“We worked with an innovative architectural office in Switzerland to produce a facade that is the only one of its kind in the world”, said Hubert Seifert, Managing Director of PORR SUISSE. “With this top-quality result, we – as a total service contractor – have demonstrated our comprehensive expertise in turning innovative, and technically and aesthetically demanding architectural ideas into reality. We are very proud of this achievement.”
Building physics and geometric requirements
Given today’s highly exacting requirements for heat transfer, sound insulation and dimensional tolerances, a glass brick facade poses enormous challenges in planning and execution. Glass bricks have an exceptionally high aesthetic value. In the past, however, this always had to be weighed up against massive disadvantages in terms of building physics.
The architectural office Made in Sàrl incorporated a large glass brick facade into their design for the Gleisarena. The geometry is multiple curved, making it difficult to realise in square glass bricks. At first glance, the facade looks like a continuous curve, but due to the geometry of the glass bricks it is actually a polygon.
This large-scale application is ideally suited to showcasing the high aesthetic appeal of a glass brick facade. With this solution, PORR is establishing a real milestone in the use of glass bricks in facade construction.
All the facts and figures at a glance
Contract type: | Total service contractor |
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Project type: | Building construction/offices |
Project scope: | Planning and construction of a seven-storey head end structure and a six-storey longitudinal building |
Order volume: | 40 million Swiss francs (35.9 million euros) |
Construction start: | May 2017 |
Construction end: | March 2020 |
Country: | Switzerland |
Curved facade: | 1,500m² |