Every year the world's best buildings compete for the prestigious MIPIM Awards in Cannes. This year a project with an extraordinary fibreC façade from Rieder was among the finalists. Main Point Karlin, developed in Prague by PSJ Invest, wins the MIPIM Award in the category of Best Office and Business Development. The office building was designed by the Prague atelier DaM. Functionality and design were decisive factors for the principals and architects of the building. Substantial research and development efforts were necessary for Rieder to implement the facade in accordance with the designs. Today the building is adorned by 2,650 formed fibreC elements.
In January a jury panel comprised of high profile real estate experts met to shortlist three finalists in each of the award's eight categories. More than 100 projects from 47 countries were considered. For any of the finalists, making the list is an achievement worth of recognition and Main Point Karlin's success shows that independent, creative architecture impressed the jury.
Main Point Karlin has received appreciation for its distinctive sustainable architecture and high technological level. The 10- storey building is striving to obtain Platinum, the highest level of certification in the LEED system. Main Point Karlin, with its organic curves and coloured fibreC facade elements, is already a dominant feature in the cityspace. It uses a number of approaches in its sustainable design, among them, using the River Vltava's water throughout the summer for building cooling, and hereby eliminating the need for compressors and chillers. Cooling is further naturally regulated by the coloured fibreC elements on the facade which are not only aesthetic but serve to reduce heat gains from sunlight penetration.
The innovative shape of the building allows for a new approach to space use. The flowing glass surfaces enable the creation of premium office space in the entire building. A well thought-out concept turns the complex into a place where well-being and functionality are top priorities. A roof garden for relaxation, a central atrium that provides natural daylight for the offices and a specially developed heating and cooling system are only some of the numerous features which turn this building into a magic place.
Glassfibre-concrete saddles as a sustainable and sun protective system
Large glass surfaces were needed for the ingenious lighting system, but the architects did not want to create a homogeneous glass surface. They decided to use coloured design elements to complement the distinct shape of the building and the flowing glass surfaces. These saddle-like design elements create the unique appearance of the building. Rieder Smart Elements supplied a total of 2,650 fibre C concrete panels for the facade. The eyecatchers were produced in a specially developed manufacturing process and installed by a Czech partner company.
Technical specifications of fibreC convinced architects
The saddle-like parts are made of curved fibreC glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels. The composition of the panel matrix had to be changed to be able to achieve the curved shape envisioned by the architects. A technically refined fastening system and high-quality material properties made fibreC the ideal choice for this application. Apart from the visual requirements the materials used for the exterior of the building and in particular for the facade had to fulfill important technical requirements. However, the architects did not focus on the visual appearance alone. Both principals and planners demanded a reliable design that would be able to meet technical and visual requirements even after ten or twenty years. The development of fibreC facade panels has been inspired by the vision of a concrete panel that is lightweight, stable, able to withstand harsh weather and environmental conditions and at the same time sustainable and aesthetic.
Apart from the visual appearance and the wish to use environmentally-friendly materials, safety and fire protection also played an important role in the selection of the building materials. By choosing fibreC panels for the facade, all these requirements could be met. Owing to its excellent thermal values (fire protection class A1 "non-flammable"), fibreC is a particularly sturdy material that does not require any additional treatment or chemical coatings.
Rieder did not only supply the formed fibreC facade panels for the Main Point Karlin project. Rieder Beton Jihlava, another subsidiary of the Rieder Group, supplied the concrete parts for the building structure.
PSJ INVEST, a.s.
The Main Point Karlin project's developer is PSJ INVEST, a.s present on the Czech market for sixteen years. The portfolio contains over 181,000 square meters of office and shopping centre areas, commercial centres and industrial parks or houses and residential complexes. For further information please refer to www.psjinvest.cz
In January a jury panel comprised of high profile real estate experts met to shortlist three finalists in each of the award's eight categories. More than 100 projects from 47 countries were considered. For any of the finalists, making the list is an achievement worth of recognition and Main Point Karlin's success shows that independent, creative architecture impressed the jury.
Main Point Karlin has received appreciation for its distinctive sustainable architecture and high technological level. The 10- storey building is striving to obtain Platinum, the highest level of certification in the LEED system. Main Point Karlin, with its organic curves and coloured fibreC facade elements, is already a dominant feature in the cityspace. It uses a number of approaches in its sustainable design, among them, using the River Vltava's water throughout the summer for building cooling, and hereby eliminating the need for compressors and chillers. Cooling is further naturally regulated by the coloured fibreC elements on the facade which are not only aesthetic but serve to reduce heat gains from sunlight penetration.
The innovative shape of the building allows for a new approach to space use. The flowing glass surfaces enable the creation of premium office space in the entire building. A well thought-out concept turns the complex into a place where well-being and functionality are top priorities. A roof garden for relaxation, a central atrium that provides natural daylight for the offices and a specially developed heating and cooling system are only some of the numerous features which turn this building into a magic place.
Glassfibre-concrete saddles as a sustainable and sun protective system
Large glass surfaces were needed for the ingenious lighting system, but the architects did not want to create a homogeneous glass surface. They decided to use coloured design elements to complement the distinct shape of the building and the flowing glass surfaces. These saddle-like design elements create the unique appearance of the building. Rieder Smart Elements supplied a total of 2,650 fibre C concrete panels for the facade. The eyecatchers were produced in a specially developed manufacturing process and installed by a Czech partner company.
Technical specifications of fibreC convinced architects
The saddle-like parts are made of curved fibreC glass-fibre reinforced concrete panels. The composition of the panel matrix had to be changed to be able to achieve the curved shape envisioned by the architects. A technically refined fastening system and high-quality material properties made fibreC the ideal choice for this application. Apart from the visual requirements the materials used for the exterior of the building and in particular for the facade had to fulfill important technical requirements. However, the architects did not focus on the visual appearance alone. Both principals and planners demanded a reliable design that would be able to meet technical and visual requirements even after ten or twenty years. The development of fibreC facade panels has been inspired by the vision of a concrete panel that is lightweight, stable, able to withstand harsh weather and environmental conditions and at the same time sustainable and aesthetic.
Apart from the visual appearance and the wish to use environmentally-friendly materials, safety and fire protection also played an important role in the selection of the building materials. By choosing fibreC panels for the facade, all these requirements could be met. Owing to its excellent thermal values (fire protection class A1 "non-flammable"), fibreC is a particularly sturdy material that does not require any additional treatment or chemical coatings.
Rieder did not only supply the formed fibreC facade panels for the Main Point Karlin project. Rieder Beton Jihlava, another subsidiary of the Rieder Group, supplied the concrete parts for the building structure.
PSJ INVEST, a.s.
The Main Point Karlin project's developer is PSJ INVEST, a.s present on the Czech market for sixteen years. The portfolio contains over 181,000 square meters of office and shopping centre areas, commercial centres and industrial parks or houses and residential complexes. For further information please refer to www.psjinvest.cz
