ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINE A space for regeneration. Toward a networked future. Playfully awry. The beauty of sustainability

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1 ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINE A space for regeneration Toward a networked future Playfully awry The beauty of sustainability

2 CONTENTS NEWS NEWS FOCUS PROJECT DETAIL PROJECT IN DEMAND OUTLOOK THE DESK OF Allgäu s best Toward a New: A space for Healing with Playfully awry: Sustainable A milestone for Frank Stasi in Architecture on film A coveted award networked future: Digitization in the construction The RAICO App regeneration: Lanserhof, Tegernsee colors: Mother & Child Center, Augsburg Hospital The playtower at Swarovski- Kristallwelten building: Beauty is essential the industry and the region: Size XXL Siemens R&D complex in Dornbirn (Austria) industry Forchheim EDITORIAL Dear readers, As was seen very recently Center at Augsburg Hospital which, as befits such during the construction of a a unit, also features a brightly colored, welcoming What are high-performance building products? Without doubt, the products that offer the right quality at glass tower with no ninetydegree vertical lines. A design you would think could barely be surpassed when it façade. This color design is also part of the RAICO system chosen for the application. And talking of variety: You can now catch up on just how RAICO curtain wall systems can help you Imprint OBJEKTIV is the architecture magazine of RAICO Bautechnik GmbH the right price. First and foremost, however, they are products that make it possible to solve a wide range of design and constructionrelated challenges based on a single, consistently implemented system concept. Dr. Stefan Lackner and Manfred Hebel comes to individuality and, as a result, the very special demands placed on the façade construction. However, that this and more are possible using our THERM + system is shown by our article on the playtower at the This is the very idea that has always characterized the development of the RAICO product portfolio. The result is curtain wall systems that are suitable Swarovski-Kristallwelten in the current magazine. Modern building work without sustainability is inconceivable. As our interviewee in the current in your planning on your ipad. The RAICO App is now online and is available free of charge from the Apple App Store. One of its standout features is an interactive tool for sectional views. Here you can combine underlying profiles and cover strips to meet your own needs. For even more individuality. We hope that you find the contents of the current edition stimulating and exciting. Issued by: RAICO Bautechnik GmbH, Gewerbegebiet Nord 2, Pfaffenhausen, Phone +49 (0) , Fax +49 (0) , info@raico.de, Edited and published by: mk publishing GmbH, Döllgaststraße 7 9, Augsburg, Phone +49 (0) , Fax +49 (0) , info@mkpublishing.de, for use with all substrates even in the standard version, that guarantee thermal insulation to passive house level, and that provide the required protection against fire and burglary. And whose modular structure makes them the turn-to solution for the practical realization of innovative, offbeat building designs. magazine confirms once again. Thermal insulation, for example through our patented insulating block technology, is a key element in RAICO s curtain wall systems. It makes it possible to turn even exacting energy-efficiency concepts into a reality, for example in the case of a green hospital. That is the claim made by the new Mother & Child Dr. Stefan Lackner and Manfred Hebel, Managing Directors of RAICO Bautechnik GmbH Photo credits: Allplan Deutschland GmbH, Breitenbach Stahl- und Metallbau GmbH, D. Swarovski Tourism Services GmbH, H.G. Esch, Alexander Haiden, HHS Planer und Architekten AG, Egbert Krupp, RAICO, Snøhetta Arkitektur og Landskap A/S, Mark Wohlrab 2

3 ARCHITECTURE ON FILM NEWS Thomas Peter (2nd from right) receives his Allgäu s Best certificate. He received his award from CTI representatives Gerhard Schlichterle (left) and Robert Frank (right) as well as from the evening s star guest, the professional German triathlete Christian Brader (2nd from left). ALLGÄU S BEST Once again, RAICO has proved it is at the very top when it comes to training: Thomas Peter completed his apprenticeship as a specialist for warehouse logistics so successfully that he was numbered among the 97 winners of the Allgäu s Best title by the regional Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI). According to Gerhard Schichterle, chairman of the Kempten CTI regional assembly, Thomas Peter can be especially proud of his achievement given that he was up against 3,180 participants who entered this year s competition. The performances of the award-winning apprentices also won the praise of Robert Frank, Vice-President of the umbrella CTI for the Bavarian administrative district of Swabia. His call to his young audience: Challenge our generation with new, different, lateral ways of thinking. We can learn from you. Thomas Peter has heeded the call and has already started his second apprenticeship at RAICO, this time as business administrator. It is not just this magazine that reports on the demanding applications for which RAICO systems have been used. They can now also been seen on film: on the RAICO YouTube channel. Presented in person by the architects, fabricators and responsible RAICO personnel themselves. The latest videos show the new headquarters of MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geräte GmbH in Innsbruck and the iceq mountain restaurant in the Ötztal. Another RAICO service on YouTube: Videos for fabricators, for example on how to use the new FRAME + 90 WI/WB aluminum window system. Available in German, English and French. Take a look and be inspired: A COVETED AWARD RAICO Bautechnik has won and Dr. Stefan Lackner, during Fenster-Leistungsgemeinschaft the award ceremony: It is with GmbH s (FLG) top award for great joy and indeed pride that This Oscar is FLG s way of we accept this award. But it isn t rewarding the year s best supplier. really the two of us who should Award winners are assessed on be standing here this evening, but the basis of 15 criteria, including our employees, whose outstanding evaluation of product quality, work every day we have to thank service level or the performance for this award. For all of us, this of the field service and in-house award is an additional incentive to support staff. RAICO Bautechnik continue supporting and serving collected the highest number of our customers and partners with points out of all 35 suppliers and all our commitment, expertise and received the coveted award for the energy as well as we possibly can in first time. According to the words the future. of the Managing Directors of FLG was founded in 1999 and RAICO Bautechnik, Manfred Hebel is an association of mid-sized window and façade manufacturers. FLG now numbers 19 member companies, all of which are ownermanaged, covering the whole of Germany. At the award ceremony (left to right): Reiner Stöckel (FLG), Dr. Stefan Lackner (RAICO), Alfons Hertweck (FLG), Volker Lang (FLG), Manfred Hebel (RAICO), Jan M. Krebbers (FLG), Josef Huber (FLG). 3

4 NEWS DIGITIZATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TOWARD A NETWORKED FUTURE The unstoppable growth of digitization and networking is also taking hold in the construction industry. In particular, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is setting new standards as a digital planning process and is developing into the future standard for contemporary planning and building, in Germany as elsewhere. In February 2015, a number of leading associations and technical features and the building structure. Using institutions from the building planning, construction BIM-assisted 3D models, it is also possible to calculate and operating sectors came together to found structural building values or energy requirements planen-bauen 4.0 Gesellschaft zur Digitalisierung quickly and easily. As a result, digitized construction des Planens, Bauens und Betreibens mbh. The aim of affects not only planners and contractors but also the this initiative is to make the potential efficiency gains owners and operators of buildings and site facilities. of digital construction available to all parties involved Practical experience from abroad in the building sector. These efficiencies result from the detailed digitization of all the relevant structural While the topic of BIM is still only of secondary data and its networking within the corresponding importance in Germany, digitized building has already data models. The best example of this is Building become firmly established in some countries. And Information Modeling (BIM) which covers not only geometrical information but also factors such as scheduling, costs and other information, and makes this available in a shared database. Benefits for all parties in the construction sector The result is a significant increase in the productivity of the planning and building process as well as at the level of facility management. At a more detailed level, BIM-based construction promises better coordination between specialist planners and the on-site building trades, fewer planning errors, cost and time savings, the elimination of redundant data entry operations, and conflict monitoring, for example between installed practice there has shown that BIM permits faster, more efficient planning and construction processes, while introducing BIM results in only very low additional costs. Despite this, it offers considerably more detail and consistency throughout the model than conventional 2D plans. What is more, by integrating the detailed information solely in the form of external references, it is possible to keep the data volume of the model low. Digitization as the standard of the future It is safe to assume that in the future, BIM use will become standard practice throughout the entire construction sector. The growing digitization and networking of the construction industry is an innovative development process that is opening up many new and attractive opportunities for architects, planners, owners and manufacturers alike. BIM software distinguishes between different specialist planners and on-site building trades. An example of the simple visualization of complex geometries for architects. 4

5 SERVICE, TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES FOCUS NEW: THE RAICO APP With its new App, RAICO is making its product and project solutions available online for ipads, allowing users to consult this up-to-the-minute information whenever they want. Alongside the entire product portfolio, the RAICO App also includes features such as an interactive section tool and much more. So download the App for free now and give it a try! With THERM +, FRAME + and WING, the new RAICO App presents the entire product portfolio of system solutions for windows and curtain walls. Every RAICO system is stored together with the product characteristics, possible applications and selected technical drawings. The solution also provides information about valuable accessories and possible variants offering enhanced fire resistance and burglar-proofing. One outstanding feature is an interactive tool for creating customized product views. For the THERM + curtain wall system, the App offers the special capability of displaying different combinations of cover strips and supporting profiles. Use the new App to discover the RAICO portfolio interactively and on the go. Scan the QR code to go directly to the App Store! Project database with in-depth information Another important feature of the new RAICO App is the online project database containing a list of buildings constructed with RAICO solutions worldwide. Here, users can find reference projects to match their needs and see the corresponding RAICO solutions in practice. In addition to high-quality project photos, users can also view full information on the construction measures, architect and the products used. Individual project search with map view The search function integrated with the project database also permits fast searches for specific projects. Depending on the required category, the App presents the corresponding solutions listed by project, location, architect, system, fabricator, category or other criteria. The new filter function also makes it possible to call up precisely defined reference result lists, optionally sorted by system, category or construction method. The new App also contains an interactive map view indicating the precise locations of the corresponding RAICO projects. Whether you are looking for a reference project, solution or product: With the new free App, the whole RAICO world is yours to discover. Bottom: Selection of different cover strips in the interactive section tool. 5

6 PROJECT LANSERHOF TEGERNSEE 6

7 The large lift-and-slide doors could be integrated in the mullion-and-transom construction without difficulty. A SPACE FOR REGENERATION Compact forms, a wealth of natural materials and copious daylight. All these shape the architectural principles at the heart of the Lanserhof Tegernsee. And they are in perfect harmony with the aluminum and larchwood façade constructed using the RAICO THERM + H-V curtain wall system. It was possible to integrate the large panoramic glass panes into the delicate mullion-and-transom structure just as easily as special mullions designed for acoustic insulation and fire protection. The Lanserhof Tegernsee in Waakirchen, Germany was officially opened in early As one of Europe s leading health resorts in the field of regenerative and preventive medicine, the Lanserhof Tegernsee s main ambition is to help every guest achieve long-term physical and mental regeneration. The treatments offered are based on the resort s own health care concept and combine state-of-theart medicine with recognized therapeutic methods and traditional natural healing. 7

8 Light and space enliven the Lanserhof Tegernsee thanks to the generously sized window areas. The complex itself was conceived to mirror the principles of monastic design. Focusing on the essential The principle at the heart of this holistic health concept administered naturally in exclusive surroundings offering the very best quality is Less is More. Through conscious abstention and a pure, healthy lifestyle, guests are able to focus more clearly on essentials and create space for regeneration. The architecture of the Lanserhof Tegernsee mirrors this concept of wellbeing. The entire structure, including the landscape architecture, building planning and every aspect of the entire internal architecture, was designed and created by the Düsseldorf-based ingenhoven architects. Conceived as a monastic complex Compact, simple forms, a wealth of natural materials and the targeted use of natural light make a crucial contribution to the overall feel of the Lanserhof, says Christoph Ingenhoven of ingenhoven architects. The 80 meter square building has the classical layout of a complex constructed around an internal courtyard and was conceived to mirror the principles of monastic design. The building itself, which measures some 21,000 square meters, is accessed via a garden level. This is where guests will find the reception, restaurant, fireside lounge, and the 7,000 square meter medical area. Above this are the two upper floors which house a total of 70 guest rooms. Architecture as a therapeutic concept Although the atmosphere is primarily one of openness and transparency, the building also radiates homeliness and warmth. The architecture of the resort thus forms part of the therapeutic concept. What is more, light-flooded spaces for individual replenishment and generous window areas gradually blur the distinction between inside and outside. This is particularly true of the floor-to-ceiling glazed guest rooms with their unforgettable view over Lake Tegern and the surrounding Alps. The windows open out onto generously sized, larchwood-slatted loggias. These slats can be moved to provide shade and give the hotel s timeless façade a contrasted, segmented appearance. Sustainability through larchwood The entire façade construction, which covers an area of approximately 3,500 square meters, was created using the 56-millimeter wide RAICO THERM + H-V timberaluminum mullion-and-transom curtain wall system. The planning of the curtain wall was undertaken by DS-Plan AG in Stuttgart and the structure was fabricated by Rubner Holzbau GmbH in Augsburg. Its realization as a wooden façade is in perfect harmony 8

9 with the natural, sustainable overall building concept, in particular due to the fact that the external cover strips are made from untreated larchwood. The internal supporting structure is made from larch timber laminate with an oiled surface. Only on the lower floor are any aluminumbronze-eloxal strips to be found. Special mullions for acoustic insulation and fire protection The THERM + H-V curtain wall system also provided the required structural stability necessary for the triple-glazed façade sections around the guest rooms and garden floor: In total, we integrated 130 extremely large lift-andslide doors of up to 3.80 meters in width and 3.20 meters in height into the mullion-and-transom construction without problems, explains Helmut Dirr, Project Manager for Rubner Holzbau GmbH. And it was just as straightforward to incorporate custom manufactured special mullions with additionally inlaid steel, lead and fire protection panels to meet the acoustic insulation and fire protection requirements. Because of these material reinforcements, the cross-sections of the mullions increased up to as much as a 98-millimeter width of view. Despite this, they dovetail perfectly with the slender, delicate surrounding mullion-and-transom construction thanks to their timber surfaces. Award-winning quality And the results have been enthusiastically received: In this year alone, the Lanserhof Tegernsee has already been singled out for numerous distinctions and awards, including the Tatler Spa Award 2015 and the if Design Award Christoph Ingenhoven founded the firm ingenhoven architects in 1985 and has won many first prizes in international competitions as well as numerous other distinctions. Christoph Ingenhoven s work is infused by an ecological, sustainable approach that foregrounds the well-being of users, technological innovation, versatility and efficiency, practical construction and a precision finish. At present, the Düsseldorfbased agency, which employs some 80 staff, is planning, for example, the Stuttgart main railway station, Marina One in Singapore, and further projects in Tokyo, Hong-Kong and Brisbane. Client: Lanserhof Marienstein GmbH & Co KG, Waakirchen Construction period: 2012 to 2013 Architects: ingenhoven Architects, Düsseldorf Curtain wall planning: DS-Plan AG, Stuttgart Curtain wall constructor: Rubner Holzbau GmbH, Augsburg Building format: Three-story, square building shell with internal courtyard Construction: Reinforced concrete skeleton structure RAICO products used: THERM + 56 H-V curtain wall system Gross floor area: 19,000 m² Facade area: approx. 3,500 m² 9

10 DETAIL MOTHER & CHILD CENTER, AUGSBURG HOSPITAL HEALING WITH COLORS The design possibilities available using the THERM + H-V timber curtain wall systems can be seen at the new Mother & Child Center in Augsburg. Here, the colored striping of the façade makes the building a place of well-being and exuberance. At the same, time, this new construction was designed as an outstandingly energy-efficient, sustainable green hospital. 10

11 With their consistent, modular structure, RAICO s THERM + timber mullion-and-transom curtain walls permit the practically unlimited combination of the different system parts and components. In particular, the THERM + H-V system solution, with its combination of wood and aluminum, combines perfect functionality with aesthetic design. The best example of this is the new Mother & Child Center at Augsburg Hospital which opened its doors in fall 2014 after a construction period of barely three years. The new, four-story building was erected as a reinforced concrete skeleton construction and houses a family unit, an obstetrics department with delivery room, a pediatric department and a children s intensive care unit. It consists of two neighboring, offset cubes, each of which has a large, fully-glazed internal courtyard at its center. The building was designed and planned by Ludes Architekten-Ingenieure GmbH on behalf of Augsburg Hospital. A place of closeness and recovery The main aim behind the architectural concept was to create a special atmosphere of well-being for patients, their families and friends, and staff. This was achieved through the generously sized rooms that can be found everywhere in the building, as well as through the special color design both in the various units and on the building s façade. The very first impression radiated by the façade s enameled glass panels is one of color and exuberance in a deliberate rejection of the utilitarian appearance characteristic of hospital buildings. It is this approach that makes the building a place of human proximity and recovery. At the same time, the projecting service platforms of the Mother & Child Center give the structure its horizontal delineation, explains Bernhard Scheiderer, responsible project manager at Ludes Architekten-Ingenieure GmbH. By contrast, the large, brightly colored, glazed striping of the façade, which is set off against the glass-fiber reinforced concrete areas, emphasizes the independent, unusual nature of the building. Façade for fire protection The entire external façade, which covers an area of approximately 1,800 square meters, was created using the 56-millimeter wide RAICO THERM + H-V timber mullion-and-transom curtain wall system combined with FRAME + 75 WB aluminum block windows. The THERM + S-I steel curtain wall system was used for the two central atriums. The external façades were designed to provide protection against fire, explains Günter Hackenbuchner from Hackenbuchner Fassadenbau GmbH & Co. KG in Dietersburg. Thanks to RAICO s proven system technology, we were able to complete the entire project without difficulty. Designed as a green hospital At the same time, the impressive insulating properties of the THERM + H-V curtain wall system ensure outstanding energy efficiency and contribute to the building s status as a sustainable, resource-saving green hospital. To achieve this, it was necessary to focus on fundamental design constraints, such as the requirement for energy-efficient window and façade constructions and a visually appealing building concept, as well as local factors, power supply and operational considerations not to mention the conditions that would greet patients and staff. Special emphasis was therefore placed on creating a comfortable welcoming atmosphere, because one thing is clear: a friendly, attractive climate of well-being is by far the most conducive for rapid healing and long-term recovery. At the new Mother & Child Center, great value was placed on creating a colorful, open, exuberant environment. Furthermore, the entire building was designed as a green hospital. 11

12 PROJECT PLAYTOWER AT SWAROVSKI-KRISTALLWELTEN, WATTENS, AUSTRIA PLAYFULLY AWRY The Swarovski-Kristallwelten in Wattens in the Austrian Tyrol is a magnet for tourists. To celebrate Swarovski s 120th birthday, the visitor experience has been enhanced by new highlights. The 20-meter high playtower, whose glass façade was erected using the RAICO THERM + S-I system, is a striking new construction. Twenty years ago, when the Swarovski-Kristall welten (Swarovski Crystal Worlds) was first opened, André Hellers Riese was intent on causing a sensation. The foaming abyss next to which visitors can descend to the underground heart of the complex and admire the breathtaking crystal landscapes. From the very start, the aim was to astonish, says Patrick Lüth, architect and partner in the Norwegian agency Snøhetta. What we wanted to do was to bring movement, so that people could act by themselves, in particular children. And so the idea of the playtower, which was to extend the site along with a large playground, was born. Five floors of jumping, climbing and gymnastics. According to Lüth, the architects plan was to stack up a world of playful experience, so to speak, where you can riot in 3D. With such unusual features as a 14-meter high climbing net that runs up vertically through the stories. Not a vertical line to be seen The tower itself is also rather unusual. Naturally, the design was inspired by the idea of a crystal. However, simply copying its symmetry would have been too clumsy, says Lüth. Why not try to achieve the opposite: a kind of playful crystal? This idea was to give rise to a glass façade structure in which there is not a vertical line to be seen. With 170 trapezoidal glass facets, no two of which look the same and which are folded against one another at different angles. And which, as the architect admits, represented a challenge when it came to constructing the curtain wall. At the same time, Snøhetta wanted to create as much transparency as possible. As a result, the glass curtain wall was constructed without mullions. In 12

13 the vertical direction, the large panes are held in place solely by silicon joins. This approach was also adopted to avoid projections into the children s play area, which reaches right up to the panes. The fact that the glass facets can only be positioned on two sides has certain consequences. In order to absorb structural influences due to operating and climatic loads, as well as impact loads caused by the children when playing, the panes had to be heavy," explains Hannes Market, Technical Manager of the Bozen-based steel and curtain wall construction company Pichler. 70 kilograms per square meter was the calculated value, which, given an average pane size of 7.3 square meters, meant a total weight of more than 500 kilograms per pane. To cope with these demands, the planners chose the RAICO THERM + S-I curtain wall system which, even though transom profiles were used due to the single-axis construction of the façade, is still able to support panes of a weight of up to 600 kg. Seated in a single axis: The panes are fixed only to the horizontal axis of the steel structure by means of supporting profiles from the RAICO THERM + S-I system. We had to deal with all types of glass angles and thankfully we were able to cope with these using the standard system. Because Pichler was facing quite enough other challenges: Alongside the heavy weights of glass, the company also had to implement the different angles of inclination between the panes, which were joined vertically only by means of a seal, and bind these together to form a stable structure. And, according to Market, even though the RAICO profiles were the smallest of the system components, they played a crucial role in providing structural stability. And he was especially delighted with the technical support that RAICO provides during the construction process, in particular when we have to deal with such special projects. And the playtower in Wattens is certainly special. Visible from afar, it now acts as a very different type of brand symbol to tempt visitors to the Swarovski- Kristallwelten. Because as the architect Lüth says, it s just strangely awry. Snøhetta is an internationally active firm of architects with offices in Oslo and New York. Some 160 employees from 28 countries are currently accompanying approximately 80 projects worldwide. The firm works in the fields of building construction, interior and landscape architecture, as well as in the brand design sector. At the planning level, it places the focus on cultural works. The firm s international career was launched in 1989 when it won the architectural competition for the new Library of Alexandria from a field of 526 applicants. Its plans for the future include the Oslo Opera House as well as the Cultural Center of the World Trade Center Memorial Complex in New York. Architect Patrick Lüth is a partner and Managing Director of the Snøhetta offices in Innsbruck. Snøhetta is named after Norway s highest mountain ( snow peak ). Project management: D. Swarovski Tourism Services Gmbh On-site building supervision: D. Swarovski KG Construction period: October 2014 to April 2015 Architects: Snøhetta Arkitektur og Landskap A/S, Innsbruck offices, Austria s_o_s architekten (Schlögl_ Obermoser_Süß, Innsbruck, Austria) CAO PERROT (Los Angeles, USA; Rennes, France) Curtain wall planning and construction: Stahlbau Pichler GmbH/Srl, Bozen Building: Clad steel structure with central lift and fire wall. Fully glazed, fivestory curtain wall without mullions, including 170 panes mounted on a single axis. Dimensions: Building height: 20 meters Area: 124 m 2 Usable surface area: 512 m 2 Surface of glazed curtain wall: 800 m 2 Height of glazed areas: variable up to 420 cm RAICO products used: 56-millimeter thick THERM + S-I system with integrated screw channel. Supporting profiles from the steel mullion-and-transom system Vital structural role Of equal importance for Market was the range of possible applications for the RAICO system: 13

14 IN DEMAND BEAUTY IS ESSENTIAL Sustainability is the key issue for the building sector. Professor Manfred Hegger from HHS Planer + Architekten AG in Kassel, Germany explains how architecture itself can make a contribution. Professor Manfred Hegger is Chairman of the Board of Directors of HHS Planer + Architekten AG in Kassel. From 2001 to 2014, he lectured in design and energy-efficient construction at Darmstadt Technical University How far has sustainable building come? Has it become widely established? Everyone is talking about it, almost excessively so. And often not quite correctly, because only some of the criteria of sustainable building are being addressed and implemented. However, solutions that are restricted to only specific aspects, such as materials selection or energy efficiency, are not the answer. Sustainability places wide-ranging, all-embracing requirements on the construction and operation of buildings, such as those which are starting to be defined through the criteria of the sustainability certification systems. What factors are preventing progress? Where is support needed? The claim to sustainability is in itself a positive marketing argument and so it is one we hear a lot. However, the corresponding in-depth consideration of the complex demands and opportunities involved in moving the building industry further along the path of sustainability is all too infrequent. Training is required, both at the basic and advanced levels. Most of all, though, we need a clearer insight into the opportunities that are arising. To mention only a few: new areas of activity, better building quality, improved and long-lasting marketability, a new image for architecture. It would seem sensible to provide additional aid for sustainable building in terms of consultancy during the planning phase and certification. And when it comes to pilot projects, public authorities should, indeed must, lead the way with good examples. What can and must architecture do to promote sustainability and energy efficiency? Architecture s main and most ambitious task is not only to draw together all the requirements for sustainable development within attractive projects but also to incorporate these in buildings that can be operated well and that are highly appreciated in the long term by their users. Sustainable architecture should not just prove its special characteristics in the form of tables and certificates but must also make these clearly visible. It must be well-conceived, appropriate, environmentally responsible, robust and practical. To do this, it must be innovative and make the case for vital developments and unavoidable changes. To be truly sustainable, it must most especially fill the gap left uncovered by current notions of sustainability: beauty. This is more than just a well-executed building shape. Architecture is also the vehicle for a way of life and good relations between individuals, as well as between people and the environment. Ethics and aesthetics are inseparable from one another. Only if beauty has its proper place can the cultural transition to a world designed for sustainability be successful. What models and strategies will be of relevance for the future? If sustainable building is an allembracing task then it can only be successful if everyone involved makes their contribution. Project developers and property owners, architects and engineers, operators and, finally, also the users. This starts with a critical analysis of the sense and value of a building project: does it really help solve a known problem, is it appropriate, and will it permit long-term use? This is the necessary first question concerning sufficiency, i.e. the requirements and the correct dimensioning, that sets the limits for resource consumption (ground coverage, surface area, materials, energy). If this is answered in the affirmative then the next priority is to consider the questions of efficiency and consistency, that is to say the optimum use of the available resources and the transition to ecologically responsible technologies and an economy based on a closed materials cycle. Because only if we are able to turn sustainability into a lifestyle will we be able to create a sustainable built environment in which we and future generations can live and thrive. 14

15 A MILESTONE FOR THE INDUSTRY OUTLOOK AND THE REGION A site area of 25,558 square meters and a gross floor area of 45,412 square meters those are the impressive figures behind the new Siemens Healthcare Building in Forchheim, Germany. The new complex, in which some 750 employees will research and develop X-ray-based imaging systems for medical technology applications, was designed by Munich-based architects Henn Architekten. The campus concept predominated during the design of the four square, six-story office units which are interconnected by a large connecting structure. The individual sections of the complex are correspondingly bright and open with generously sized ribbon windows seated within the clearly structured, silver-colored façade. Practically the entire RAICO product portfolio was used in the main building as well as in the other sections of the complex that are set back from it from the FRAME + aluminum window system through the WING series of roof and top-, bottomor side-hung projection windows, and on to the 50 and 56-mm thick THERM + A-V / A-I aluminum curtain walls In total, approximately 6,000 square meters of window space and 2,000 square meters of façade area have been constructed using RAICO products. The topping-out ceremony was held in January 2015 after a construction period of some 16 months and the building is due to welcome the first employees in March You will find more information on this project in a future edition of RAICO Objektiv. 15

16 THE DESK OF FRANK STASI Architecture must polarize and make a lasting impression, says Frank Stasi of ARSP Architekten in Dornbirn, Austria. It is the constant quest for innovative solutions that usher in something new and affront entrenched attitudes. The architect, who runs the firm, which was founded in 2001, with business partner Albert Rüf, works together with some ten employees to develop buildings for the residential, commercial and education sectors as well as for industry, tourism and science. Recent examples include a new residential and commercial building in Hard in the lakeside district of Bregenz, or the teacher training college in Innsbruck. For Frank Stasi, the entire process from the original idea through to final realization takes the form of active, intense teamwork involving everyone associated with the project from the owner through to the painter. And the office space in Dornbirn is perfectly suited to this approach: a former textile factory hall where heavy warping machines were still doing their work until the late sixties. Apart from a few renovation measures, the hall has been largely preserved in its original condition and remains an open, bright and airy room. Stasi: We deliberately kept it rough and ready because this is a place where people work. And thus the old factory hall is still a productive workshop today, except that it is architectural ideas and not thread and fabric that are now woven together to create something new. 16