cladding required a more flexible medium. A material was required that would enable a high degree of precision in reproducing the complicated, digitally designed, free-form shapes. Other factors of importance were a high level of prefabrication, rapid on-site assembly times and a perfect paint finish.

Material The architects chose a material usually applied in building aircraft construction, boat building and the construction of rolling stock; glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GRP). This material consists of reinforcing fibres (glass-fibre mats) embedded in a matrix system (e.g. polyester-resin or epoxy resin). Components made of GRP have excellent mechanical properties. They offer high strength and rigidity combined with low self-weight and provide virtually unlimited scope for shapecreation. By adding appropriate aggregates to the matrix system, the material properties can be adapted to meet specific requirements (e.g. fire protection, food contact, etc.). Fibre-reinforced plastics are particularly economical for prototype constructions and small series.

(shelves, furniture) were created from models made on a 5-axis CNC milling machine direct from the 3D data. This accurately depicts the final component and constitutes the model for the mould. This method is very precise, but expensive. These shelves were positioned, aligned and affixed to the wall moulds. Final polishing of the moulds ensured a smooth surface to the elements.

Fabrication and assembly After application of a releasing agent; a layer of gel which could be subsequently sanded, was sprayed onto the shapes, and the components themselves made up in three layers. The first and the last layer consisted of three applications of glass-fibre matting, bonded with polyester resin. The middle layer was a foamed plastic mat with honeycomb structure filled with resin. Its static height gave the elements high rigidity with minimal weight. Once this sandwich construction had hardened, the parts were taken out of the mould, edge-planed and bonded to the frame of contoured timber ribs. To check quality, all the wall panels were assembled in the workshop, joints adjusted and sanded to fit. The elements were then separated, painted in high-gloss quality and finally delivered to the site for assembly, adjustment and final fixing. Yves Corneille, Andreas Franze

Design Together with the client, the architects developed a 3 dimensional computer model of the store’s interior. For ease of transport and production, the walls were divided into segments of maximum size of 7 m2. The companies responsible for building the panelling were then given this 3D data.

Moulding To make a GRP element a mould is necessary, as the components only start to harden when combined. There are various alternative methods of producing this mould. The economical and uncomplicated method that is usually most suitable for the production of small series and simpler components was also considered the most appropriate for the components of the Little Red Riding Hood store. A wooden frame of ribs was made and the spaces between filled with polyurethane foam boards to create a negative mould for the curving wall panels, i.e. the surfaces of the mould correspond to the outer surfaces of the finished component. The moulds for components with more complex geometry 108

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Fabrication of a piece of GRP furniture Assembly of a piece of GRP furniture Entrance area with framing for projection screen Fully assembled internal fit-out Cross-section of wall

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Shoe Shop in Amsterdam Architects: Meyer en Van Schooten, Amsterdam

Translucent plastic cladding Mirrors extend space Computer controlled mood lighting The first impression of this diminutive shop located on the trendy P. C. Hooftstraat is rather dark and reclusive. Behind the tinted, reflective window fronts of the tunnel-like approach only a few accentuated, spot-lit items are visible. Beyond the reflective door, however, a colourful, glowing, futuristic plastic interior is revealed as soon as curious observers approach. The tube-shaped interior is suspended on steel sections which are fixed to the insides of this 19th century building. Upon approaching the surfaces more closely the supporting structure just becomes visible through the translucent cladding. The designer shoes are also presented in these matt

sections elevation floor plan scale 1:200

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acrylic compartments, and mirror-clad niches leading into the adjoining space are integrated into the room’s grid. Further mirrors mounted on the rear wall around the oval display cases and to the wall opposite the entrance produce, through the optical illusion of multiple reflections, the impression of an infinitely long room. Ellipsoidal stools and a cashdesk sculpture complete the retro-futuristic atmosphere. It is possible to create a huge variety of different atmospheres with the over 500 white and coloured fluorescent tubes concealed behind the acrylic glass cladding. By using dimmers or computer programs an infinite variety of mood lighting can be produced, with either abrupt or merging transitions. The reality has shown, however, that a somewhat reduced colour selection is preferable because vibrant tones can detrimentally affect the colour perception of the customers.

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project details usage: construction:

retail acrylic plastic on steel substructure internal ceiling height: 2.8 m total internal volume: 245 m3 (storage) + 210 m3 (shop) total built area: 190 m2 date of construction: 2003 period of construction: 5 months material properties walls, ceiling material: acrylic glass stability: weight: fire protection rating: melting point: water absorption:

E modulus 3,200 MPa 1.19 g/m2 B2 110 °C 0.6 %

light permeability: tensile strength: bending strength: ball hardness: gloss grade:

translucent 73 MPa 125 MPa 195 MPa matt

section scale 1:100 detail sections scale 1:5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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80 ≈ 40 ≈ 3.2 mm steel RHS 50 ≈ 5 mm steel flat 50 ≈ 40 ≈ 3 mm steel channel 200 ≈ 100 ≈ 10 mm steel RHS 70 ≈ 70 mm steel T-section white fluorescent light (in each axis) fluorescent lighting unit (between axes) 2≈ red, 2≈ blue, 2≈ green, 2≈ yellow 5 mm translucent plastic panel white fluorescent light (in alternate axes) cable duct 5 mm moulded translucent acrylic suspension point, translucent bonded acrylic transparent silicon gasket, UV-resistant black filler black rubber strip, bonded on one side glass shelf, wearing layer of 10 mm toughened safety glass with anti-slip coating + 40 mm laminated safety glass on transparent soft plastic layer 18 mm white EPDM layer 19 mm laminated safety glass, curved, lower surface sandblasted 5 mm acrylic plastic, matt on both sides air vent

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Shoe Shop in Rome Architect: Fabio Novembre, Milan

project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

retail mineral compound on steel structure 2.9 m 275.5 m3 95 m2 2006 4 months

Ribbons of mineral compound Manufacture with timber templates Restriction to a small number of materials The design of this shoe shop, near the Spanish Steps in Rome, tries to conjure up an image of an artfully tied gift box; a direct attempt to attract female customers. Walls, floor and ceiling of the elongated retail space are covered with an apparently seamless, three dimensional ribbon-like structure – beginning with the externally placed signboard on the glass window front, past the central cashier zone and on to the retail space located at the rear of the shop. This seemingly endless vanilla-coloured band – simultaneously serving as the decorative background for and the means of presentation of women’s shoes by the American designer Stuart Weitzman – actually consists of a large number of entwined individual components. All the more surprising, in view of the apparently random, psychedelic character of the convolutions, is the fact that the mineral compound structure turns out to be made up of a combination of only eight different forms, more or less frequently employed. These are combinations of top, bottom and side faces thermally moulded on specially fabricated timber templates and glued together. The 6 mm thick panels required heating for 30 minutes at a temperature of 200 °C, before being pressed into the templates. The horizontal shelving units, which incorporate flush-set spots and LED lighting strips, were initially fixed to the wall by way of steel connection clips. The curved intermediate sections were installed afterwards, similarly glued and sanded smooth. The synthetic-resin bonded material was not only easy to work but also demonstrated the ease by which a surprisingly homogeneous strip-like structure could be created; a structure which was capable of accommodating the range of functions necessary to a retail outlet – from the shop sign to presentation shelving and flooring. And moreover, a composite object was created which really is reminiscent of an artfully flowing gift ribbon.

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material properties application: material: product name:

internal and external finishings mineral compound panels DuPont Corian

stability: compression strength: tensile strength: fire protection rating: abrasion resistance: water absorption:

E modulus 8,920 – 9,770 MPa 178–179 MPa 49,1–76,4 MPa Euro class C-s1, d0 63 – 75 mm³/100 rev. 0.1– 0.7 %

colour: light permeability: density: surface structure:

vanilla impermeable 173–176 g /m3 smooth

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wall design not to scale detail section scale 1:20 1 existing wall 2 suspended plasterboard ceiling 3 fixed frameless glazing: laminated safety glass, point fixed to wall 4 42 ≈ 300 mm continuous mineral compound strip as (external) shop sign, point fixed to glazing 5 laminated safety glass entrance door 6 doormat 7 internal flooring: synthetic resin and carpet (for trying on shoes) separated by 6 mm continuous mineral compound floor strip

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Linden Pharmacy in Ludwigsburg Architects: ippolito fleitz group – identity architects, Stuttgart

Soft forms in dry construction Ceiling treatment with medicinal herb design Floating sales counters as focal points This traditional established pharmacy in Ludwigsburg responded to growing commercial pressure with a clear specialisation in natural medicines and natural cosmetic lines. The pharmacy’s new concept was to be manifested in its interior fit-out – accentuated both strikingly and intriguingly – in a way that could be spatially experienced. Simultaneously the renovation created superior alternatives of presenting the products both internally and externally. In addition to the spatial renovation, the architects were responsible for a new corporate image design and promotional gifts for the re-opening of the business.

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Coordinated furnishings The centre of the pharmacy is allocated to the retail counter which is connected to an existing column and cantilevers out on both sides. Recesses cut into the rear of the counter provide space for computer and cash register. The space is defined by continuous bands of shelving which provide lucid back drops for the available products. Artificial illumination is provided by way of a light channel from behind the goods as well as individual spots. A white circular floor area in the centre of the space stands out from the grey granite and accommodates three rotating product displays; prominent alternatives for the presentation of seasonal products. 118

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project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

health care dry construction 3.28 m 361 m3 110 m2 2006 2 months

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cold room night-service room paper work laboratory prescriptions stock room office retail / customers

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interior furnishings timber

product name: fibreboard stability: weight: fire protection rating:

MDF medium density E modulus 2600 N/mm2 0,7 g/cm3 B2

colour: light permeability: bending resistance: surface structure:

painted white impermeable 26 N/mm2 smooth

vertical sections • horizontal section scale 1:20 axonometric 1 60 mm continuous light channel, with compact fluorescent lights, in the straight sections 18 W at 622 mm, in the curves 8 W at 320 mm 2 2≈ 12.5 mm plasterboard 3 10 mm shadow joint 4 30 mm MDF shelving, painted white 5 13 mm milled cavities for price tags 6 adjustable spot in lighting rail, facetted reflector 38°, in white cast aluminium housing 7 existing column, 9 mm mineral cladding

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suspended lighting, directly and indirectly lit 19 mm MDF counters, painted white 6 mm mineral cladding, white 200 ≈ 300 ≈ 10 mm steel RHS fluorescent lighting steel fixing plate with 4 ≈ drilled holes 100 mm Ø aluminium sleeve 60 mm Ø steel tube, able to be turned in sleeve 19 mm MDF, painted white adjustable built-in downlight 70 W, reflector 40°, in white cast aluminium housing fixed built-in downlight 50 W, reflector 40°, in white cast aluminium housing 10 mm toughened safety glass flooring

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“La Rinascente” in Milan Department Store Architects: Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, London

Interconnecting amber-tinted canopy Acrylic panels in aluminium construction Integrated illumination and ventilation The Milanese department store “La Rinascente” is located on the Piazza del Duomo in the immediate vicinity of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and is considered to be one of the focal points of shopping culture in Milan. Up until recently, the uppermost level was given over to a café and restaurant in addition to smaller shopping zones; none of which were capable of doing true justice to the exquisite panorama of the nearby cathedral. The management of the department store therefore decided to reorganise the entire storey and create a “gourmet temple”. The result of this decision was a new “market place” augmented by a wine bar, delicatessen and various bars and restaurants. In order to afford the new ensemble a uniform appearance, one which would be unaffected by future alterations of individual shops and yet enhance the image of the various zones

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that lay to the rear of the building, the architects decided to install a suspended ceiling with triangular, translucent acrylic panels. The panels have a light transmission value of 70 % and are set in a triangular construction frame of extruded aluminium sections. Spot lighting, ventilation outlets and the sprinkler system are all integrated into these aluminium sections. The triangular forms are aligned with the peripheral boundaries of the space, diagonally directed to the cathedral, and flow together to meet the existing glazing of the external viewing terrace. The regular up and down rhythm of the panels establish a calming “canopy” above the sales area and symbolically define the top-most limit of the department store. The amber-coloured panels glow with differing intensities depending upon the position of the observer. It is these shimmering hues which lend the ceiling its lightness and create an unmistakable and emotionally inviting interior – one which corresponds in its delicacy with the filigree architecture of the cathedral nearby.

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wine shop sushi bar food hall sandwich counter juice bar delicatessen chocolaterie restaurant lounge bar terrace

project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

material properties retail, gastronomy acrylic glass on aluminium 2.55 – 2.75 m 5,225 m3 1,900 m2 2007 5½ months

application: material: product name:

ceiling panels Polymethylmethacrylate acrylic panels Acridite / Plastidite

impact resistance: density: melting point:

high 1.19 g /cm3 130 –140 °C

colour: light transmission: surface structure:

amber 70 %, integrated UV protection smooth, reflective

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70 % light transmission 4 10 ≈ 1736 mm linear ventilation slot 5 plasterboard cladding, painted 6 21 mm Ø fluorescent linear light fitting 7 reinforced concrete slab, existing, painted white with masonry paint 8 ceiling hangers 9 101.6 ≈ 75 mm extruded aluminium section, mechanically fixed 10 2 mm black self-adhesive compressible strip adhered to underside of translucent ceiling-panel flange 11 slot perforation in aluminium section

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Wine Tasting Tavern in Fellbach Architect: Christine Remensperger, Stuttgart

Elegant, reserved sales room Ceiling-high, oiled oak furniture Continuous polished screed flooring “Trottenkammer”, or “Trotten room”, is the name used by the residents of Fellbach for this local, family-owned wine business. In the timber-framed house, dating from 1805, the grapes have long been pressed to produce grape-must; this process is known as “must trotte”. Prior to the conversion, the vaulted cellar was the scene of many wine festivals. On the ground floor, which has a ceiling height of only 2.05 metres in some parts, a sales area with tasting room has been created for the small but select range of in-house wines. It was requested that the renovation of the confined spaces be similarly elegant and reserved, appropriate to the products on sale. The building was gutted and the sales rooms were organised around a central timber cube. The internal walls were uniformly lined with shelving and cupboard elements which even out structural irregularities. Oiled oak was used as the principle material for all furnishings and fittings – reminiscent of the old oak casks used for wine storage. The oak fittings combine with the continuous flooring of polished screed to create a harmonious, flowing sequence of spaces – from the tall shop space at the entrance, down the broad stairs to the vaulted cellar and on to the low-ceilinged wine tavern. Thanks to the pure, reticent detailing it is the noble wines, however, which remain the protagonists of the spaces.

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vertical section floor plan scale 1:200 sectional elevation wine rack built-in furniture scale 1:50 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

entrance sales room movable counter wine racks built-in cupboard kitchen wine-tasting WC stairs to vaulted cellar

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vertical sections horizontal sections scale 1:20

coloured pigments and Ø 8 –12 mm pebbles polyethylene membrane heat-conducting metal sheet underfloor heating 35 mm polystyrene panels 80 mm thermal insulation 50 –200 mm lean-mix screed 8 180 ≈ 270 mm steps: 50 mm polished screed with coloured pigmentation reinforced concrete supporting structure on vaulted stone arch 9 25 mm oak-veneered MDF panel, adhesive fixed to concrete plinth 10 wine racks: 25 mm oak-veneered MDF panels, oiled with hard wax, with glued joints and

1 25 mm mineral render 500 –700 mm existing external wall, brick / sandstone 2 top-hung casement with double glazing 3 40 ≈ 700 mm continuous oak reveal, oiled with hard wax 4 sales counter: 25 mm oak-veneered MDF panel, oiled with hard wax 5 drawers: 25 mm oak-veneered MDF panel 6 flush flap: 25 mm oak-veneered MDF panel with stainless-steel metalwork 7 60 mm (av.) polished screed with

concealed mechanical fixings 11 labelling boards: 20 ≈ 5 mm anthracite MDF flush strips, prices chalked on 12 vertical divisions: 6 mm oak-veneered MDF panels, set into grooves 13 50 ≈ 50 mm timber batten 14 2≈ 12.5 mm plasterboard on wood bearers between timber soffit beams 120 mm mineral-wool insulation 15 40 ≈ 50 mm timber strips 16 back rest: 25 mm oak-veneered MDF panels, oiled with hard wax 17 30 ≈ 30 mm steel channel, screw-fixed 18 seat: 40 mm veneered MDF panels

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19 cover: MDF panels with seat, adhesive fixed 20 double-glazing in 35 ≈ 35 mm aluminium section, recessed 21 25 – 50 mm mineral render 22 240 mm existing external brick wall, 23 140 mm steel Å-beam for bearing of HEB 120 mm vertical steel I-column 24 flap / frame: 25 mm oak-veneered MDF panel,

oiled with hard wax 25 drawers: 40 mm MDF panel, anthracite 26 concealed fluorescent lighting, in recess 27 rear wall display case: 25 mm MDF veneered panel 28 flap for hatch: MDF panel, matt coating, metallised with aluminium

material properties application: material:

built-in furniture veneered timber construction board

stability: density: fire protection rating: thermal transmission:

1,900 –2,700 N/mm2 450–750 kg/m3 B2 0.1–0.17 W/mK

colour: bending strength: compression strength: gloss: surface structure:

natural oak 3.6– 8.0 N/mm2 2.8– 4.5 N/mm2 medium smooth

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Restaurant and Bar in Zurich Architects: Burkhalter Sumi, Zurich

Painted timber construction boards Recurring concept of striking colours Green resin flooring on ground level The final stage in a scheme to refurbish a high-rise built ensemble dating from the early 1970s, involved the treatment of the plinth level. The structure now houses a restaurant with a bar and canteen. One enters the building via a low, wind protected entry set on the diagonal at the corner, and is immediately aware of the powerful spatial dynamics and unconventional colouration of the interior. Forming part of the overall concept, the striking colours extend throughout the various spaces. At first sight, the circular staircase and the gallery, painted in a bright red, seem to be supported by no more than the central green column. In reality, though, the gallery is borne by other, original, columns that are painted in a restrained black. Drawn round the staircase is the bar in dark stained oak with curved glass display cases. Behind this, beamed projections flicker on the ochre-coloured walls. All spaces on the ground floor are united by the lush green poured polyurethane-resin floor finish.

The curved staircase with a closed balustrade swings its way upwards from the bar, forming the central, dominant object of the space and providing access to the second restaurant level. In the gallery, an ergonomically shaped bench grows out of the staircase balustrade and wraps itself around the space, forming an enclosing element. Here, further seating is provided. Semi-transparent sunscreens with a printed motif of oversized leaves are a striking feature of the facade. The leaves are approximately the same size as a person; their proportions creating their particular allure. This “foliage”, which blocks the sun’s rays, together with the green of the floor, allows the visitor to forget – if only for a while – that he is in the centre of the city.

Stair as central design element The semicircular counter divides the space into a raised entrance, bar and lounge zone on one side and a groundfloor restaurant area to the rear; with a second, gallery level above. In the evening, a curtain is drawn along a curving line across this space to screen off the lower dining area. Simultaneously, the curtain forms an atmospheric backdrop to the bar. During the day, guests can create their own meals from various service islands in the adjoining self-service section.

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project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

gastronomy dry construction 7.5 m, 3.0 m (gallery) 3,800 m3 880 m2 2006 7 months

floor plans sections scale 1:500 1 2 3 4 aa

entrance bar restaurant self-service area 5 kitchen 6 gallery

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existing facade 178 mm insulated panel 140 mm foam-glass insulation metal soffit; powder-coated zinc sheeting with 40 mm Ø perforations 20 mm acoustic inlay printed fabric sunscreen triple glazing; 3 ≈ 4 mm laminated safety glass in post-and-rail construction bench; 19 mm particle, painted 40 ≈ 5 mm steel-flat handrail 3 mm poured polyurethane-resin flooring

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4 mm impact-sound insulation 43 mm anhydrite screed 320 mm reinforced concrete floor slab air-supply outlet air-extract duct 3 mm poured polyurethane-resin flooring 40 mm impact-sound insulation 90 mm anhydrite screed 400 mm reinforced concrete floor slab 25 ≈ 12 mm floor duct air-supply duct drainage channel inbuilt furniture unit; 30 mm MDF panel 50 mm Ø air-supply openings

application: material:

built-in furniture timber construction panels

stability:

E-modulus 900–2,700 N/mm2 700 kg/m3 B2 0.1–0.17 W/mK

density: fire protection rating: thermal conductivity: colour:

NCS S 5040-R (red) RAL 6032 (signal green) bending strength: 3.6 – 8.0 N/mm2 compression strength: 2.8–4.5 N/mm2 gloss: high surface structure: smooth

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French Restaurant “Aoba-tei” in Sendai Architects: Hitoshi Abe + Atelier Hitoshi Abe, Sendai

Space defining areas used for imagery Curved steel sculpture in existing fabric Interconnection of interior and exterior

however, a development was necessary whereby the panel was seen as a two dimensional area. Because welding of complex forms within the existing building was considered unrealistic, technology from the ship building industry was applied. The steel panels are freely formed by skilled hand workers by first heating the metal at certain points and then quickly cooling it.

Japanese Zelkovas, a type of elm tree which are typical for Sendai, line Jozenji Street where this French restaurant is located. The restaurant has been inserted into two storeys of an existing building and connects it to the flowing internal envelope. A stair connects the reception on the ground floor with the principle space of the restaurant located on the first floor. The functional zones; storage, communication and kitchen are concealed in the rear of the building by full-height cloakrooms and the shelving behind the bar.

project details

Perforated images in fine steel panels

usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction: period of construction:

The space enclosing panels are constructed of 2.3 mm thick, randomly crumpled steel sheeting. In an attempt to draw the alley of Zelkovas into the interior of the restaurant to create a perceived spatial connection, an image of these trees is stamped into the steel panels. The digitalised photo was created with numerically controlled perforations of 4, 6 and 9 mm diameter at spacings of 15 mm. Light installations are placed behind the steel panel wall in the cavity to the existing walling and illuminate the perforations in varying intensities. The play of light and shade in the foliage of the real trees on the street is thus drawn into the interior of the building.

gastronomy steel sheeting on steel structure 2.2 m to 2.8 m 700 m3 220.37 m2 2005 7 months

material properties of space sculpture material:

perforated fine steel sheeting

stability: density: weight:

E modulus 210 kN/mm2 approx. 7.85 –7.87 g/cm3 18 kg/m2

colour: light permeability: surface structure:

dark brown impermeable / perforated seamless, micoscopic hollow ceramic beads sprayed finish

Creation of curved steel sculpture Three dimensional architectural drawings were completed based upon a coordination system of three axes. In order to turn a flat steel sheet into the desired three dimensional form,

b section • floor plans scale 1:200 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

entrance equipments reception cloakroom garage dining area bar counter kitchen lift foyer

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section scale 1:50 1 suspended ceiling kitchen: 12.5 mm waterproof plasterboard substructure lightweight steel 2 wall construction kitchen: frost-resistant tiles 12.5 mm plasterboard sealant substructure lightweight steel 3 floor construction kitchen:

50 mm ceramic tiles on mortar bed sealant 4 wall and ceiling cladding: 2.3 mm steel sheeting, with computer-controlled perforation in the shape of a tree, perforations 4, 6 and 9 mm, at 15 mm spacing micoscopic hollow ceramic beads sprayed suspended with welded hanger bolts 5 lighting

6 floor construction restaurant: 10 mm walnut parquet, oiled 24 mm plywood, laid joint-free 16 mm planed mortar 165 mm reinforced concrete slab, existing 7 floor construction entrance: 50 mm screed with epoxy resin coating 8 suspended ceiling entrance: 1.5 mm steel sheeting 12.5 mm plasterboard substructure lightweight steel

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Restaurant “Georges” in Paris Architects: Jakob + MacFarlane, Paris Structural engineering: RFR, Paris

Separation of spaces according to function Bubbles of bent aluminium sheeting Coloured rubber coating It is not easy to design a restaurant within an architectural icon, and even more daunting when the space is forced to compete with one of the most popular views of Paris. The architects approached the task with great empathy for the exciting space and its materiality. The upper floor of the Pompidou Centre was given new life. Large furnished restaurant zones are arranged around grey, bubble-like forms. These bubbles accommodate various functions – kitchen, sanitary rooms and technical services in addition to the bar and a VIP room. The dramatic panorama beyond the windows stands in direct contrast to the artificial landscape within the space. The architects’ search for a sufficiently reserved material led them to consider the existing aluminium sheeting, which was also laid on the floor of the large terrace area. The dimensions of the aluminium panels played a decisive role here; representing, as they do, the smallest, continuous dimensional grid system in the Pompidou Centre. This information was fed into a 3D software program as a grid system and modelled until the bubbles achieved the most appropriate form, whereby the individual aluminium panels exactly represented the segments of the grid.

Play of contrasts The architects call the objects “Pockets in Space”, each one of which fulfils its own discrete function and is thus internally clad with its own colour. The entire effect of the vibrantly col-

oured rubber lining is in complete contrast to the cool grey of the aluminium shells – both haptically and optically. That the floor surfaces swell to become a space-forming envelope produces a fascinating interplay between internal and external boundaries. The colours which predetermine the different functions; red (VIP room), green (kitchen), yellow (sanitary rooms) and blue (technical services) are taken from the facade treatment and thus once again pay homage to the significant architectural context of the space.

Aluminium skin stabilises aluminium skeleton The actual realisation of the freely-designed shapes turned out to be quite a challenge; the forms were eventually fabricated as single elements by a boat builder. The load-bearing substructure is a aluminium skeleton, horizontally reinforced by aluminium sections. Aluminium sheeting is used to clad the pre-formed bodies and stabilise. The coloured rubber lining is not self-supporting, thus necessitating a sub-structure of fibre-reinforced plasterboard. In this way it became possible to create a seamless transition from ceiling to walls and on to the floor. A special touch is the custom-built, preformed sliding doors to the VIP area, which allow the space to be generously enlarged. The lighting elements are fully integrated into the materials and service installations are fed into the bubbles from above. The furnishings in the public spaces are strictly incorporated into the grid and completely colourless outside the bubbles. The continuous, seamless flooring which spreads from the interior out onto the terrace, the large panoramic windows and the uniform furniture allow the boundaries between interior and exterior to merge.

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floor plan • section scale 1:500

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project details usage: construction: internal ceiling height: total internal volume: total built area: date of construction:

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gastronomy aluminium monocoque 6.5 m 9,750 m3 900 m2 2000 2007 (renovation of bar) period of construction: 9 months 6 month (renovation of bar)

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4 mm aluminium sheeting 85 ≈ 20 mm extruded aluminium section 25 mm fibrous material on wire shell sound insulation: fibre-reinforced melamine resin guide rails 12 ≈ 1.22 m coloured rubber strips sliding door with aluminium frame floor construction: 80 ≈ 80 ≈ 10 mm aluminium panel, brushed sound-impact insulation 35 mm cement screed separation layer 600 ≈ 600 ≈ 18 mm calcium sulphate base board steel column base, bonded reinforced concrete reinforced 85 ≈ 20 mm extruded aluminium section reinforced fibrous material spring system: stainless steel washer, screw-fixed 1500 mm steel SHS beam recessed halogen uplight

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material properties material:

outer skin: aluminium

stability: weight: fire protection rating: heat conductivity: melting point:

E modulus 72 200 N/mm2 2699 kg/cm3 A1 222 W/mK 640 °C

colour: tensile strength: hardness: gloss grade: surface structure:

metall 150–230 N/mm2 22–35 HBW medium smooth

material properties material: product:

inner surface rubber Dal Rollo

density: fire protection rating: abrasion value: thermal transmission: anti-skid:

930–980 kg/cm3 B1 200 mm3 0.61 W/mK R9

colour: tensile strength: Shore-A-hardness: gloss grade: surface structure:

red 7 – 20 N/mm2 92 low smooth

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Free-form design: Production process With the advent of the new millennium the Pompidou Centre was thoroughly renovated in order to cope with the increasing demands and the evolving principles of organisation, security, as well as the cultural and exhibition activities of the museum. Although the architect Renzo Piano was globally responsible for the renovation, the design for various areas was awarded to different architectural offices selected on the basis of competitions. The restaurant “Georges”, on the uppermost, sixth floor of the Pompidou, was designed by the emerging architectural practice of Jakob + MacFarlane. The architects were responsible for the design of the whole restaurant, while the engineering firm RFR supported the project with regard to structural design, technology and site installation. The design consists of four bubbles which appear to be deformations of the floor plane. The aluminium floor surface, based on a grid of 80 by 80 cm, seems to bulge out to generate free-formed volumes; thereby allowing complementary spaces to be created and the principle room to be extended by the additional functions of VIP space, kitchen and sanitary facilities. The large spans – specifically requested by the planners, based on their conception of flexible architectural design – demonstrated their full potential in this restaurant, in terms of both function and compelling design. Paradoxically, it is this design freedom which when transferred to large-scale situations also produces unusual and unexpected problems. The deformations of the floor slabs, at mid-span, in the Pompidou Centre can reach up to 10 –15 cm when subjected to large crowd loading. The load capacity of the structure is restricted based, as it is, on the attendance figures and associated loads calculated prior to renovation.

Self-supporting shells The constructional concept combines modern architectural language with the exceptional context of the project. Macroobjects were created which have more in common with construction than with interior design. Because allowable loads were predetermined by the limitations of the existing slabs, it was necessary that the bubbles – with internal widths of approximately seven metres – be highly efficient with regard to load-bearing and weight. The result of this was that the familiar differentiation between structure and cladding became less defined; similar to the structure of an aeroplane fuselage. Self-supporting shell 142

structures were applied using the so-called “Monocoque” or structural skin technique. The aluminium envelope is fixed to structural elements and contributes to the load-bearing abilities of the entire construction. Thus the complete structure is optimised.

Shell construction The shape of the bubbles does not equate to the ideal geometry of shell structures, thus the structural effect is only partially effective and it was necessary that the bending strength of the envelope be taken into account. These two factors were cleverly combined, based on prior research and development by the Japanese engineer Matsuro Sasaki. Bubblelike forms without any variation in material thickness could be created – clear advantages for both the technical optimisation of the structure and the fabrication of the “external” envelope. The combination of this construction principle and the necessity of spanning large clear widths predetermined relatively rigid shells, which were practically incapable of responding to the relative movements of the long structural beams resulting from the irregular, mobile crowd loading which occurs in the centre. In order to ensure compatibility between the shells and the floors, each shell bears on a continuous edge beam. These beams are placed on springs in order to evenly spread the load over the slab, as well as to absorb differential movements. The most critical case was the largest shell, which is completely open on the south side. Due to the wide opening, the shell effect is less marked, and extra support was needed. The structure’s integrity is maintained by suspending the edge of the open shell from the main beam of the roof. In this case, the shell itself acts like a spring, and refined calibrations of the stiffness of the structure were required in order to accommodate the differential movements between the shell and the roof, and to ensure compatibility between the old and the new. The structural complexity of these flexible architectural forms is concealed from the users by being located beneath the floor. Technical conception and constructional requirements are inextricably interwoven. At the time, the building industry was neither capable of building such a complex shape nor demonstrating sufficient practical experience in the processing of freely formed aluminium shapes. It was therefore necessary to consider alternatives outside the building industry for the successful execution of the design. The decision was made to incorporate techniques and skills from the boat-building industry, where the ability to build articulated, double curved surfaces had long since been proven. The French shipyard

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MAG, experienced in the development of racing boats and large yachts, was appointed to build the shells. MAG’s experience with fabricating objects of minimal weight and perfect external surfaces was of paramount importance.

Fabrication The load-bearing structure consists of extruded aluminium sections arranged perpendicular to one another in parallel layers and welded to the structural skin at the haunches. The sections were cut from smooth panels using digitally controlled machines with a direct transfer of digital information from computer files to the production equipment. The skin was shaped in a double curve with the same technology used for shaping the hulls of racing boats. The process was based on press techniques and roller levelling, because simple calend-

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ering was inappropriate to the double curvature. The constant connection between the extruded sections and the aluminium skin is essential for the function of the construction system. That is, however, also a critical point for the visual appearance of the envelope; being susceptible to discolouration resulting from overheating during welding. Various tests were done in order to determine the optimal length, depth and spacing of the spot welds in order to preserve the quality of the surface while maximising the cohesion of the sections with the skin.

Assembly The actual production of elements only represents a single stage in the execution of a building project; the conditions and restrictions on site are just as relevant when selecting the construction technology. The dimensions of the bubbles – approximately 5 ≈ 3.5 ≈ 3 m – were considerably larger than the size of the largest construction lift. Due to the relatively low weight of the elements, delivering them by helicopter onto the terrace of the Pompidou Centre was briefly considered. The existing, non-reversible facades, however, put paid to this idea. The dimensions of the freight elevators and the direction of the structural extruded sections became the determining factors for the subdivision of the bubbles into as few modules, and thus the production of as few dividing lines, as possible. In order to guarantee perfect, seamless junctions, the shells were completely assembled in the shipyard shops, cut into sub-assemblies and reassembled on the terrace of the Pompidou Centre without any need for adjustment. The execution of the shells for the restaurant “Georges” demonstrates that ideal digital design is based upon practical, material preparation. The most freely-formed geometry, using the most modern 3D programs are finally only achievable with a technical process which is one part computer-controlled, and another part dependent upon industrial fabrication and technical know-how. The prerequisite here, however, was an architectural vision which had been freed from preconceived constructional concepts. Niccolo Baldassini

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Schematic illustration of aluminium skeleton in VIP room Fabrication of aluminium skeleton Envelope being welded to skeleton Subdivision of modules prior to transport Schematic illustration of elements for assembly

143

Interior Surfaces and Materials Christiane Sauer

Translucent concrete and shimmering woven metal, luminescent wallpaper, delicate ornamentation printed onto plastic panels, or petals set into laminated plastic sheeting: materials and surfaces instantly determine the atmosphere of a space. We perceive buildings and interiors through the properties of the materials applied. Through them architecture becomes colour, texture, scent – it becomes a sensual experience. The selection of suitable materials is of immense importance being, as it is, irrevocably linked with the design concept. Designers’ ideas can be either positively reinforced or thwarted by the choice of a particular material. New experience and tension can be created when materials are intentionally applied in novel, unexpected relationships. For example, the industrially fabricated woven brass fabric which frames the altar of the Dresden Synagogue by Wandel Hoefer Lorch + Hirsch (ill. 2.2), or the gold leaf ornamentation on plywood wall cladding in the concert hall of the Casa da Música in Porto by OMA (page 62ff.).

Modular Materials The production of building materials is dependent upon a variety of factors. In addition to the availability of raw materials, market and economic factors play important roles. Materials for construction and interior fit-out are part of the present-day global trade and are predominantly available as standardised products. In order to ensure efficient processes of production, particular formats and connections have become widely applicable (slabs, tiles, parquet etc.), whereby the maximum dimensions are determined by the properties of the specific materials. Through the combination of different elements to form composite or multi-layered materials, individual structural weaknesses of discrete elements can be compensated for and greater dimensional stability and rigidity achieved. The final appearance of a surface is 6.2

The identities of materials are not predetermined characteristics; rather they develop and change according to cultural and contemporary contexts. Concrete, until recently perceived as presenting cold and somewhat substandard surfaces, is now valued as something refined and pure. Marble, on the other hand, previously considered to be the epitome of luxury, is now available in great bulk as tiles. Through the industrial production of materials and globalised trade, the range of potential materials and surfaces has become almost unlimited. This presents new challenges to planners, namely to find the best, most suitable material for the individual function and purpose. In addition to design factors, parameters of function and building physics also play important roles in the selection of materials. The subjectively perceived qualities of a space are greatly influenced by acoustics, lighting and thermal comfort, and these factors are determined by the properties and characteristics of surfaces. For example, great durability, and impact and fire resistance are extremely important factors for the surfaces used in working places and public buildings. The characteristics of the selected materials must comply with these demands. The following is intended to present an inspiring and informative overview of the wide spectrum of materials available. Alternatives are discussed on the various ways of designing space by way of modular, homogenous or decorative surfaces. 145

the result of a combination of individual modules and the design approach to the resulting connection joints. While materials like plywood, webbed panels or expanded mesh tended to lead a shadowy existence previously, they are enjoying a renaissance with the rediscovery of their aesthetic qualities. Thus, back-lit polycarbonate panels have almost come to be the trademark of Rem Koolhaas’ architectural language. These plastic panels have been utilised in areas of elegant, superior ambience like the Rotterdam Art Hall Complex, in the Prada Store in New York and the Embassy for the Netherlands in Berlin. The following pages describe those materials, based on modular design, which are of particular importance for interior design. 6.3

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Slabs and Panels Mineral-bonded slabs One of the most commonly used materials for structural fit-out is plasterboard. It consists of a core of gypsum plaster between two layers of stable board. It is particularly suitable for suspended ceilings and facing wall constructions in interiors. The standard dimensions measure 600 ≈ 2000 ≈ 12.5 mm. The joints between the panels are filled and subsequently sanded smooth so that large, joint-free surfaces can be produced. Plasterboard panels have moisture-regulating properties but are, however, susceptible to direct contact with water. Painting, rendering or wallpapering can all be applied to plasterboard panels without problem. The sound insulating properties of plasterboard can be further enhanced by perforation of the panels while still in the factory. Further specialisations like fire retardant, climate regulating and moisture resistant panels in addition to rear-scored panels for curvature are also produced. Plasterboard walls are not approved as structurally load-bearing or bracing internal walls. Specifically manufactured for usage in wetrooms are cement panels with a core of Portland cement clad on both sides with glass-fibre reinforcement. Similar techniques to plasterboard are used for the processing of these panels; they are, however, harder and more brittle. They are particularly suitable for the base beneath ceramic layers, are fire resistant and resistant to the development of mould. The standard dimensions measure 900 ≈ 1250 ≈ 12.5 mm. Fibre-cement slabs are produced out of stabilised plastic and cellulose fibres, cement and water. They can be used as both facade panels externally and high-quality internal surfaces. They are available in various tones of grey or can be pigmented; they are fire resistant and impermeable to water. The maximum dimensions measure 1500 ≈ 3100 mm and come in thicknesses of between 6 and 20 mm. A more natural, environmentally-friendly and climate regulating alternative for dry construction are loam construction panels. They are mounted to sub-structures and fixed with non-rusting screws and, in order to achieve a homogenous surface, finally finished with loam render. The thicknesses vary between 20 and 60 mm and the largest available panel sizes measure approximately 1500 ≈ 624 mm. Compact panels for internal fit-out situations are manufactured out of a mix of loam and additives like plant fibres or timber shavings. They are fully decomposable, 100 % recyclable and can be processed with standard woodwork and masonry tools. Concrete panels made of fine concrete can be applied both

in interior spaces as well as externally for building envelopes (ill. 6.3). Due to the fine-grained composition of the concrete and the reinforcement of glass fibres, material thicknesses of 8 to 13 mm can be effectively produced. Thus large-format, lightweight yet stable, rigid panels can be constructed up to 1200 ≈ 3600 mm. Fixing connections are based on anchor elements connected to the rear of the panels and into the load-bearing structure. Timber panels and timber construction boards Timber construction materials consist of either multiple layers of timber which are laminated to one another with perpendicularly alternating direction of fibre (plywood), or of finely processed timber shavings which are bonded with either adhesives or mineral compounds and pressed to form boards (particle board). Due to the high stability of plywood panels, they are particularly suitable for bracing or even constructional elements in interiors. The layers of timber, rotated from each other at 90 ° are fully laminated and create a material composition free of internal stresses. Particle boards are pressed from timber shavings of varying sizes which have been mixed with bonding agents. This material is highly economical, easy to process and is particularly appropriate for the cladding of walls (ill. 6.4). Fibreboards consist predominantly of timber particles which have been pressed into panels under the application of heat either with or without the addition of binding agents. The stability of the panels is determined by the density. They posses one smooth surface and edges and drill holes can be produced with comparatively sharp profiles. Pigmented, grey and even black versions of these panels have been produced. In order to achieve curves, panels are scored on the rear side and subsequently bent to form. All timber construction panels are suitable for the application of varnishes, paints or oils. Fibreboards and particleboards are susceptible to moisture, because the absorption of water is manifested as “swelling” of the material. Otherwise timber construction material is considered dimensionally stable, because the forces of expansion and contraction of the plywood panels work against each other, as it were, due to their perpendicular characteristic, or that the particle board elements – being essentially made up of shavings – are incapable of applying forces. By altering timber construction materials with perforations or scoring, and mounting them with acoustic fabrics or other insulating materials, the sound absorption properties of the surfaces can be greatly enhanced. Even open joints between ceiling panels can be acoustically effective. The amount of acoustic improvement is dependent upon the height of the spacing between suspended ceiling and load-bearing slab, as well as the type of perforations.

6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6

6.6

High pressure laminate, Dekodur Woven brass fabric, Dresden Synagogue, 2001 Wandel Hoefer Lorch + Hirsch Glass fibre concrete slabs, Festival Theatre Bregenz, 2006 Dietrich I Untertrifaller Plywood panels, house in Zurndorf, 2005 PPAG Architects Metal panels, Caixa Forum Madrid, 2008 Herzog & de Meuron Composite glass wall, Dal Bat Showroom Granada, 2005 Estudio de Arquitectura Antonio Jimenez Torrecillas

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6.8

Metal panels Metal is distinguished by excellent structural properties, in addition to high-quality, consistent surfaces. Both closed surfaces as well as lightweight non-continuous structures can be formed for interior situations by using solid metal sheeting, perforated sheeting or expanded metal mesh. Due to the structural stability in association with low weight, metal sheeting is particularly appropriate for application as ceiling cladding. Here galvanised steel or aluminium sheeting are most commonly used, which can easily be formed to produced coffering elements with bent edging and suspended in structural metal frameworks. One result of the resultant modularity of these systems is the ease with which installations and technical services, which are mounted in the ceiling cavity, can be accessed. In order to further improve sound absorption of the surfaces, perforated metal sheeting can be backed with absorbent fabric or acoustic layers of mineral wool insulation. In order to avoid undesirable denting or thermal expansion, composite sandwich panels are often used. They usually consist of synthetic resin cores with aluminium sheeting or aluminium honeycomb sheeting laminated with aluminium cover sheeting to both sides. Due to the lamination of the various composite layers, no elongation of any great amount is possible; thus joint dimensions between the individual panels can be minimised. Metal sheeting can also be fully laminated to supporting panels of timber construction boards and so be applied as wall or floor surfaces. In such a case it is of great importance to consider the different expansion properties of the materials and select the correct lamination medium. Although the standard size of metal sheeting panels is 1000 ≈ 2000 mm and large scale panels measure 1500 ≈ 3000 mm, even larger sizes are possible to order due to the fact that raw metal sheeting is produced in rolls. Panel sizes for coffers, perforated sheeting or expanded mesh are dependent upon product, system and manufacturer. Glass panels Glass essentially consists of quartz sand, sodium carbonate and calcium oxide in addition to other additives which are all fused together at temperatures exceeding 1000 °C. This transparent material is exceptionally versatile: glass panels, hollow glass blocks or figured glass can be used for non-structural internal walling as well as balustrades or transparent sliding doors. For situations where safety is a relevant aspect; overhead glazing, safety barriers or glass walls, highly specific safety standards apply in order to avoid sharp-edged splinters and injuries resulting from falls against glass. Toughened glass and laminated glass are particularly suitable for these situations; toughened glass breaks into blunt pieces when broken and laminated glass – where a number of panes are laminated together via the insertion of an intermediate plastic membrane – retains the splintered glass in the composite construction. For a showroom by Antonio Jimenez Torrecillas in Granada, glass was used as a solid composite wall rather than as composite panes. Six millimetre-thick and eight centimetre-wide strips of glass were vertically laminated together. Unpolished edges accentuate, in situations with glancing light, the particular qualities of the material (ill. 6.6). The pore-free, smooth glass surface is excellent for specific

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surface treatments like etching or coating. Novel microscopic layers allow the surface to acquire water repellent or even anti-bacterial properties. At the push of a button, glass can change from transparent to opaque, so that the material surfaces can adapt to various room functions. Even lighting can be directly incorporated into the material today: LEDs appear to float freely within the glass yet to glow with light. In fact they are set into double-layered laminated glass and almost invisibly connected with the finest of wiring thereby being electrically supplied. The cold light of the LEDs is extremely durable; more than 100,000 hours, thus the “changing of light bulbs” is not necessary within the expected life of the design. Glass elements are not only suitable as wall elements – highquality flooring can also be created of glass. In order to achieve the necessary anti-slip properties (R9 - R11), the surface can be blasted, etched or even screen printed with a ceramic grid pattern. Plastic panels The area of interior design which is associated with plastic materials is extremely large. These materials are based on organic-chemical compounds which are essentially built from carbon and oxygen. They are distinguished by the structure of the various macro-molecules and the associated arrangement of the polymers; thermoplastics, elastomers and thermo-setting plastics. Thermoplastic materials, for example polyethylene, can be recycled by shredding and melting, thermo-setting plastics, for example epoxy resin, cannot be recycled by thermal processes. Acrylic glass, polyester panels, polycarbonate panels and glass-fibre-reinforced plastics can be used for cladding elements in interior spaces. Recycled panels with a variety of different patterns offer interesting new materials to the designer’s palette. The forms of these products consist of solid panels, web panels corrugated panels, trapezoidal panels or honeycomb-section panels. Polycarbonate panels with double or multiple webs are often used as stable, self-supporting panels. Due to their translucence, they are often used for back-lit situations (ill. 6.7). Honeycomb-section plastic panels are aesthetically very pleasing and particularly stable. Honeycomb panels with transparent covering membranes can be constructed of plastic or, just as well, of aluminium. With the further application of patterned perforations to such a panel, sound micro-absorbers are created. The principle is based on perforations with diameter of 0.2 to 0.8 mm. The sound energy is transformed into thermal energy by the friction occurring at the edges of the perforations and thus neutralised. The material reduces the reflected sound, sinks the reverberation time and can appear aesthetically interesting when illuminated from behind. The “microsorbers” are also available as polycarbonate membranes, tensioned ceiling systems or prefabricated partition walling elements.

6.9

Mineral-based construction panels Mineral-based materials are composites based on acrylic resins or polyesters with mineral filling materials. They are available as panels, but can also be individually curved or otherwise formed by way of thermo-elastic processes – with hydraulic presses or vacuum equipment – at temperatures of approximately 170 °C. They are stone-like yet velvety and can be joined without visible connections to produce apparently 149

endless surfaces. These materials have found great usage particularly in bathroom and kitchen applications over the past few years (ill. 6.8). The pore-free surface can be conveniently re-sanded and regenerated as necessary. Panel thicknesses of 12 mm are necessary for horizontal applications, while panels of 6 mm suffice for vertical wall cladding. A fire-retardant version of the material in B 1 quality is now available, as well as translucent alternatives – lending even more scope to the design possibilities of back-lighting. Textile panels In order to improve spatial acoustics – in office spaces with “hard” flooring and large format glazing – textile-clad panels can be used as flexible partition walling. Woollen felt is particularly suitable here. Felt panels absorb 80 % of sound in the entire range of frequencies and also optimise the climatic atmosphere of a room due to their moisture regulating properties. Another acoustic system is based on aluminium framing with two layers of fabric fixed by a tension mechanism with a cavity between. The hollow cavities between and behind the fabric layers are adjustable to provide optimal acoustic performance. Tiles Ceramic tiles Ceramics have been produced for thousands of years from the basic raw material clay; tiles can be divided into earthenware and stoneware. While stoneware is fired at temperatures of 1200 to 1300 °C and therefore highly resilient, earthenware is fired at lower temperatures and requires glazing in order to repel water. Stoneware can be decoratively glazed when desired, but it is not necessary. Glazing is susceptible to abrasion damage over the course of time and is therefore not recommended for high-wear situations. It is recommended that an impregnation be applied to unglazed tiles in order to more easily remove dirt. Ceramics are generally highly resilient and long-wearing, possess a high level of thermal retention and are therefore appropriate for combination with under-floor heating systems. The surface properties can easily be adapted to various safety requirements during production. Tiles are available in a great range of different dimensions; large format tiles are usually 60 by 60 cm or even up to 120 cm in length. High-density, highly resilient porcelain ceramic can even be produced in sizes of 1 by 3 metres at a thickness of 3 millimetres. Particular attention should be paid to the selection of grout colour; the jointing of tiles is a surprisingly important aspect of the overall appearance of the final design. Tiles can be laid in thick beds of mortar (10 –15 mm) or in thin beds (3 – 8 mm), depending upon the type and uniformity of the ceramic. Cement-bonded tiles and panels Cement tiles have been manufactured based on white Portland cement since the close of the 19th century. The introduction of fine additives, for example marble dust, can advantageously affect the colour and surface of the material. These panels are extremely resilient, have smooth, almost silky surface properties and acquire a patina over time. Tile dimensions are usually 10 by 10 or 20 by 20 cm. The rougher-looking concrete artificial stones are sawn out of 150

blocks in sizes of 30 by 30 cm to 50 by 50 cm. Cement is used as the bonding agent, while various different additives – gravel or pigments – affect the final appearance of the tiles. These tiles, with thicknesses of 20 to 50 cm are set in thick beds of mortar. Natural stone tiles and panels Every stone quarry produces its own individual type of stone; with unique characteristics which can alter over longer periods of production due to the natural combinations and development of the stone layers. In interior design, all different types of natural stone can be used – from marble to sandstone, limestone to quartz. Even semi-precious stones, like onyx and alabaster, can be applied in particular situations. This imperative to consider, not only colour and visual effects when selecting stones, but also the surface properties of the stone. These can be obtained in qualities varying from split and sawn to highly polished surfaces. Natural stone surfaces are highly durable and have low abrasion values, compared with most other surface applications. Granite and other similar hard stone varieties exhibit almost no visible traces of usage even after many hundreds of years. Due to the excellent thermal storage capacity of natural stone, it is particularly suitable for application in conjunction with underfloor heating systems. It is also a highly effective thermal buffer for the collection of solar energy adjacent to south-facing windows; storing the warmth during the day and releasing it back into the internal environment at night. Natural stone tiles of up to 15mm thickness are laid in thin beds of mortar; thicker tiles are best set in middle and thick mortar beds. Standard widths are 15 to 40 cm, and lengths vary. Specifically produced detail tiles and mosaics are also available for use in interiors. Glass tiles Glass is also produced in tile or mosaic formats for predominantly internal application. Particularly complex forms and curves are best treated with small scale mosaic tiles, which are available in sizes of 10 by 10 mm. They are laid in nets on thin beds of mortar. Wet zones and swimming pools are often finished with glass tiles due to their particularly high durability. The spectrum of glass tiles ranges from the use of Murano glass through to tiles coated with various metallic layers – even gold. Leather tiles Leather flooring creates a luxurious, exclusive atmosphere. Hard-wearing leather is available in tiles for this purpose. Leather tiles are suitable for both living areas as well as principle zones. The original material is treated to enhance its water repellent properties. Small stones can, of course, still damage the surface of these tiles; as such it is important to incorporate a sufficiently large clean-off floor zone prior to the leather flooring. Over time, these types of floors develop their own individual patina, comparable with that of a used saddle. Tile dimensions range from 20 to 50 centimetres.

Homogeneous Surfaces “Spaces cast from a single mould” is a recurring motive in contemporary architecture. Walls, floor, ceiling and even furnishings merge to create three-dimensional spatial

sculptures. But which materials are most suitable for these concepts? These constructions can be divided into two basic types; either the spatial envelope is cast in a single pour, like exposed concrete, or homogeneous coatings are applied as joint-free as possible to a supporting structure. For freelyformed amorphous geometry, such materials are best supported by rear-scored flexible plasterboard or timber construction board constructions. The top surfaces can be filled, sanded and subsequently coated with the desired material. Various plastics are also suitable for the fabrication of homogeneous surfaces. The connection of mineral compound construction panels enables the development of homogeneous areas with almost invisible junctions. Zaha Hadid skilfully applied this industrial material in her design of the interior of a storey in the Hotel Puerta America in Madrid (page 32ff.). Three-dimensionally formed shells of mineral compound bulge to produce a homogeneous, flowing landscape. Wafer-thin plastic membranes of PVC or EFTE can also be welded together in order to produce larger areas or modules when desired. There has been a technological boom in this field of technology in the past few years. The area of particular interest is the possibility of playing with the effects of light. In a fashion boutique from Acconci Studio in Tokyo the interior is entirely clad with sheets of white PVC (ill. 6.10). Supported by steel tubing they form everything from shelving to counters. The tightly stretched plastic sheets conceal fluorescent lighting which illuminates the entire boutique. Textiles can also be used like membranes to create large areas; convex and concave forms can be achieved relatively easily. A homogeneous, expansive ambience can also be effectively created by using optically continuous floor coverings. A great variety of surfaces are suitable, for example based on cement or synthetic resin, in addition to plastic coatings and carpet. An example of such a design is the dentist’s practice in Berlin by Graft (page 82ff.). The floor bulges and becomes the walls; an open atmosphere is created without spatial barriers. The synthetic cladding supported by pre-formed plasterboard sheeting creates a space that is a flowing continuum.

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6.11

Coatings Screed There is a great variety of floor coatings available based on mineral compounds. The oldest form is terrazzo, which was used in the villas of antique Rome. Terrazzo is highly durable and thus suitable for areas of intense usage. Although the production is more involved than many other flooring techniques the durability of the resultant product justifies the effort. Characteristic additives in the cement matrix are colour pigments and natural stone chippings (marble, porphyry or tuff) which are exposed after repeated grinding of the set material. Standard thicknesses are 20 to 30 mm and jointing

6.7

Polycarbonate web panels, Prada Store New York, 2001 OMA 6.8 translucent mineral-based construction panels, DuPont Corian 6.9 Ceramic tiles, Casa da Música Porto, 2005 OMA 6.10 Plastic sheeting, fashion boutique in Tokyo, 2003 Acconci Studio 6.11 Linoleum sheeting, canteen in Karlsruhe, 2006 Jürgen Mayer H.

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6.13

should be incorporated according to the properties of the constituent materials. Cement screed – economical, robust and easily applied to a variety of different situations – is the most widely used floor coating in the building industry today. By grinding or finishing screeds with power trowels, followed by sealing of the surface, it is possible to create optically attractive floor surfaces with rough, industrial nuances. But there are other screeds which are suitable for finished floor surfaces: anhydrous, or calcium sulphate, screed is self-levelling due to its consistency. The shrinkage is less than that of cement screed which means that larger areas can be finished without the need for expansion or contraction joints – it is, however, susceptible to moisture. Magnesium screed is a relatively soft mixture of magnesium oxide and magnesium chloride solution with additives like cork, textile fibres or saw dust. It is also highly susceptible to moisture. It is often found in post-war constructions in Germany as magnesite was frequently used as a substitute to the temporarily scarce material cement. Bitumen is used as the bonding agent for mastic screeds which include ground stone, sand and fine and coarse gravel. This material can be poured without joints; the working temperature is 250°C. This places heavy demands on the base construction which must be made of a heat-resistant material. Mastic screeds are water resistant, vapour-proof and flame resistant. The viscosity of the material causes permanent markings to result from point loads. Plaster and render Due to the great range of different surface finishes, plasters can fulfil both aesthetic and functional purposes in interiors. Interior plaster is usually applied in thicknesses of 10 to 15 mm. The plaster requires a permanent bond with the subsurface. The most widely used internal plasters are gypsum plaster, lime plaster and cement plaster. Gypsum plaster can be very finely finished and sanded and has moisture regulating effect on the internal environment. It is however inappropriate for wetrooms, where cement plaster is more suitable. Lime plaster is appropriate for different internal functions. The porous surface, permeable to diffusion, is capable of filtering hazardous materials from the environment and equalising moisture variations. Lime plaster is the basis for stucco lustro, which is applied in a multitude of different layers. The top surface is treated with ground marble powder and finished with wax. Other traditional plaster treatments like washing out and sgraffito also create interesting appearances. Clay render is highly advantageous to the internal climate of a space. It is a mix of clay soil and plant fibres and is capable of absorbing great quantities of moisture from the air. Innovative renders and phase change materials (PCM) include embedded micro-paraffin beads which absorb the excess thermal energy from a space and slowly release it back into the environment at a later time. Thus spaces can be protected from overheating and climatic peaks can be regulated. Spatial acoustics can also be positively affected by internal renders; so-called acoustic renders, based on hydraulic bonding agents with porous additives, are usually applied as sprayed renders. Plastic Plastic coatings were specially developed for industry due to their properties of high durability.

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They are usually produced with epoxy or polyurethane bases. These two-part ingredients consist of resin and a hardener, which are mixed immediately before use and quickly harden within a specific time frame. Their thicknesses are usually between 3 and 6 mm. Synthetic resin flooring is impermeable to fluids, impact resistant and resistant to chemicals. The poured surface has a smooth appearance which can be produced either matt or glossy. By mixing pigments to the constituents all RAL colours can be produced. More complicated, sophisticated traction requirement can be achieved with the addition of quartz sand. For horizontal applications, polyurethane resin can be sprayed or epoxy resin applied to the specific surface with a trowel. Metal Metal coating represents one of the newest techniques of surface treatment; it is applied in fluid form onto substructures of timber, ceramic, plastic or other metals. The metal skin can be bronze, copper, brass, aluminium, iron or steel – it retains the natural properties of the metal, like the building of a patina. The gilding of surfaces is, of course, a tradition going back hundreds of years. Here, thin films of gold leaf or silver leaf are applied to the substructure. Metal leaf which does not include true gold or silver is a more economical alternative and is called composition gold. Coverings Elastic coverings Linoleum is a sustainable product manufactured from the raw materials linseed oil and pine resin, mixed with timber, cork and stone meal and subsequently spread over a base of jute fabric. Linoleum coverings possess antibacterial properties, insulate against impact-produced sound and are flame resistant. The covering can be obtained in rolls up to 30 metres in length. Elastic rubber coverings are based on a mixture of synthetic rubber and the more seldom natural rubber, tapped from tropical rubber trees. They are free from plasticisers, are wear resistant, flame resistant and provide good insulation against impact-produced sound. PVC coverings are more economical than rubber coverings and consist of polyvinylchloride and filling materials like chalk. They contain plasticisers which contribute to the thermo-plastic properties of the finished product but also produce toxic fumes in the event of a fire. Individual rolls can be welded to produce large homogeneous areas. PVC coverings are essentially resistant to chemicals and are water proof. There are many PVC alternatives on the market which imitate stone and timber surfaces. An alternative to PVC are the polyolefin floor coverings (PO), which are independent of plasticisers. They are free of odour, can be welded joint-free and are flame resistant. They do, however, tend to swell when they come into contact with moisture, and also tend to expand under the effects of heat – this must be taken into consideration when laying the materials. Timber coverings Natural timber combines a warm, agreeable ambience with highly durable material properties – natural visual appearance with long-wearing characteristics. Locally grown hardwoods in Germany are oak, maple, beech and ash, larch and

pine are semi-hard, and fir and spruce are softwoods. More exotic timbers like olive and walnut are enjoying increased popularity due to their accentuated grains. Bamboo has also become more popular recently because it is a hardwood yet lightweight, grows quickly and has an interesting, fine texture similar to that of cork. Cork itself, a product of the bark of the cork tree, is an extremely elastic floor covering and presents excellent sound insulating properties. Timber surfaces can be sealed, waxed, impregnated or oiled. Possible colour treatments consist of staining, varnishing, and the use of pigmented oils or lime whitewash. Standard forms of timber floor coverings are boards or parquet. Full-timber floor boards present a rustic appearance; they are laid on top of structural timbers and are available in lengths of 1 to 6 metres with widths of up to 35 millimetres. In order to prevent shrinkage between the boards at a later date, only sufficiently dried timber should be used. In addition to solid timber floor boards, layered boards are also available with a top layer and a base layer; they are dimensionally more stable than solid timber boards. Parquet usually refers to smaller blocks of timber which are combined to great a large area of flooring. It is either laid on impact-sound insulation in a floating system, (concealed) nailed to a false floor or adhesive fixed to a smooth base, for example a concrete screed. The individual blocks of the parquet floor are interconnected via tongue and groove junctions. The blocks are solid timber elements up to 22 millimetres thick (solid parquet) or laminated cross-wise to produce layered parquet. Solid parquet is usually sanded and treated with wax, oil or varnish after being put down. Multi-layered parquet is manufactured with a sealed upper layer. Industrial parquet is constructed differently in that the blocks are laminated together, parallel, on edge. The individual blocks are 22 millimetres wide. As a renewable resource, timber is becoming ever more important. When selecting timber from tropical zones, it is important to take into account that the source of the timber is a certified FSC forest (Forest Stewardship Council) indicating that the timber has been grown within a sustainable system. Textile coverings Textile coverings offer climatically agreeable, sound absorbing, home-like atmospheres. This is true for carpets as well as vertical wall coverings. In order to cover walls, textiles are stretched over frames which can be fixed to the walls. The textiles can be easily removed for the purposes of cleaning by the use of clamps. The selection of carpets ranges from luxurious, deep pile materials to durable, long-wearing surfaces suitable for principal areas and wheelchair users. Their constitution is based on natural fibres, for example wool, coconut and sisal or synthetic fibres like polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), polyester (PES), polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or mixed fibres. Electrostatic charges can develop when users walk across synthetic textiles. In order to negate this uncomfortable

6.12 Interactive flooring, LightFader by TAL 6.13 Coloured surfaces, advertising agency in Stuttgart, 2001 zipherspaceworks

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6.15

effect, it is possible to weave in fine metallic threads or yarn with a proportion of carbon. Impact sound can be reduced by up to 40 dB with deep pile carpets according to studies from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. Since carpets sometimes present large fire risks it is necessary to observe the necessary fire regulations. Textile classifications range from T-a (flame resistant ) to T-c (easily flammable). Carpets are divided into low pile and deep pile carpets. In low pile carpets warp and weft create a relatively flat structure, while deep pile carpets consist of threads of yarn woven into a backing material so that the threads stand up vertically. When the upper loops in loop-pile carpet are left uncut a “bouclé” carpet is the result, when the loops are cut a “velour” carpet is produced. The dense, velvety surface is characteristic for this material. Carpets are usually completely glued to the underneath floor surface, for smaller areas it is possible to fix the carpet at the walls and at door junctions. In order to be able to replace a carpet in the future the process of stretching the carpet and fixing it to nail strips may be considered. New developments in material science have enabled carpets to develop additional functions. Rather than just representing a usable floor finish, the backing layers can include catalysing coatings which can filter hazardous materials from the air, like tobacco smoke or formaldehyde. Harmful substances are not simply absorbed, but rather converted and neutralised, such that the air cleansing effect of the carpet does not diminish over time. An “intelligent” carpet capable of recognising when it is being trodden upon and of recording this information is no longer a dream of the future. Miniscule microchips can be integrated into the backing of the carpet, connected via a network to each other and to a computer. Pressure sensors can therefore set off an alarm as soon as someone enters a secure zone. Other alternatives of this technology are the automatic activation of door openers, lighting or the control of visitor numbers. In combination with LEDs integrated into the carpet, interactive lighting systems can be produced. Hangings Textile hangings are usually applied immediately in front of window openings and provide privacy, and glare and sun protection. The large-scale application of textile hangings enables the material to become a room defining element and dramatically improve the acoustics of the space. In principal areas it is necessary that hangings are selected with flame retarding properties. The spectrum of these materials is extremely wide: from gauze-like open weave textile to heavy, fully opaque sun protecting and acoustic fabrics. They can be manufactured as roller blinds, vertical louvers, Austrian blinds or flat curtains. Materials range from silk, linen, cotton and velvet to synthetic fibres like the flame retarding Trevira CS. Recent developments include adhesive textiles which have adhesive backings and can be directly fixed to non-porous, smooth surfaces like glass. Protective functions can also be fulfilled by hangings: the interweaving of thin metal fibres in a grid structure into textiles can help screen electro smog. Textile hangings produce a sensation of ease and comfort, and can be easily adapted mechanically to alter lighting conditions or other functions.

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Decorative Surfaces In addition to the haptic properties of surfaces, the optic aspects also play an important role in the perception of a space. Light and colour influence our wellbeing and produce specific atmospheres. The visual appearance of an object is highly dependent upon the structure of the surface. Surfaces can be polished to mirror-like qualities, or scatter light with rough, dull textures. Patterns, ornamentation and illustrative depictions can determine the specific formal, cultural or temporal context of a design. Colours and motives are influenced by contemporary fashionable currents: we only have to think about the typical brownorange spectrum which is irrevocably associated with the 1970s, or the dogmatic white and straight lines of the classic modernists. Colour spectrums also vary culturally and regionally. In sunny southern lands, powerful colour spectrums are more widely used than in northern and central Europe. Colour Physically speaking, colour is a sensation – induced by electromagnetic radiation of varying wavelengths. Colour perception is dependent upon the spectral combination of light and the reflective properties of the illuminated object. In building practice, we often apply “colour” to surfaces in the form of coatings – paints or emulsions. These fluid, paste-like or powdered products consist of binding agents, solvents as well as inert fillers and additives. The binding agents are responsible for the adherence to the undercoat or base and bind the solid particles in the material. Solvents are produced on either organic or aqueous bases and ensure the necessary viscosity during application. The most widely used interior wall paints are water soluble. When selecting appropriate paints the surface properties of the base play an important role (smooth, open pores, absorbent) and the requirements being placed on the final surface finish (abrasion resistant, colour fast, breathable, self-cleaning).

Glass Glass can be coloured in a variety of ways. Chemical additives can be directly introduced during the production process to ensure homogeneous colouring. Coloured PVB membranes can be laminated between two panes of glass to produce laminated safety glass. These are available in either transparent or translucent varieties. Another alternative is the application of ceramic colours to the surface of the glass which are permanently and durably bonded to the surface. Colour changing surfaces Surfaces which are capable of changing their colours become fascinating interactive elements when applied to design concepts. Thermochromic pigments alter their colours when they reach a specific, predetermined temperature. The pigments can be mixed into coatings and plastics which when applied to surfaces can change their colours through body warmth or hot water. A mechanical technique for affecting colour change is panels with “double floors”. A fluid is integrated between a solid flooring layer and an upper, elastic surface layer; the fluid is forced away by the weight of the users and allows the optical structure of the surface to change at that point. When the area is back-lit, a visible footprint appears on the floor, which disappears again a short time later (ill. 6.12). Dichroitic coatings applied to glass or plastic alter their colour according to location of the observer and incidence of light. This effect is the result of the refraction of the light into its spectral components via reflection and transmission. The result is a surface which oscillates between various colour 6.16

Timber For the colouring of timber or even of concrete surfaces, varnished are the most widely used application. These have very finely dispersed, minimal pigmentation or colourful, noncovering pigments. The base is coloured without covering up the natural structure beneath. When staining timber, it is possible to darken or lighten it. Chemical stains permeate into the surface and react with the natural tannin in the timber. Metal Even metal can be stained. This relies on the principle that acids and alkali chemically react with the surface. Thus the colour tone and surface properties of the metal are altered. Through anodising processes, aluminium can be permanently coloured, whereby salts force their way into the pores of the material and chemically alter the surface of the metal. Powder coating is another process of permanently colouring metals. Here, pigment powder is electro-statically applied to the base material and subsequently baked. A durable, permanent layer of colour is the result.

6.17

6.14 Multilaminar wood veneers, Tabu 6.15 Milled timber structure, house in New York, 2006 Herzog & de Meuron 6.16 3-D-plate made from stainless steel, Fielitz 6.17 Profiled glass, 360 Glass

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tones and between transparency and reflection. The artist Olafur Eliasson often works with this material in his projects and developed a dichroitic facade for the new Icelandic Concert and Conference Centre in Reykjavik. Many colour design techniques can be found in the lighting technology industry. Through controlled LEDs based on redyellow-blue concepts, it is possible to illuminate large areas in all colours of the spectrum in a continuous, uninterrupted manner. Glass systems utilise this principle; light is absorbed into the glass panes through the edge of the panel to then be released through the plane of the glass in a myriad of small printed white points. It appears as if the glass is illuminated from within. Structure Structure results from the type of surface treatment and is seen as either two or three-dimensional patterns in the surface. The surface can be formed by printing or stamping, or milling or even blasting with water or sand. With the assistance of modern-day computer technology any desired geometrical shapes can be transferred exactly and immediately from the CAD drawings to the working equipment and thus to the desired material. When materials posses their own integral patterning or graining, like timber or stone, these structures can be removed with the appropriate techniques; sanding or blasting. Chemical methods like etching can also be used to alter the surfaces of glass and metal.

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6.19

6.20

6.21

Metal Metals are particularly good materials for the creation of structures; three-dimensional motives can be produced by stamping and embossing (ill. 6.16). Perforations pierce the surface and transform them into more diaphanous materials, cutting and grinding produce various lustering and delustering effects. Highly polished stainless steel can even achieve the quality and clarity of a mirror. Relatively new developments are woven metal fabrics and foams. Metal fabrics are fascinating mixes of metallic surfaces and flowing textile properties. They are usually produced of stainless steel or galvanised steel. The automobile industry has developed aluminium foam to act as a shock absorber which, due to its enlarged internal surface area can absorb great amounts of energy and redistribute it. Thus metals, as well as synthetic materials, are more often taking on the responsibilities of stable, lightweight building elements. The large surfaces areas present excellent thermal absorption and thus allow the incorporation of large areas of metal-foam panels which act as climate controlling heating or cooling elements in interiors. Apart from these interesting developments, the semitransparent, metallic structure is highly aesthetic and has already been applied in various internal situations as partition walling. Timber Timber already has a naturally profiled surface. Fine and rare timbers are used exclusively for decorative surfaces, not for construction materials. The timber is cut to 0.5 to 2.5 millimetre thin veneer sheets and mounted to base boards, for example particleboards. Extremely thin veneer sheets can also be laminated between panes of glass and subsequently back-lit. The arrangement of the veneer sheets plays an important role in the overall effect of design solutions. Vertically arranged

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sheets of veneer enable the grain patterning to continue whereas horizontally arranged sheets repeat the patterning. Depending upon the selection of timber the patterning can be either restrained or dramatic. The so-called synthetic veneers have artificial grain textures. Various different veneer strips are laminated together to produce blocks, partially stained and cut into veneer sheets perpendicular to the layers. Thus a large spectrum of abstract patterns can be achieved with real timber (ill. 6.14). Three-dimensional timber grain textures can also be produced with modern CNC milling techniques. The computer-generated pattern is directly transferred to the milling machine and from there to the solid timber panels or timber construction boards (ill. 6.15). Glass When selecting glass for interior applications designers can choose between smooth, even, transparent flat glass and solid, translucent, cast glass with irregular, non-transparent surfaces. The difference lies in the production process. Flat glass is produced using the float technique, where molten glass is poured onto liquid tin and develops an extremely smooth, even surface due to the surface tension of the metal. The surfaces of a pane of float glass are exactly parallel to each other which ensures that vision through the glass is unimpaired. Surface treatments, like sand blasting or etching, are carried out after the production process. Cast glass, however, is shaped by pressing and rolling, thereby receiving its surface texture – either on one or both sides – during the production process. In order to improve the impact resistance of the glass, or in order to achieve another surface texture, wires or other additives may be introduced (ill. 6.17). 6.22

Concrete Concrete is a poured material, thus the formwork provides the negative of the final surface effect. There are a great variety of elastic synthetic matrices which can be set into the formwork in order to obtain particular surface effects in concrete – when desired custom-made designs can also be produced. These matrices are complete rubber mats with an average thickness of 8 to 10 mm; the structural depth must be added to this dimension. Concrete, which is synonymous with solidity in construction, achieves a new, unexpected lightness; in furniture and interior design surfaces can be constructed which imitate concrete with only a few millimetres thickness of mineral coating. This layer is applied to a timber construction baseboard and can be fashioned with classic timber work tools. Light-transporting glass fibres set into concrete enable the creation of the so-called “transparent concrete”. The metallic heaviness of the concrete disappears, light permeates the material and it appears lightweight and refined (ill. 6.19).

6.18 Textile acoustic panel, Offecct 6.19 Translucent concrete, Litracon 6.20 Pigmented exposed concrete with leaves set in the formwork, Waldorf School Augsburg, 2007 ott Architects 6.21 Concrete surface textured with rubber mould and painted black, University Library in Utrecht, 2004 Wiel Arets 6.22 Pigmented smooth concrete surface with jointing chapel in Valleaceron, 2005 Sancho-Madridejos

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Natural stone Natural stone can also achieve a new lightness and brilliance through the effects of back-lighting. Not all types of stone, however, are suitable for this process, but the semi-precious stones alabaster and onyx are. Their application in a space always introduces a note of elegance and refinement. A new development is the so-called stone veneers. Veneer panels with thicknesses of 0.1 to 2 mm are split or sawn from blocks of slate or granite. These relatively thin stone layers are reinforced with resin and glass fibres and can be used as decorative veneers. The panels can be obtained in sizes of about 1 by 2 metres. Timber construction boards and lightweight construction panels are suitable baseboards, thereby making possible the construction of panels or furniture with true stone effects yet with minimal weight. 6.23

Textiles Soft, three-dimensional structures can be achieved with textile materials. They have excellent acoustic effects. Individual panels or modules can be combined to create large continuous areas either directly on the wall surfaces or located within spaces as flexible partitioning. These products are particularly effective in office spaces because they can absorb high frequencies from 500 Hz (ill. 6.18).

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Ornamentation Pictorial illustration and ornamental patterning are extremely popular design elements today. The modern movement of the early 20th century banned ornamentation from its repertoire although it had played an immensely important role until that time, particularly in representational and residential constructions. For example in religious building, illustrations were used to communicate massages, or facade ornamentation used to signify the status of a building and, by association, its owners. Today, ornamentation is no longer the exclusive realm of the wealthy. “New” ornamentation techniques are often inspired by designs originating in nature. Even highly complex organic forms can effortlessly be copied with digital techniques and the information directly transferred to CNC milling machines and digital printing equipment. The simplicity of operating this technology allows custom-designed, projectspecific motives and patterns to be easily created. Printing Digital printing techniques are today capable of printing permanent, colour-fast, photo quality pictures onto textiles, areas of glass, ceramics and even timber construction panels. With the so-called thermo-sublimation technique it is even possible to print on mineral-based construction materials. Digitally prepared graphics, photos or texts are permanently inserted into the surface by way of this vacuum-based process. Composite construction materials like laminates are decorated by way of incorporated printed papers. The decorative paper of the high-pressure-laminates are pressed with a hard phenolic resin core and receive a highly resistant protective coating of melamine resin. Individual decors and motives can also be incorporated here by way of digital printing techniques (ill. 6.24 and page 90). Similarly, paper is the basis for the majority of wallpapers, which are also experiencing a revival as design elements at the present. The simple application techniques enable spaces to be economically redesigned, even when only tem-

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porarily. Hand painted rolls of paper were first exported from Asia to Europe in the 16th century, replacing textile hangings and embossed leather coverings as the predominant wall surface treatments. An important aspect of wallpapers is the repeat – the repetition of the ornamental pattern on the vertical paper roll. Digital printing techniques allow individual designs to be easily produced. The wallpapers are fully glued over the entire area to the backing surface. In addition to paper other natural materials are available as “wallpaper”; barkcloth, leather, grass, bamboo fibre or even reflective surfaces like metal powder and glass beads. Even a ceramic product with a flexible ceramic coating on polymer fleece is available as a water repellent and fire resistant wall covering alternative. Through the application of electro-luminescent technology wallpapers can become interactive ornamental objects. When electrical current passes through electro-luminescent membranes they activate light pigments which are inserted between two conductive layers. The multi-layered construction of the light-paper designed by Simon Heijdens is laminated with foil on the upper surface facing the room. When the paper is “turned off” it appears to be conventional wallpaper, but when it is activated, the wall surface surprisingly begins to glow. The motive can be controlled and changed by a computer program; thus plant patterns can “grow” up the wall over the course of the day (ill. 6.23). Inlays Modern inlay work alludes to the ancient handwork skills of intarsia. Various objects like plant fibres, petals or timber veneers are laminated between two layers of transparent plastic or panes of laminated glazing; a semi-transparent material is the result. Due to the permanent bond, the inserted object retains great brilliance and is permanently protected from the effects of weather and UV radiation. Even solid building elements can benefit from the insertion of natural products, like panels of mother of pearl, pressed egg shells or even the mushroom-like structure of thin sections of termites’ nests. First eight layers of natural varnish are applied to a 30 mm thick baseboard of MDF each of which must be allowed to dry and polished by hand. Then the decorative substrate is inlaid and another ten layers of varnish applied. This extremely elaborate technique is based on the traditional lacquering originating in Far East Asia.

materials where previously equipment or construction units were necessary. Thus hybrid materials evolve which are not solely design elements, but can simultaneously be either operator’s panel, information medium, light source or climate regulator. These materials appear, at first glance, to be technologically complicated, but they do minimise energy use in factory and production, due to their layers becoming thinner and their weights and volumes reducing. Irrelevant of all the possibilities of modern technology, humanity’s desire for sensual surfaces, which can be experienced in tactile ways, will endure. Thus a contemporary movement parallel to the high tech currents can be observed, one which indicates a return to elaborate ornamentation, naturally inspired shapes and the haptic properties of surfaces with depth. Architecture and its material implementation are not only abstract concepts; rather they reflect the yearning of their users.

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Future perfect?! In addition to the traditional building materials presented here, many of the so-called “new” or even “intelligent” materials have been making names for themselves in the last few years. No material is really new in this day and age (all are based on familiar raw materials) and no material really possesses intelligence. It is the technologies that are new, which allow functions to be directly integrated into the structure of

6.23 Electro-luminescent wallpaper, Simon Heijdens 6.24 pruited carpet, library in Seattle, 2004 OMA 6.25 printed acrylic panels Restaurant ANAN in Wolfsburg, 2007 Hosoya Schaefer Architects

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Multi-materials Claudia Lüling and Philipp Strohm

The ever increasing range of materials and their continual development causes planners and companies alike to be spoilt for choice when selecting materials. A symposium at the University of Applied Sciences in Frankfurt entitled “MehrWerkstoffe” (multi-materials), was dedicated to selection criteria which extend beyond the characteristics of attractiveness and function. Materials should also be categorised with regard to the additional criteria of being ecologically green; as having increased, enhanced value with regard to energy, while still retaining aesthetic and functional quality. Three topics formed the foci of the day-long event: sustainable materials, recycled materials and functional materials; that is, materials manufactured out of sustainable or recycled products or those that were specifically developed with the objective of producing or conserving energy. Sustainable materials satisfy the requirement of avoiding resource shortages by being derived from sustainable products, while functional materials serve another purpose. These materials are developed for clients as specific responses to clearly defined effects or tasks. Materials like latent thermal storage systems, which are categorised as phase changing materials (PCM) due to their functions, invisibly enhance the internal climate of spaces by cooling them in summer without absorbing any additional energy and are optically neutral with regard to design. Contrastingly, the combination of photovoltaic cells and low-energy internal LED lighting allow the concept of self-sufficient buildings, which function much like solar-powered calculators, to become more realistic. The most comprehensive approach, however, is that of recycled materials. Recycling; that is the initial conversion of the raw resource into a refined material, a semi-finished or even finished product and the subsequent reversal of the process to regain the individual resources – whether decomposition or controlled recycling – is as old as cultural history itself. But the recognition and control of this desirable recovery of resources is only slowly becoming relevant in the building industry. The principles and material categories concealed within the concept of recycling are gradually becoming more intelligible. The critical question is whether one decides for recovery or reuse. Within the term recovery, there are two sub-categories – reutilisation and further utilisation. Re-utilisation means that materials are reprocessed to achieve a similar product, for example aluminium recycling. Further utilisation, on the other

hand, refers to the reprocessing of materials (like discarded fabrics or waste products) to produce a different material which is usually associated with a loss in material value – an example of this is the production of cellulose insulation from recycled paper. This is referred to as down-cycling. Similarly, the term reuse can also be subdivided into re-utilisation and further utilisation. The first refers to the new usage of an old product in the same manner, for example, old windows in a new building – the reutilisation of products. The second term refers to the further utilisation of used products for a different purpose; for example, reusing door panels as table tops. Global recycling represents the highest ecological and therefore most comprehensive demand placed on materials today. All materials are not simply recycled as new secondary materials, but are completely redirected into either the biogenic or geogenic cycles. Governments are responding to the climbing prices of raw materials by guiding this economical and ecological redirection. In Germany the out-dated Waste Disposal Act from 1986 was replaced in 1996 with the Closed Substance Cycle Waste Management Act. The purpose of the act is to promote closed substance cycle waste management and ensure environmentally compatible waste disposal. In further developments of the act priorities lie in the prevention and recovery of waste production rather than mere disposal. Industry is responsible for utilising recoverable waste products or secondary raw materials, while used products must be redeemed and subsequently recovered or reused. The concept of recycled materials is not foreign to the building industry. Materials with a personal history are often recovered and reused, particularly in interiors. Greek temples, Turkish mosques, Italian churches and Mexican cathedrals all bear witness to the wide-ranging “market” of spoils; reused building materials. Building artefacts transferred from one building to another often lend new spaces old charm.

Trash or Treasure But it was not appreciation of art, rather shortcomings and crises – noticeable in the material deficit of the 21st century – that were the true generators of the re-classification of waste products as treasure. Multiple recycling of all forms of materials was often a question of survival, and created new guidelines for both product planning and material production. More lately, however, industry has been reacting to these demands 161

with more aesthetically pleasing, discriminating products. Particular attention is being given to the contemporary trend of recovering and reusing materials for application predominantly in protected interior spaces.

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Furniture is often based on the further utilisation of materials; like the Tennis Ball Bench by Remy Veenhuizen (ill. 7.3) or the Chiquita Chandelier by Anneke Jakobs (ill. 7.2). Panels of reused melted plastics provide new opportunities for furniture design and internal wall cladding. Depending upon the constituents, these “new” materials bear witness to the original functions of the materials, for example mobile telephone covers or rubber boots (ill. 7.4). The evidence of a previous function lends a particular authenticity to these products, enabling the production of a “limited edition”. The usual depreciation associated with down-cycling is offset by the aesthetic appreciation. Artists like Wolfgang Winter and Berthold Hörbelt experiment with the further utilisation of drink bottle crates, thereby creating temporary internal spaces with unique lighting effects (ill. 7.1 and 7.15). Others, like Andreas Strauss experiment with unused spatial structures which are transformed into architecture. In his project “DasParkHotel” standard canalisation pipes were transformed into low-budget accommodation. Mobile, temporary architecture, committed to the philosophy of reuse per se, demonstrates the constructive logic of the disassembly of materials and building units. It can be observed how spatial structures can be disassembled into the individual reusable elements, originating with tent constructions, booths from travelling village fairs, and on to Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace in London and the constructions planned for subsequent World Exhibitions. The aspect of sustainability is, since Expo 2000 at the latest, contractually binding. It is the responsibility of all participants to ensure resource-saving provision and disposal of all materials. The Swiss pavilion by Peter Zumthor was the precursor of a new planning philosophy, being essentially a built location for construction materials. This proclaimed the philosophy of the further utilisation of materials as being one of aesthetic foundation rather than just technical necessity, and lead to one of the most unique internal experiences at the Expo – building “waste” became building materials once again.

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The Rural Studio from the College of Architecture, Design and Construction at the Auburn University, USA, is a self-proclaimed user of such “waste products”. The architects concern themselves with the design of entire houses based on the further utilisation of materials. The office designs and builds constructions in the economically weakened regions in southern Alabama together with students, based on a consciousness of the planner’s responsibility for environmentally sustainable and humane living conditions. Construction from waste products is addressed as the central theme, for example carpet tiles (Lucy’s House 2001/2002) and corrugated cardboard (The Cardboard Pod 2000/2001). These constructions are functionally highly efficient, with astounding atmosphere internally and appearance externally, and without the slightest unfavourable association to “waste”. “Multi-materials”, and particularly the topic of recycling and reuse, question the “artificial permanence” which we associ-

ate with architecture and building; in his book “Building the Unfinished: Architecture and Human Action” in 1977, Lars Lerup stated that the changes should be considered to be the core of the matter [1].

Recyclicity The architects from 2012, from Holland, address this question of permanence and change when speaking of “superuse architecture”. “Superuse” is the superlative of “reuse” in the sense of global recycling, associated with the proclamation of conveying all available resources into a single circuit. They measure their projects with respect to the amount of “recyclicity” contained, which can range from 0 to 100 % – all materials are analysed according to reutilisation or further utilisation. 7.5

The construction of “superuse” architecture has dramatically altered the classic planning and construction processes. Rather than planning, detailing and building with new materials and semi-finished products, materials and products are first sought, found, procured and reused. This extends the classic fabrication-orientated material research with the aspect of waste products and thus demands new proficiency with regard to the entire production and application process of materials. Accidental discovery determines the design, to a certain extent, thus it is crucial that planners and clients retain flexibility. The open web site www.superuse.org, with over 10,000 clicks daily, was organised by 2012 Architects. Although it is presently intended to be a platform for discussion, and site where completed recycling projects can be presented in various categories and scales, for example artworks, architecture, materials and products, 2012 Architects stand immediately before the upgrading and extension of their site. The increasing desire for information regarding this topic of material procurement will soon be satisfied with two new links. There will be a type of user-based “Superuse-Material-Wikipedia” available as a link. Rather than finding information regarding a material, for example aluminium, the location of aluminium sheeting available as waste products from printing processes will be provided. The architects are also working in collaboration with Google Earth on a “global harvest map”, whereby companies can offer their used raw materials, and information on manufacturers is stored. The harvest map shows where materials or semi-finished products for recycling and reuse are available within a particular radius of the potential building site. Thus the application of these secondhand materials consumes as little energy as possible for transportation and processing – local harvesting as global material acquisition.

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“Crate house 2085.15”, temporary installation from June to October 2001, Frankfurt am Main; Architects: Wolfgang Winter, Berthold Hörbelt Chiquita Chandelier manufactured of re-used transport cartons, 2003; Anneke Jakobs Tennis Ball Bench manufactured of re-used tennis balls, 2005; Tejo Remy and Rene Veenhiuzen Plastic panels manufactured of re-used mobile telephone cases, smileplastics Miele Station, 2003; 2012 Architects Cross-section and floor plan, DUCHI shoe shop in Scheveningen, 2004; 2012 Architects

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Working examples DUCHI But how do these concepts work in architecture? Quite differently from what was expected (or rather dreaded) by this building client with high design expectations. The shoe store DUCHI in the Dutch coastal town of Scheveningen consists of approximately 90 % reused waste materials, like rejected windscreens and timber off-cuts from a neighbouring window manufacturer. This shop, opened in 2004, bears absolutely no resemblance to “waste products”. 2012 Architects have the personal objectives of fulfilling the requirements of projects, of providing high-quality design and of satisfying the goals of “recyclicity”. They were able to convince their client with their design for the “Miele Station” designed in 2003 (ill. 7.5). Twelve Miele washing machines were dismantled and their front panels incorporated into a steel frame. The station has mutated into an espresso bar at the Technical University of Delft, prior that it was a pizza bar, a DJ box, record shop and press centre. The owner entrusted 2012 with the complete design, including all interiors of the 7 by 10 metre large shop, lighting, graphics and advertisement. Her only prerequisite was the absolute budget ceiling of 60,000 Euros. The project was successfully completed through strongly regimented planning and construction phases. The basis of shop design is a mutually composed organisational diagram; an “abstract design” as architects call it, which - over time and dependent upon the procured materials – gradually attains its final appearance and atmosphere. In the initial stage, the architects of 2012 did without classic sketches, coloured renderings or models. Instead of which, they actively observed, inspected, analysed and eventually extended typologies of existing shoe shops together with the client; with the foremost goal being the mutual development of both the functional and atmospheric determiners. The first premise was to optimise the relationship of storage space to sales area – this is usually rather high for smaller retail outlets. The storeroom became part of the sales area, encompasses the seating area for trying on shoes which is, nonetheless, discretely screened from the street by a display area. Simultaneously, this organisational scheme offered sufficient flexibility for the next stage in the process; namely the procurement of materials. Statements regarding arrangement and quality of the objects to be displayed, and the zones within the space remained sufficiently flexible and enabled subsequent adaptation, replacement or alteration within the planning process – depending upon which materials were locally found for the project.

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Césare Peeren from 2012 Architects claims that “material designs space” and refers, in this case, to the 130 reutilised windscreens originating from Audi Type 100 cars (ill. 7.7). They are grouped together to create circular shelving systems in the centre of the shoe shop. The windscreens are rubber mounted and suspended from the ceiling by a stainless steel construction of 2 cm thick steel tubes. Their curvature creates the circle of the shelving when combined with each other (ill. 7.8). The selection of the Audi windscreen was both pragmatic and functionally based; only these windscreens are sufficiently large to present enough space for storage of the shoe cartons which are delivered by the dozen per shoe model. The dozen-standard can be logically stored 7.10

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on these shelves. The architects themselves carried out a series of tests in order to demonstrate the load-bearing capacity and to determine the material limits of the self-supporting glass screens – much as Joseph Paxton did 150 years ago for the Crystal Palace in London. The windscreens themselves were not randomly collected from scrap heaps with unknown quantity or quality, but rather were economically delivered unused and in the original packaging from a nearby manufacturing plant. There they were stored for the customary fifteen years as spare parts – standard procedure in the automotive industry – before being scheduled for disposal. Although the shelving system was defined as a product of recycled “prefabricated” objects, the seating island in the centre of the shop is a custom-designed and custom-built element based on waste products from a manufacturing process. The architects erected an ergonomically formed seating sculpture from about 1,500 off-cast window frames originating from a nearby factory. Sufficient space for six customers is easily provided. Ten different types of timber were available in lengths of 40 to 90 cm with a width of 2 cm as offcuts from the window production. The effort involved in the construction of the seating island was enormous compared with the windscreen shelving, when the construction of the base, two benches including backrests and two footrests are taken into account. Six people required six weeks to saw, laminate, joint and finally sand the sculpture to a stockingfriendly quality (ill. 7.9). The result is convincing not only as form for form’s sake. The island offers a multitude of seating possibilities for various constitutions and reminds Césare Peeren from 2012 of one of his birthdays where 24 people sat in a tree in 24 different positions and postures. That this idea became more than just an attractive image is the result of precise functional considerations. The elevated seating island obviated the need for the customary security system which prevents customers from reaching the storage shelving. Additionally, the sales personnel can assist customers with trying on shoes without having to stoop. Two of the four seating possibilities are so directed and fashioned – rather like a chaise longue – that the sales personnel can take advantage of the position observing the entrance during long waiting periods between custom. Another “superuse” object was incorporated into the futuristic design of the seating by 2012. A former supermarket conveyor belt was integrated between the two benches where customers can testwalk their new shoes (ill. 7.10). The value of the DUCHI project for 2012 lies in the experience they acquired with respect to the different types of waste products and the application of these materials. Windscreens, in large quantities and standard sizes, complete with inherent aesthetic value, enabled entirely different processing than the small-format work-intensive timber offcuts. While the windscreens represent a clear case of further utilisation, with the possibility of the material being once again part of the next building process, the seating island – which can be dismantled into six individual pieces – can at best be reused or, with the associated loss of value, simply down-cycled. At best it could be divided into the six discrete elements and rebuilt in separate locations. Further utilisation is, however, not possible.

WORM 2012 Architects fulfilled the quest for the highest possible recyclicity factor with their next project in Rotterdam in a variety of ways. The headquarters for the Rotterdam organisation for experimental film and music, WORM, is temporarily located in a previously empty building in the East of the city. The building serves as record shop, film studio and concert location in one. With this project WORM generated a threeway solution of reusing; firstly the space was reused, secondly materials were reused – the necessary built fittings are 90 % reused or further-used waste products and, thirdly, the own structure was reused. It was necessary that all in-built fittings be completely removable due to the heritage listing of the building – it had originally been part of the “Vereenigden Oost-Indischen Compagnie”. Thus they are dismountable and can be reused in other locations. Within the three-storey building WORM takes up approximately half the total floor area, about 2,000 m2 in the ground and first floors. Similar to the DUCHI project, the architects first developed an organisation diagram with the clients and users, whereby function stood to the fore. A pragmatic arrangement of the functional zones was necessary – event space and bar in the upper level, the shop with chaise longue on the ground floor, and the toilets near the exit – in addition to the practical integration of technical services. Visible installation ducting for ventilation, plumbing and electrics which services all rooms represents the technical spinal column of the building and simultaneously acts as a design element. Fresh and exhaust air supply is integrated into the entrance and a three-metre-high ventilation shaft dynamically wends its way out of the facade with a twist. In the lower level this element acts as an entrance and porch for protection from the weather, while higher up it provides ventilation ducting for fresh and exhaust airflow (ill. 7.13). In contrast to DUCHI this project demanded the resolution of official, governmental queries, like heritage protection and building regulation requirements. That meant that a traditional application for planning permission was to be generated from the organisational diagram, with structural, fire protection and sound insulation requirements being fulfilled in addition to the extra demands based on the heritage listing of the building. The motto “material designs space” still held true, however, and is still the pivot upon which the entire design process turns. The harvest map; the result of the shopping list based on the organisation diagram, shows which resources or materials were available in the near vicinity for “harvesting” – insulating glass panes, ventilation ducting, metal floor sheeting etc. (ill. 7.12). It was not until this inventory was completed that further detailed planning could commence. The materials for the technical services for the WORM project were predominantly collected from demolished buildings in the area. It was only necessary for some extensions and connection pieces to be new products. The existing oak flooring was covered in the first level with extra, four-layered system

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Delivery of windscreens View of shelves manufactured of re-used windscreens Production of a seating island manufactured of timber off-cuts after window construction 7.10 Six piece seating island

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flooring in order to meet sound insulation requirements; the upper layer of the new floor is of multiplex. A wall of recycled insulating glass which provides noise protection is leant against the external facade on the street side and rests against the timber ceiling joists. Although the reused glass, integrated much like a mosaic, no longer meets the most modern energy standards it has proven to be an excellent material for the control of sound pollution, benefiting both the building’s users and the neighbours (ill. 7.14). Even solutions for fire protection could be achieved with found materials when combined with appropriately careful detailing. The installation of a fire door from a neighbouring building satisfied both protection of continuance and fire protection. The dimensions of the fire door did not comply with those of the opening in the WORM building which was, of course, protected out of heritage grounds. 2012 had the door fixed with large screw clamps; a detail which was applied to all other doors as well. The interiors were designed by various artists under the guidance of 2012 Architects. The only prerequisite was that furniture, like the bar and chaise longue, as well as all other builtin objects was to be created of 90 % waste-product materials and essentially consist of only one material. Thus a chaise longue was created of old tyres from trucks, cars and bicycles by “millegomme”. “millegomme” is the name by which the garbage architects Jan Korbes and Denis Oudendijk have specialised in the production of objects from discarded tyres. A scrapped snack automat provides drinks and the four toilet cabins on the ground floor were created by cutting up plastic containers for fluids, stacking them on top of each other to produce large cubes and wrapping them in metal wiring. Fortunately the sewerage outlets for the sanitary connections already existed in the building. With the WORM project 2012 demonstrated that attention to detail, in combination with functional demands and selfrestraint with respect to the materials can produce unexpected, creative solutions – all within a budget of 300,000 Euros for an area of 2,000 m2. A portion of the cost savings from material acquisition was necessary to off-set increasing costs involved with fabrication; this could be compensated by the voluntary assistance of up to 50 helpers – who worked for either little or no charge. The increased logistic complexity was overcome by the use of a weblog. The most recent decisions, the latest information and photos from the site could be viewed by all site participants at all times. In addition to the new demands on the design process and detailed planning experienced as part of this superuse project, the site management was also confronted with new challenges. VILLA WELPELOO With their accumulated knowledge and experience of multimaterials, 2012 Architects were able to bridge the gap between the experimental and more traditional planning and construction techniques. While the “Miele Station” can be considered as an installation distinguished by a light-hearted approach to materials, and DUCHI as a test-run in a protective interior space; the WORM project demonstrates the first tendencies to “normalisation” of the processes. The latest recyclicity project for 2012 is a single-family house in Enschede. Because the acquired knowledge of waste-

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material properties is now more extensive, it is possible for classic construction details to be used rather than experimentally developed, self-executed designs. The everyday site situation has dramatically altered; external building companies are now capable of carrying out the construction detailing. The Villa Welpeloo is clad with dismantled segments originating from scrapped cable drums, with which 2012 had garnered experience in previous projects. The route from trash to treasure was already familiar.

Cradle to Cradle The architects from 2012 demonstrate just how the construction process is changing; resulting from developments in global recycling – “Cradle to Cradle” – together with intelligent, energy-saving solutions. “Cradle to Cradle” is a model for industrial processes developed by the architect William McDonough and the chemist Michael Braungart, whereby all materials belong in closed biological or technical circulation systems. Materials do not, at some point, land on the scrap heap, rather they act as sources for new recovery and reuse processes. The McDonough Braungart Design Company develops materials and products which ignore the traditional eco-efficient laws of avoidance, diminishing, reducing and confining, rather they are distinguished by a new eco-efficiency. Rather than using products as little as necessary for as long as possible within an economical system until they eventually land on the scrap heap, “Cradle to Cradle” presupposes design which fully closes the environmental and economical cycles. The idea of superuse is a step in the right direction. The material research in local areas, represented by the harvest maps, demonstrates 2012’s affinity with the philosophies of William McDonough and Michael Braungart. They see technical waste products as being nutrients for the technosphere surrounding us compared with the parallel biosphere with its biological nutrients.

The future of urban and building structures will include the factor of recyclability, rather than simply adaptability. That is, in future budget calculation for buildings it will be necessary to include such factors as usage/conversion/demolition as economic and ecological criteria. Internal fit-out systems, being protected from weather influences and more easily detached, offer the first potential phase of experimentation.

Internet links: www.mehrwerkstoffe.de www.2012architecten.nl www.ruralstudio.com www.winter-hoerbelt.de www.dasparkhotel.net www.annekejakobs.nl www.remyveenhuizen.nl www.smile-plastics.co.uk www.superuse.org www.sfb281.tu-berlin.de www.braungart.com Reference: 1 Lerup, Lars: Building The Unfinished: Architecture And Human Action, 1977, Basle, p. 139 Bibliography: 1 Ed van Hinte, Jan Jongert, Césare Peeren: Superuse, Constructing new architecture by shortcutting material flows, 010 Publishers, Rotterdam 2007 2 W. McDonough, M. Braungart: Cradle to Cradle, North Point Press, New York 2002 3 Andrea Oppenheimer, Dean Hursley, Timothy Hursley: Rural Studio – Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency, Princeton Architectural Press, New York 2002 7.15

“Cradle to Cradle” implemented new production techniques for materials and products – a topic of great interest for the building industry, responsible as it was for over 180 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste in Germany in 2007 – almost half of the entire waste produced by the entire country. A research project has been running since 1995 at the Technical University in Berlin entitled “Disassembly Factories for the Recovery of Resources from Product and Material Cycles”. It concentrates upon the development of new fabrication techniques and their effect on urban infrastructure and building types. The new generations of materials and products are recognisable by the “adaptability factor” – that is, are able to be converted, processed and re-used. That these materials can be economically utilised is enforced and supported by their increased value resulting from the “adaptability factor”. New professions are also being defined as a result of this development – transformer, converter, updateadvisor and module composer.

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Ground floor plan, WORM Club, Rotterdam, 2005; 2012 Architects “harvest map”, 2012 Architects WORM entrance element with integrated ventilation element WORM sound protection element manufactured of re-used insulating glass panes 7.15 Crate house in Castelford 2006; Wolfgang Winter, Berthold Hörbett

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Architects – Project details

Apartment in Oberlech

Holiday Apartment at Attersee

Apartment Renovation in Berlin

Client: Said Ramic, A-Mäder Architects: Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, Vienna Project leader: Martin Josst Construction: ATLANTIS Architektur Bau GmbH, A-Mäder Date of completion: 2006

Client: private Architects: Atelier Ebner + Ullmann, Vienna With: Markus Kuntscher, Oliver Noak General contractor: BSU Bauservice, A-Abersee Date of completion: 2005

Client: private Architects: Behles & Jochimsen, Berlin With: Jana Gallitschke, Alexander Kuhnert Structural engineer: Griehl & Sambill Engineers, Berlin Date of completion: 2006

Construction companies: joinery: Paul Gollacker, A-Hallwang artist: Rainer Füreder, A-Linz

Construction companies: • construction: Andreas Adam Bauausführung, Berlin • built-in furniture: Zweibaum Holzwerkstatt, Berlin

Construction companies: • joinery: Hase and Kramer, Dornbirn • metalwork: Hagn & Leone, Dornbirn • chimney construction: uttenhauser, Höchst • glazing: Längle Glas GmbH, Götzis [email protected] www.deluganmeissl.at Roman Delugan Born in Meran; 1993 degree, 2004–2005 guest professor at the Institute of Technology Bern. Christopher Schweiger Born in Salzburg; studied in Vienna and Berlin; employee since 1996; partner since 2004. Elke Delugan-Meissl Born in Linz; 1987 degree from the Technical University Innsbruck; 2006 teaching position at the Uni. of Stuttgart. Martin Josst Born in Hamburg; degree from the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Kiel; employee since 2001; partner since 2004. Dietmar Feistel Born in Bregenz; degree from the Technical University Vienna; employee 1998; partner since 2004. 1993 establishment of Delugan_ Meissl ZT GmbH; 2004 expansion to Delugan Meissl Associated Architects.

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www.ebner-ullmann.com Peter Ebner Born in Hallwang; joinery apprenticeship; studied mechanical engineering in Salzburg; studied architecture at the Technical University Graz (degree) and UCLA, Los Angeles; studied at the University of economics, Linz; 1995 establishment of own practice in Salzburg; Professor for Housing Construction and Economy since 2003 at the Technical University Munich; 2006 guest professor at Harvard Graduate School of Design in Boston

[email protected] www.behlesjochimsen.de

Franziska Ullmann Born in Baden near Vienna; studied at the Technical University Vienna; 1983 establishment of own practice in Vienna; 1985–1994 teaching position at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna; Professor at the University of Stuttgart since 1995; guest professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in Boston in 2000

Jasper Jochimsen Born in Freiburg in 1964; 1984–1992 studied architecture at the Technical University Berlin and the University of Miami; 1989 employee in the office Müller Reimann Scholz, Berlin; 1990–1999 employee in the office of Prof. Kollhoff, Berlin; 2006 guest professor at the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou.

1998 establishment of architectural practice Ebner Ullmann in Vienna

Armin Behles Born in Munich in 1966; 1985–1992 studied architecture at the Technical University Berlin and the ETH Zurich; 1987–1994 employee in the offices of Brenner + Tonon, Berlin, Prof. Kollhoff, Berlin, Prof. Steidle, Munich, Prof. Albers, Zurich/Berlin; 1995 Assistant at the DOMUS Academy, Naples; 2004–2005 guest professor at the Academy of Visual Arts Hamburg.

Hotel “The Emperor” in Beijing

Floor in “Hotel Puerta América” in Madrid

Guest Pavilions in Olot

Hotel “Ginzan-Onsen-Fujiya” in Obanazawa

Client: Da Cheng You Fang Hotel Management Co., Ltd Architects: Graft, Beijing; Gregor Hoheisel, Lars Krückeberg, Wolfram Putz, Thomas Willemeit With: Tina Troester, Keizo Okamoto, Crystal K. H. Tang, Wei Xin, Sun Da Yong, Ruan Jin, Anne Pestel, Li Mei General contractor: Jiang Su Nan Tong 2nd Construction Company Sub-contractor: Bejing Eastern Weiye Furniture Limited Advisor: Walter Junger and Friends, Berlin/Singapore Date of completion: 2008

Client: Grupo Urvasco Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects, London Project leader: Woody K. T. Yao With: Thomas Vietzke, Yael Brosilovski, Patrik Schumacher Designer: Ken Bostock, Mirco Becker Site management: Luis Leon Light planner: Lighting & Design Ltd., London Date of completion: 2005

Client: Joaquim Puigdevall, Judith Planella Architects: RCR Arquitectes, Olot; Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, Ramon Vilalta Project leader: Miquel Subiràs With: Antonio Sáez, Inés de Vasconcelos, Vincent Hannotin, Francisco Spratley Site management: Miquel Subiràs Structural engineer: Grau-Del Pozo enginyers, Olot Constructor: Joaquim Puigdevall Date of completion: 2005

Client: Atsushi Fuji Architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates, Tokyo; Kengo Kuma Project leader: Makoto Shirahama Site management: Aiwa Construction Co. Ltd., Yamagata Structural engineer: K. Nakata & Associates, Tokyo Date of completion: 2006

[email protected] www.graftlab.com Lars Krückeberg Born 1967; 1989–1996 studied architecture at the Technical University Braunschweig, 1997–1998 at the Southern Californian Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles Wolfram Putz Born 1968; 1988–1995 studied architecture at the Technical University Braunschweig, 1996–1998 at the Southern Californian Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles Thomas Willemeit Born 1968; 1988–1997 studied architecture at the TU Braunschweig 1998 establishment of the architectural practice Graft Gregor Hoheisel Born 1967; studied architecture at the Institute of Technology Hamburg and at the Technical University Braunschweig; employee at Gerkan Marg + Partner, Berlin; with Graft since 2000

Construction companies: • interior construction: Rosskopf & Partner AG, Obermehler • material construction: LG Chem, Seoul [email protected] www.zaha-hadid.com Zaha Hadid 1972–1977 studied at the Architectural Association in London; partner with the Office for Metropolitan Architecture; teaching position at the Architectural Association until 1987 together with Rem Koolhaas and Elia Zenghelis, subsequently own chair; various teaching positions since 1987; presently professor at the University for Applied Arts in Vienna.

[email protected] www.rcrarquitectes.es Rafael Aranda Born in Olot in 1961; degree from the ETSA Vallés. Carme Pigem Born in Olot in 1962; 1987 degree from the ETSA Vallés, 1992–1999 professor at the ETSA Vallés, 1997–2003 professor at the ETSA Barcelona, 2005–2007 guest professor at the ETH Zurich Ramon Vilalta Born in Vic / Spain in 1962; 1987 degree from the ETSA Vallés, 1987 Master in Landscape Architecture from the ETSA Barcelona, 1989–2001 professor at the ETSA Vallés.

Construction companies: • glazing: Saint Gobain, F-Courbevoir • Japanese paper: Kyowa Shoukai • timber construction: Takahashi Kenchiku • furniture: Tendo Mokkou Co. Ltd., Yamagata • etched-glass: Masato Shida • bamboo-panels: Hideo Nakata [email protected] www.kkaa.co.jp Kengo Kuma Born 1954; 1979 degree from the School of Engineering, University of Tokyo; 1985–1986 studied at Columbia University; 1987 establishment of Spatial Design Studio; 1990 establishment of Kengo Kuma & Associates, Tokyo; 1998–1999 and 2001 professor at Keio University numerous prizes, awards and publications.

active in architecture since 1987; 1988 establishment of RCR Architectes in Olot; advisory archtects to the National Volcanic Park of La Garrotxa, Catalonia since 1989; authors of various articles on architecture and landscape.

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Parish Centre and Youth Club in Thalmässing

Multimedia-Pavilion in Jinhua

Theatre in Zurich

Theatre Agora in Lelystad

Client: Diocese of Eichstätt, Parish of Thalmässing Architects: meck architects, Munich; Andreas Meck Project leader: Susanne Frank With: Erwin J. Steiner, Johannes Bäuerlein, Peter Sarger Site management: meck architects, Munich with Karlheinz Beer, Weiden Structural engineer: H. L. Haushofer Engineering, Markt Schwaben Technical services: FreyDonabauer-Wich Engineering, Gaimersheim Landscape planner: meck architects, Munich with Hermann Salm, Munich Acoustic planner: Müller-BBM Engineering, Planegg Date of completion: 2004

Client: Jindong New District Government, Jinhua Architects: Erhard An-He Kinzelbach KNOWSPACE, Vienna Site management: FAKE Design, Beijing Static and structural engineering: Hou Xinhua, Hao Yufan, Guo Baojun, Beijing General contractor: Beijing Fangxiuyi Construction Co. Date of completion: 2007

Client: MCH Messe Schweiz (Zurich) AG Architects: EM2N, Zurich Mathias Müller, Daniel Niggli With: Dirk Harndorf, Elke Kirst, Sidsel Kromann, Verena Lindenmayer, Claudia Meier, Verena Nelles, Claudia Peter, Frank Schneider, Christof Zollinger Site management: Bauengineering. com AG, Zurich Structural engineer: Aerni + Aerni, Zurich Electrical planner: Elektro Design + Partner AG, Winterthur Light and acoustic planner: EBZ Eichenberger Electric AG, Dübendorf Technical services: 3-Plan Haustechnik Raimann + Diener AG, Winterthur Stage engineering: Nüssli International AG, Hüttwilen; Planungsgruppe AB Bühnentechnik AG, Leutwil Gastronomy planner: IG Innenarchitektur und Gastroplanung GmbH, Zurich Date of completion: 2005

Client: Municipality of Lelystad Architects: UNStudio, Amsterdam, Ben van Berkel, Gerard Loozekoot With: Jacques van Wijk, Job Mouwen, Holger Hoffmann, Khoi Tran, Christian Veddeler, Christian Bergmann, Sabine Habicht, Ramon Hernandez, Ron Roos, Rene Wysk, Claudia Dorner, Markus Berger, Markus Jacobi, Ken Okonkwo, Jörgen GrahlMadse, Hanka Drdlova Executive architects: B+M, Den Haag Structural engineer: BBN, Houten Technical services: Pieters bouwtechniek, Haarlem Installations: Valstar Simones, Apeldoorn Light planner: Arup, Amsterdam Theatre engineering: Prinssen en Bus Raadgevende Ingenieurs bv., Uden Acoustic and fire protection services: DGMR, Arnhem General contractor: Jorritsma Bouw, Almere Date of completion: 2007

Construction companies: • wickerwork: Kunstgeflecht & Weidenwerke, H. Peter Storm, Dormitz • flooring: Leithe Asphalt + bitu-Terrazzo Böden, Dornbirn • interior construction: Friedrich Neumeier, Weißenburg [email protected] www.meck-architekten.de Andreas Meck 1985 degree Munich; 1987 Graduate Diploma Architectural Association London; practice in Munich since 1989; meck architects since 2001; professor for design and construction Institute of Technology Munich since 1998.

Construction companies: • fittings: Dorma GmbH, Bad Salzuflen [email protected] www.knowspace.eu Erhard An-He Kinzelbach Born 1974; Master from Columbia University New York; degree from the Technical University Darmstadt; employee at ROY Co. New York, Office for Metropolitan Architecture New York, Foreign Office Architects; 2004 establishment of KNOWSPACE architecture and cities in New York; 2004–2008 assistant at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna; 2006 guest lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design Bratislava.

[email protected] www.em2n.ch Mathias Müller Born in Zurich 1966; 1996 degree with Professor A. Meyer/ Marcel Meili ETH Zurich; 2005 guest professor ETH Lausanne. Daniel Niggli Born in Olten, Switzerland in 1970; 1996 degree with Professor A. Meyer/Marcel Meili ETH Zurich; 2005 guest professor ETH Lausanne. 1997 establishment of the architectural practice EM2N Architects

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Construction companies: • sanitary installations: GTI, Roden • electrical installations: Kempkens Brands, Veenendaal • stage installations: Stakebrand, Heeze • painter: Lansink, Lelystad [email protected] www.unstudio.com Ben van Berkel Born in Utrecht in 1957; 1987 degree from the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and the Architectural Association in London; 1988 Van Berkel & Bos Architectuurbureau in Amsterdam; UNStudio since 1998.

Casa da Música in Porto

Architectural Documentation Centre in Madrid

Film and Visual Media Research Centre in London

Artists’ Agency in Berlin

Client: Porto 2001 / Casa da Música Architects: OMA, Rotterdam Project leader: Rem Koolhaas, Ellen van Loon With: Adrianne Fisher, Michelle Howard, Isabel Silva, Nuno Rosado, Robert Choeff, Barbara Wolff, Stephan Griek, Govert Gerritsen, Saskia Simon, Thomas Duda, Christian von der Muelde, Rita Amado, Philip Koenen, Peter Müller, Krystian Keck, Eduarda Lima, Christoff Scholl, Alex de Jong, Catarina Canas, Shadi Rahbaran, Chris van Duijn, Anna Little, Alois Baptista, André Cardoso, Paulo Costa, Ana Jacinto, Fabienne Louyot, Christina Beaumont, João Prates Ruivo Site management: ANC, Porto Structural engineer: Arup,London with AFA, Vila Nova de Gaia Acoustic planner: Dorsserblesgraaf, Eindhoven Date of completion: 2005

Client: Subdirección General de Arquitectura del Ministerio de la Vivienda Architects: Aparicio + FernándezElorza, Madrid Jesús Aparicio Guisado, Héctor Fernández-Elorza With: Joaquín Goyenechea Structural engineer: Cristóbal Medina/AEPO Ingenieros, Madrid Technical services: Alfredo Lozano/ AGM Técnicos e Ingenieros de Proyectos, Madrid General contractor: DRACE, Dragados y Construcciones Especiales, Madrid Date of completion: 2004

Client: Birkbeck College, University of London, Architects: Surface Architects, London With: Richard Scott, Andy MacFee, Nikos Charalambous, Paula Friar, Neal Shah Structural engineer: Techniker, London; Technical services: Freeman Beesley, Brighton Quantity Surveyor: Jackson Coles, London Contractor: Vivid Interiors, London Date of completion: 2007

Client: ct creative talent gmbh, Berlin Architects: Angelis + Partner Architects GBR Oldenburg, Wismar Herzberg Berlin, Oldenburg, Alexis Angelis With: Alexander Thomass, Berlin Graphic design: Jenny Thiele Date of completion: 2006

[email protected] www.oma.nl Rem Koolhaas Born in Rotterdam in 1944; degree from the Architectural Association in London; 1975 establishment of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in Rotterdam; various teaching positions; professor at Harvard University in Cambridge since 1990; founder of the think tank AMO. Ellen van Loon Born in Hulst in 1963, Netherlands; 1976 – 1983 studied architecture at the TU Delft; 1995 – 1997 with Foster and Partners in London; partner in OMA since 1998.

[email protected] Jesús Aparicio Guisado Born in Madrid in 1960; 1984 degree from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM); Master from Columbia University in New York; conferral of doctorate; professor at ETSAM since 1996; guest professor and lecturer at various universities. Héctor Fernández-Elorza Born in Zaragoza in 1972; 1998 degree from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM); lecturer at the ETSAM since 2001; recently conferred doctorate from the ETSAM; guest professor and lecturer at various universities.

Construction companies: • timber paneels: KLH Massivholz GmbH, Katsch/Mur www.surfacearchitects.com Richard Scott Born in Hull, UK in 1967; studied architecture at Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles and at Bartlett in London; employee at Alsop Architects, London; teaching positions for architectural theory at Barlett, the Architectural Association and Brighton University since 1996. Andy MacFee Born in Manchester; studied architecture at Sheffield University and at Bartlett in London; employee at Alsop Architects in London. 1999 establishment of Surface Architects in London

Construction companies: • execution: vm-Design, Bremerhaven with Punkt vier, Alexis Miszak, Berlin [email protected] www.angelis-partner.de Alexis Angelis Born 1971; 1999 degree from the Leibniz-University of Hanover; 1999 – 2001 employed in various architectural practices in Berlin; free-lance architect in Berlin since 2001; 2002 – 2004 assistant at the University of Hanover, Department of Design; 2004 joined Angelis+Partner; 2006 guest lecturer at the Winter Academy University of Hanover, Institute for Urban Planning. Alexander Thomass Born 1977; 1997–2003 studied architecture at the Leibniz-University Hanover; free-lance architect in Berlin since 2005; technical assistant at the University of Kassel since 2005; btob architects together with Henning König in Berlin und Basel since 2008.

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Dentist’s Practice in Berlin

“Maison Louis Vuitton des Champs-Elysées” in Paris

Shop in Barcelona

Fashion Store in Berlin

Client: Dr. Stefan Ziegler Architects: Graft Gesellschaft von Architekten, Berlin; Lars Krückeberg, Wolfram Putz, Thomas Willemeit Project leaders: Tobias Hein, Karsten Sell With: Sven Fuchs, Lennart Wiechell, Björn Rolle, Markus Müller Structural engineer: KGG Dipl. Ing. K.+T. Gehlhaar Technical services: ICM Engineering C. Meyer Date of completion: 2005

Client: Louis Vuitton Malletier Department Architecture and Real Estate, Paris David MacNulty, Christian Reyne, Frédéric Devenoge Architects: Carbondale, Paris Eric Carlson with Barthélémy-Grino Associates, Paris Interior design: Peter Marino & Associates, New York Structural engineer: RFR, Paris Light planner: George Sexton Associates, Washington D.C. Technical services: OCI, Nanterre Date of completion: 2005

Client: Industrias Cosmic Architects: EQUIP Xavier Claramunt, Barcelona With: Miquel de Mas, Martín Ezquerro, Marc Zaballa, Yago Haro, Pau Vidal Contractor: Essa Punt, Sant Just Desvern Date of completion: 2004

Client: Little Red Riding Hood GmbH, Berlin Architects: Corneille Uedingslohmann, Cologne With: James Dickerson, Patrick Müller-Langguth Electrical planner: Ingenieurbüro Erdmann, Aachen Date of completion: 2004

[email protected] www.equip.com.es

Construction companies: • GRP elements: FVK GmbH, Dessau • furniture / walling: Klaus Stork Innenausbau, Raesfeld

Construction companies: • dry construction: Knauf Gips KG, Iphofen • flooring, 6th floor: Degussa, Dusseldorf • flooring, 5th floor: Forbo Flooring, Paderborn • lighting: Wever & Ducré, Dusseldorf [email protected] www.graftlab.com Lars Krückeberg Born 1967; 1989 – 1996 studied architecture at the Technical University Braunschweig, 1997– 1998 at the Southern Californian Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles Wolfram Putz Born 1968; 1988 – 1995 studied architecture at the Technical University Braunschweig, 1996 – 1998 at the Southern Californian Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles Thomas Willemeit Born 1968; 1988 – 1997 studied architecture at the Technical University Braunschweig 1998 establishment of Graft

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Construction companies: • metalwork: Sipral a.s., Prague [email protected] www.carbondale.fr Eric Carlson Born in Ann Arbor Michigan, USA in 1963; 2004 establishment of the architectural practice Carbondale in Paris; co-founder and director of Louis Vuitton Architecture Department; collaboration with the architectural practice Rem Koolhaas, Oscar Tusquets and Mark Mack.

Xavier Claramunt Domènech Born in Igualada / Spain in 1965; 1993 degree from the ETSAB Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona; 1990 establishment of ADP Arquitectura; 1995 establishment of DuchClaramunt joiers; 2000 establishment of ADD+XClaramunt; 2002 establishment of ClaramuntDeMas Industrial; 1998 – 2001 professor at the Master Universitario de Diseño de Salamanca; 2001 professor at the Universidad Internacional de Cataluña and at the Escuela Elisava in Barcelona; 2006 establishment of EQUIP Xavier Claramunt.

[email protected] www.cue-architekten.de Peter Uedingslohmann Born in Duisburg in 1967; 1986 – 1989 joinery apprenticeship; 1995 degree from the Institute of Technology Hanover; 1995 – 1999 employee at Gatermann + Schossig and Partner, Cologne; 1999 – 2002 employee at Dewey Muller, Cologne; 2002 – 2003 employee at Corneille Architects. Yves Corneille Born in Cologne in 1972; 1992 – 1994 carpentry apprenticeship; 1999 degree from the RWTH Aachen; 1999 – 2002 employee at Ingenhoven Overdiek and Partner, Dusseldorf, 2002 – 2003 Corneille Architects; teaching position at the RWTH Aachen since 2007. 2003 establishment of Corneille Uedingslohmann Architects.

Shoe Shop in Amsterdam

Shoe Shop in Rome

Linden Pharmacy in Ludwigsburg

“La Rinascente” in Milan Department Store

Client: Shoebaloo, Amsterdam Architects: Meyer en Van Schooten, Amsterdam Roberto Meyer, Jeroen van Schooten With: Koert Göschel, Oliver Oechsle Structural engineer: Duyts Bouwconstructies, Amsterdam Electrical planner: Wichers en Dreef, Badhoevedorp General contractor: GF Deko, Amsterdam Date of completion: 2003

Client: Stuart Weitzmann Inc., New York Architects: Fabio Novembre, Milan With: Lorenzo De Nicola, Domenico Papetti, Alessio De Vecchi General contractor: Happy House s.r.l., Ciampino Date of completion: 2006

Client: Linden Apotheke, Ludwigsburg Architects: ippolito fleitz group identity architects, Stuttgart Peter Ippolito, Gunter Fleitz With: Sascha Kipferling, Tim Lessmann, Fabian Greiner, Axel Knapp, Sarah Meßelken Ceiling design: Monica Trenkler Date of completion: 2006

Client: Vittorio Radice, La Rinascente s.r.l. Architects: Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, London Director: Paul Sandilands Project leader: Germano Di Chello With: Chris Waite, Chloë Phelps, James Miles, Francesca Oggioni Electrical engineers: CS Progetti, I-Caselle fraz. Mappano Lighting consultants: Equation Lighting Design, London Mechanical engineers: BRE Engineering s.r.l. Food and restaurantn consultants: Ford McDonald Consultancy, London General contractor: Impresa Minotti s.r.l., Milan Sub contractor (ceiling): Camagni Arredamenti s.r.l., I-Cantù Date of completion: 2007

Construction companies: • acrylic glass cladding: Atoglas, Paris • plastic furniture: Normania, Veldhoven • curved glass panels: Tetterode Glas, Voorthuizen • glass flooring: Veromco, Amsterdam • lighting: Philips Nederland, Eindhoven • shop front / entrance: Glaverned, Tiel www.meyer-vanschooten.nl Roberto Eduard Meyer Born in Bogotá, Columbia in 1959; 1979 – 83 studied at the HTS Architecture in Utrecht, 1984 – 87 at the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam, 1989 – 90 at the Academy of Architecture in Arnhem. Jeroen Wouter van Schooten Born in Nieuwer Amstel, Netherlands in 1960; 1979 – 83 studied at the HTS Architecture in Utrecht, 1984 – 87 at the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam, 1989 – 91 at the Academy of Architecture in Arnhem.

Construction companies: • flooring: Collezioni Ricordi, Castelfranco • wall and ceiling cladding: Collezioni Ricordi, Castelfranco • lighting: Flos spa, Bovezzo, Osram spa, Mailand • internal construction/shelving: DuPont Corian, F.1 s.r.l., Pedrengo [email protected] www.novembre.it Alessio De Vecchi Born in Milan in 1980; degree in industrial design at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan; employee at Luca Trazzi and Fabio Novembre; free-lance designer in New York since 2006. Domenico Zenone Papetti Born in Lodi in 1976; 2003 degree from the Politecnico di Milan; at present studying 3-D-Modelling and Animation at the Big Rock School in Treviso, Italy. Lorenzo De Nicola Born 1971; 1989 degree from the Art Institute in Milan; emloyee with Fabio Novembre since 1998; 2004 degree from the Politecnico di Milano.

Construction companies: • excavation, dry construction, joinery: Baierl & Demmelhuber, Töging • electrical work: Elektro Bauer, Hildritzhausen • flooring: Floor-Concept, Ludwigsburg • painting: Maler Krenk-Kalesse, Ludwigsburg • membrane printing, ceiling decoration: Ross & Partner, Stuttgart [email protected] www.ifgroup.org Gunter Fleitz Studied architecture in Stuttgart, Zurich and Bordeaux; employee at Steidle+Partner, Munich. Peter Ippolito Studied architecture in Stuttgart and Chicago; employee at Studio Daniel Libeskind, Berlin; teaching position at the University of Stuttgart since 2004.

[email protected] www.lds-uk.com Paul Sandilands 1976 technical apprenticeship; 1980 – 1987 studied at the Birmingham Polytechnic and Manchester University; worked as architect in Birmingham; employed since 1988 and director since 1992 at Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands.

1999 establishment of zipherspaceworks; since 2002 ippolito fleitz group

1984 establishment of Meyer en Van Schooten Architecten

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Wine Tasting Tavern in Fellbach

Restaurant and Bar in Zurich

French Restaurant “Aoba-tei” in Sendai

Restaurant “George” in Paris

Client: Markus Heid, Fellbach Architect: Christine Remensperger, Stuttgart With: Johannes Michel Structural engineer: Dieter Seibold, Fellbach Building physics: Jürgen Horstmann, Andreas Berger, Altensteig Date of completion: 2001

Operator: Compass Group, Kloten Financing: Nicole Baumgartner, Christine Fürst Architects: Burkhalter Sumi Architects, Zurich Project leader: Yves Schihin Site management: GMS Partner AG, Zurich, Ralph Eschmann Structural engineer: Walt+Galmarini AG, Zurich Technical services: Huwyler+Koch, Zurich Electrical planner: Schmidiger+Rosasco AG, Zurich Building physics: Kopitsis AG, Wohlen Date of completion: 2006

Client: Aoba-tei Architects: Hitoshi Abe + Atelier Hitoshi Abe, Sendai With: Naoki Inada, Yasuyuki Sakuma Structural engineer: Arup Japan Technical services /electrical planner: Sogo Consultants, Tohoku Light planner: Masahide Kakudate Lighting Architect & Associates, Tokyo Graphic designer: Asyl Design, Tokyo Date of completion: 2005

Client: SNC Costes / Centre George Pompidou Architects: Jakob+MacFarlane, Paris Structural engineer: RFR, Paris Light planner: Isometrix Lighting, London Date of completion: 2000

Construction companies: • carcass: Homann Rothfuss GmbH, Stuttgart • windows: Weber GmbH, Ehingen • joinery/internal construction: B + K Innenausbau, Stuttgart • flooring: Fußboden Haag, Stuttgart • lighting: Uli Jetzt Beleuchtungen GmbH, Backnang • internal fit-out, tables /chairs: Sirch+Bitzer, Böhen i. Allgäu [email protected] www.christineremensperger.de Christine Remensperger Born in Sigmaringen in 1963; 1980 – 1983 apprenticeship as interior decorator; 1989 degree from the Institute of Technology Biberach; free-lance architect since 1994; professor for design and building construction at the Institute of Technology Dortmund, Department of Architecture since 2001.

[email protected] www.burkhalter-sumi.ch Marianne Burkhalter Born in Thalwil in 1947; 1973 – 1975 attended the University of Princeton; 1987 guest professor at the Southern Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles,1999 EPF Lausanne. Christian Sumi Born in Biel in 1950; 1977 degree from the ETH Zurich; 1990 – 1991 guest professor at the Ecole d‘Architecture in Geneva, 1994 Harvard in Boston, 1999 EPF Lausanne, 2003 University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. 1984 establishment of Burkhalter Sumi Architects in Zurich; professors at the Accademia di architettura in Mendrisio since 2008. Yves Schihin Born in Bern in 1970; 2000 degree from the EPF Lausanne; employee since 2000, partner since 2004 at Burkhalter Sumi Architects.

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Construction companies: • construction: Hokushin Koei • steel construction: Takahashi Kogyo Co. Ltd., Suwabe Architectural Office, Structure Lab. • furniture: Tendo Co. Ltd, Yamagata Prefecture • ventilation/airconditioning: Taisei Setsubi Co. Ltd. • electric: Santech Co. Ltd. [email protected] www.a-slash.jp Hitoshi Abe Born in Sendai in 1962; 1989 Master from the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles; 1992 establishment of Atelier Hitoshi Abe; 1993 conferral of doctorate at the Tohoku University; 2002 – 2007 professor at the Department of Architecture and Building Science at the Tohoku University; professor at the Department of Architecture and Urbanism at the School of Arts and Architecture, UCLA since 2007.

Construction companies: • lighting: iGuzzini, Paris • metalwork: M.A.G. Construction • dry construction: Lindner, France [email protected] www.jakobmacfarlane.com Dominique Jakob 1990 degree in art history from the Université de Paris 1; 1991 degree in architecture from the Ecole d’Architecture Paris-Villemin; 1998 – 1999 teaching positions at the Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris and at the Ecole d’Architecture Paris-Villemin since 1994. Brendan MacFarlane 1984 Bachelor from Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles; 1990 Master from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in Boston; 1996 – 1998 teaching positions at Bartlett in London, 1998 – 1999 at the Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris, at SCI-Arc since 2006 and at various other universities.

Authors

Christian Schittich (Editor)

Karl Schwitzke

Born 1956 Studied architecture at the Technical University Munich, followed by seven years office experience and work as author. Since 1991 editorial board of DETAIL, Review of Architecture. Since 1992 responsible editor, since 1998 editor-in-chief. Author and editor of numerous textbooks and articles.

Born 1955 Studied design and interior architecture at the Institute of Technology Kaiserslautern. Employed by Associated Space Design, Atlanta, employed by Hentrich, Petschnigg & Partner KG, architectural office Düsseldorf. Head of department at the lifestyle and fashion label Esprit, responsible for image presentation of at point of sale. Since 1989 owner of the design office Schwitzke & Partner, Düsseldorf.

Christiane Sauer Born 1968 Studied architecture and sculpture in Berlin and Vienna. Founder of “forMade, Office for Architecture and Materials” in Berlin. Editor for material and construction for the internet platform “Architonic”. She is active in education and research, most recently at the University of Arts Berlin. Numerous textbooks and articles.

Claudia Lüling Born 1961 Studied architecture at the Technical University Darmstadt. 1991 Master of Architecture from Sci-Arc Los Angeles. 1995 –2000 teaching position at the Technical University Berlin. Since 1999 free-lance architect. Since 2002 Lüling Rau Architects. 2002–2003 guest professor at the University of Arts Berlin. Since 2003 professor at the Institute of Technology Frankfurt/Main.

Philipp Strohm Born 1981 Studied architecture at the Institute of Technology Frankfurt / Main. Since 2006 free-lance architect in Nürnberg and Frankfurt / Main. Since 2007 Masters studies in architecture and urban research at the Academy of Fine Arts, Nürnberg.

Dirk Moysig Born 1966 1990 –1993 with DWS (Deko-Werbe-Service) in Bad Salzuflen. 1993 employed by KL-Projekt, Porta Westfalica. 1995 employed by Trüggelmann in Bielefeld. 1996 establishment of “Planungsbüro Moysig”, Herford. Since 2005 “moysig retail design gmbH”.

Natalie Marth Born 1967 Studied law at the University of Göttingen, After legal clerkship, active as independent journalist for various national daily newspapers and technical journals. Editor-in-chief for Sportswear International News. Head of PR for various brands (Esprit, Big Star, Madonna etc.). Owner of Marth-PR.

Heinz Peters Born 1940 Commercial training in Braunschweig. Since 1962 head of S&P Schäffer & Peters GmbH in Mühlheim.

Karsten Tichelmann Born 1965 Studied constructional engineering at the Technical University Darmstadt. Conferral of doctorate at the Technical University Munich. Director of the VHT (research body for timber and dry construction), Darmstadt, director of the “Institut für Trocken- und Leichtbau, gemeinnützige Forschungsgesellschaft”, Darmstadt. Partner in the engineering partnership of Tichelmann I S I Barillas, Darmstadt. Professor at the Bochum University of Applied Sciences. Numerous textbooks and articles.

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Illustration credits The authors and editor wish to extend their sincere thanks to all those who helped to realize this book by making illustrations available. All drawings contained in this volume have been specially prepared in-house. Photos without credits are form the architects’ own archives or the archives of “DETAIL, Review of Architecture”. Despite intense efforts, it was not possible to identify the copyright owners of certain photos and illustrations. Their rights remain unaffected, however, and we request them to contact us.

from photographers, photo archives and image agencies:

• pp. 8, 9 bottom left, 10 top right, 42–47, 134, 135, 136 middle, right, 137: Ano, Daici, Tokyo • pp. 9 bottom right, 130 –133: Unger, Heinz, CH-Schlieren • pp. 10 top left, 101 right: Cohrssen, Jimmy, Paris • p. 10 bottom: Meech, Phil / OMA, Rotterdam • p. 11 top: Koch, Erika / artur, Essen • pp. 11 bottom, 63, 65 right, 67: Richters, Christian / artur, Essen • pp. 12 top, 62 left, 64, 65 left, 66, 149, 156 bottom right: Schittich, Christian, Munich • pp. 12 middle, 48 –51: Heinrich, Michael, Munich • pp. 12 bottom, 36 bottom: Binet, Hélène, London • pp. 13, 82, 83, 85: Hiepler & Brunier, Berlin • p. 14: Richter, Ralph / archenova, Düsseldorf • pp. 16–19: Bereuter, Adolf, A-Lauterach • pp. 24–27: Bredt, Markus, Berlin • pp. 28–31: Hong Chao Wai, Beijing • pp. 32 top, 33, 87 top, 93: diephotodesigner.de, Berlin • pp. 32 bottom, 34, 35, 36 top: Silken Hotels / Hotel Puerta América, Madrid • p. 37: Rosskopf & Partner, Obermehler • pp. 38–41: Pons, Eugeni, Barcelona • pp. 53 top, middle, 154 bottom, 158 bottom, 159: Baan, Iwan, Amsterdam

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• pp. 54–57: Henz, Hannes, Zurich • pp. 58–60, 61 top: Richters, Christian, Münster • p. 61 bottom: Kaltenbach, Frank, Munich • p. 62 right: Staubach, Barbara / artur, Essen • pp. 68–71, 73, 126–129, 145: Halbe, Roland, Stuttgart • p. 72: Suzuki, Hisao, Barcelona • pp. 74–77: O’Sullivan, Kilian / view / artur, Essen • pp. 78, 80: Huthmacher, Werner, Berlin • p. 84: Knauf Gips KG, Iphofen • p. 87 bottom: Raftery, Paul / view / artur, Essen • p. 88 top: Bitter & Bredt, Berlin • pp. 94 top, 95: Tjaden, Oliver, Düsseldorf • pp. 94 bottom, middle: Reinelt, Gerhard, Sulzbach-Rosenberg • pp. 96, 97: Grothus, Achim / moysig retail design, Herford • p. 99: Muratet, Stephane, Paris • pp. 102, 103: Bernado, Jordi, E-Lleida • pp. 104–107, 109 middle: Wagner, Joachim / feuerfoto, Berlin • pp. 110–113: Musch, Jeroen, Amsterdam • pp. 114–117: Ferrero, Alberto, Munich • pp. 118–121, 152 bottom: Braun, Zooey, Stuttgart • pp. 122–127: Gascoigne, Chris / view / artur, Essen • p. 136 left: Sato, Katsuaki, J-Sendai • p. 139: Borel, Nicolas, Paris • pp. 140, 141: Morin, Françoise / archipress, Paris • p. 146 top: Norlander, Rasmus, Stockholm • p. 146 middle Spiluttini, Margherita, Vienna • pp. 146 bottom, 157: Halbe, Roland / artur, Essen • pp. 148 top, 149, 154 top, 156 middle: Sauer, Christiane, Berlin • p. 148 bottom: Corian® Nouvel Lumières, DuPont™, US-Wilmington

• p. 151 top: United Bamboo Inc., Tokyo • p. 151 bottom: Franck, David, Ostfildern • p. 152 top: TAL, B-Pittem • p. 155 top: Fielitz GmbH Lichtbauelemente, Ingolstadt • p. 155 bottom: 360 Glas BV, NL-Tilburg • p. 156 top: Offecct AB, S-Tibro • p. 158 top: Heijdens, Simon, London • pp. 160, 167: Winter, Wolfgang, Frankfurt / Main • p. 162 top: Jakobs, Anneke, Utrecht • p. 162 middle: Remy & Veenhuizen, Utrecht • p. 162 bottom: Williamson, Colin, Shrewsbury • pp. 163–165: 2012 Architecten, Rotterdam • pp. 169 collumn 1, 172 collumn 1: Typos 1 – Peter Badge, Berlin • p. 169 collumn 2: Double, Steve • p. 170 collumn 4: Koopman, Miranda, Utrecht • p. 171 collumn 1 left: Gigler, Dominik, London

Articles and introductory b / w photos: • p. 8: Hotel “Ginzan-Onsen-Fuijya« in Obanazawa, Kengo Kuma & Associates,Tokyo • p. 14: University Library in Berlin, Foster + Partners, London • p. 144: High-Pressure-Laminate, Dekodur • p. 160: Crate house »2085.15« in Frankfurt /Main (temporary installation June-October 2001), Wolfgang Winter / Berthold Hörbelt, Frankfurt / Main

Dust-jacket photo: Fashion Store in Tokyo Architects: Acconci Studio, New York Photo: United Bamboo Inc., Tokyo