TRUE OR FALSE? SIX MYTHS IN FACADE CONSTRUCTION
We receive calls every day about façades, façade materials and our experience with certain façade solutions. We made a short list of FAQ ’s and want to share with you six common ‘misunderstandings’ about façade construction.
1. Corten steel stops shedding rusty water after three years
False! Even after 40 years, a façade made with untreated Corten (weathering) steel sheds steel particles in/during a rain shower. We have proven this experimentally. Always take the flow of (rain-) water along the façade into account when designing a Corten steel skin for a building. Avoid contact with other materials and use a gravel bed at ground level.
2. It is possible to use untreated aluminium in a façade
True. In the Dutch climate that is possible. It does not happen often: weather conditions (rain, wind) and use(-rs) leave traces on an untreated surface that are hard to erase/clean. The reason to use a finish on aluminium is mainly aesthetic. The oxidation process of untreated aluminium is relatively slow: the structural capacity of the untreated material is consistent for a (very) long period.
3. Anodized aluminium is prohibited in the Amsterdam area
False! The Amsterdam region has strict regulations where façade materials are considered, but there are anodization methods that meet the requirements. Like with coatings, there are different qualities in anodizing. Make sure that the quality fits the requirements. If you have any doubts about using anodized aluminium in Amsterdam, ask our engineers!
4. Living green façades tend to rust
False! Unless Corten steel has been used and oxidation is desired. But even then, the greenery will hardly have any influence on the degree of corrosion. With the current quality of powder coatings and anodization, using plants on steel or aluminium facades does not have any influence on the durability of the façade. We do recommend refraining from using self-adhesive plants, but only for reasons of maintenance.
5. Anodized aluminium has a tendency to flake
No, it has not. Anodizing is an electrochemical process that modifies the top layer of the aluminium into a durable layer of oxide. There is no added extra layer or material, like with coating. The top layer of the aluminium becomes porous during the anodization process and that allows adding colour. The colour is ‘anchored’ within the material.
6. It is possible to make facades with 100% recycled aluminium
Yes and no. Technically it is possible. But it does not happen on a larger scale and is therefore more expensive. There is not enough ‘recyclable’ aluminium (in Europe) for the façade industry and that compromises the price of fully recycled aluminium. The good news: recycling aluminium is an easy and energy-efficient process. For aluminium extrusion profiles (like with MD Lamel) the percentage of recycled aluminium is growing steadily. We hope that other product groups will follow. This is something we want to work on, with our clients and suppliers.
Metadecor in the footsteps of Columbus
Chicago and New York are part of the itinerary for a short trip to the United States in October to research the market potential for Metadecor. Wilco Pelgröm, CEO of Metadecor, and Caroline Kruit, International Business Developer, embark on a journey of discovery to visit projects, meet people and get a grip on what’s going on in the local design and building industry.
It is entirely fitting that Wilco and Caroline will visit Madison Avenue in New York during Columbus Day (Monday, October 9): “a Metadecor” is perched on the façade of the luxury shoe brand Louboutin, known for its red soles. The façade has the same red wink in the design. Carrying suitcases filled with MD Formatura (pattern F0316 ‘Louboutin’ and coated in a bold red), Wilco and Caroline will visit two congresses, a lot of projects and companies, to explore possible collaborations in the Midwest (in and around Chicago) and New York.
The project on Madison Avenue with 212box architects for Louboutin in 2020, marked the first ‘foot on shore’ of the American continent: it is a unique façade with MD Shapes and MD Formatura. Another project, with ceilings made with MD Designperforation for a penthouse on Kent Avenue, soon followed. We really would love to have new projects in the US and to create challenging projects in this very ambitious environment. We have planted our first ‘flags’: now is the time to conquer the market.
We expect that the conversations in Chicago and New York will be about architecture, feasibility, budgets and planning. But topics like energy efficiency, the circular building economy, healthy cities, BIPV and biodiversity will undoubtedly be on the table too. We are familiar with these topics, for they are discussed daily within the project teams in our headquarters in The Netherlands. The façades Metadecor is co-creating and producing in and for Europe, answer to those topics. Perhaps the priorities in the US are different, perhaps the definitions are not the same. We will hear and see!
Metadecor has been working internationally for years. We completed projects all over Europe, in South Korea, Angola, the Dutch Antilles, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. With every project, we discover a new part of our planet and with every project we want to make a positive contribution to the local architecture and built environment. We invite you to join us on our journey!
Parametric design, what is that?
Parametric design is a design method that is increasingly used in construction to create buildings that must meet many different criteria. With parametric design, a design is not immediately set in stone with every pen stroke or mouse click in a CAD program. A design is constructed from a combination of formulas (algorithms) and individual properties: the parameters. These parameters are processed in a model and linked to each other with specific formulas. If a parameter of formula changes during the design process, the entire design does not have to be redrawn. You just need to change the value in the parametric model and the design will be regenerated at the touch of a button.
But what should you think about with those parameters? You can think of sustainability criteria, such as CO2 consumption during construction, expected energy consumption during use an suitability for reuse after demolition. You can also consider quality criteria during use, such as daylight entry, acoustic performance, routing, etc. Naturally, aesthetic criteria such as appearance, dimensions and use of materials can also be entered as parameters in the model. The formulas determine the mutual relationships and the (relative) importance of these parameters in the final model.
The values of parameters, such as a lower desired energy consumption or a larger number of square meters of traffic space, and the relative importance of the parameters themselves are easy to adjust in a parametric design. This makes it easy to quickly investigate many variants, even in complex designs. At the push of a button it becomes visible what happens when a parameter changes.
Efficient designing
With the right tools and knowledge, the parametric model can be used at all stages of the process. The model created in the architectural phase can be further developed in the engineering phase and can then even be used in production management. Additional parameters can be added in the production software to meet requirements for construction, manufacturability and mounting suitability. This improves the efficiency of the entire (design) process and reduces the repetition of design work.
Parametric design is therefore a means to master the increasingly complex design process. A wide range of options, sometimes even contradictory, can be explored to arrive at the best possible design. The emphasis is on applying parametric design as a means, not as an end. It is up to the experience, knowledge and skills of designers to determine which parameters are entered into the model and what mutual importance these parameters have.
Reels MD Formatura
Artworks inspire unique architectural patterns
Fascinating reels of projects with our product MD Formatura, show the process from inspiration to facade design. Beautiful pixels and patterns are created by using well-known paintings or works of art. Be inspired by the reels of the renowned painter Willem Voerman or the leading designer William Morris, known for his wallpaper patterns. Together we can create new patterns for architectural works of art on facades. Discover the possibilities and enrich the architecture with unique and inspiring patterns.
METADECOR HEADQUARTERS
Inspiration
The cloud landscape in Overijssel can be enchanting. Willem Voerman, who painted beautiful landscapes - including aerial landscapes - at the end of the nineteenth century, also saw this.
Pattern
During the development of Metadecor's headquarters in Kampen (at the beginning of this century), a fragment from a painting by Voerman was the inspiration for a pattern on the facade on the main road N50 (the west side of the building).
Pixels
The cloudy sky from the painting was translated into a pattern of pixels. The pixels were given dimensions and a shape.
MD Formatura
Thousands of squares were punched into aluminum panels and then bent into pattern (in different directions and at different angles) to create the pattern.
Metadecor headquarters, Kampen (NL)
Architect: NVDTA with Chris Kabel
Year of realisation: 2010
WEG- & WATERHUIS HEERHUGOWAARD
Inspiration
It's not surprising that water serves as a source on inspiration for a control center for locks and bridges. The first floor was given a 'curtain' of aluminum panels, where the pattern flows in and curves around the corner.
Pattern
The flows of people, means of transport and water have been translated into a floor-to-ceiling pattern of enormous, erratic water droplets, which are composed of pixels with the shape of ... water droplets.
Pixels
All panels have a pattern of oval-shaped elements, which are punched out of the aluminum plates. The size of the pixels - the transparency of the panels - guarantees sun protection, but still provides a beautiful view from the inside to the outside.
MD Formatura
The facade pattern is created by the manipulation of the oval elements in the panels: with the direction and angle of the deformation. The refraction of the light on the panels provides the experience of the pattern.
Weg- & Waterhuis Heerhugowaard (NL)
Architect: Finishing Dutch Retail Design
Year of realisation: 2018
PLANTSOEN LEIDEN
Inspiration
When expanding a 19th-century villa at the Plantsoen in Leiden, references from the time in which the building was designed were examined. William Morris was then a leading designer of wallpaper patterns with organic motifs.
Pattern
A pattern by Morris has been translated into a geometry that has been transposed on various elements of 3 mm aluminum sheet: the facade, the overhangs, the balustrades, the frames around the window frames. References have been made to the ornamentation of surrounding villas.
Pixels
The geometry with 'leaves' is set into the aluminum with lasers, creating a pattern with open, closed and curved elements.
MD Formatura
Curved elements, straight elements that overlap: they are all detailed in the shape and rhythm of the original wallpaper. The bronze-colored anodization of the aluminum contributes to the classic appearance.
Expansion and renovation villa Plantsoen Leiden (NL)
Architect: VVKH Architecten
Year of realisation: 2018
Interview with Jeroen Atteveld, heren5 architects
Industrial facade with a golden trim
BinnenDok is located on the site of the former NDSM Wharf. The new built urban block houses apartments, retail, offices and a substantial parking garage. "We see this kind of assignment more and more," says Jeroen Atteveld, architect and partner at architectural firm heren 5 architecten, that made the design for this new part of Amsterdam-North. "To keep the neighborhood car-free, all means of transportation are parked within the building envelope: cars, motorcycles, scooters and bicycles. The 'mobility hub' has been given a generous place in the plan." The volume for this hub for two- and four-wheelers is clad with a bespoke facade of MD Expanded Metal. "A façade with a golden trim - literally," the architect laughs.
Urban design briefs are developing in a new direction. Heren 5 architecten recently published the "Superplinten" handbook (translated as “Super Plinths”, ed.), a study commissioned by the City of Amsterdam. Jeroen Atteveld: "Urban blocks like BinnenDok are the contemporary way of city development and building, but it is important to keep these neighborhoods livable and futureproof. In the book we address topics like multiple use of space, biodiversity and buildings that can participate in the circular building economy. Superplinten describes ways to enhance the livability – and sustainability - of the city, at and above street level."
The design and materialization of the parking garage in the BinnenDok plan aligns with many of these themes: it is a dry-mounted structure with a ventilated facade of MD Expanded Metal above a multifunctional plinth that is clad with masonry. The plan provides for parking space for cars and bikes, but also incorporates a rooftop meeting space and elements of living greenery.
Transparent
"The BinnenDok block is part of an orthogonal urban tissue," the architect explains. "The parking garage is positioned at the corner with a view of the monumental welding shed. In the facade, we accentuated that view with a balcony." The facade of the parking garage was given a fairly rigid grid. "To break the surface, we created interventions in the repetitive pattern: vertical louvers, an overhang, a balcony and a pergola on the roof. The corner is rounded with curved panels. From an architectural point of view, we felt it was very important to keep the connection from the inside to the outside, which is why the facade is as transparent as possible."
Suggestion of movement
Of all the facades of BinnenDok, the corner with the parking garage is the most dynamic. Jeroen, enthusiastically: "Ideally we would have liked to make a literally dynamic, moving façade. But there are many practical and financial arguments against that idea. That is why we introduced the suggestion of movement, for example with the louvers. After sunset you have the dynamics of light through the screens, instigated by the headlights of the cars driving in." In the course of the design, the architects studied the topic of light nuisance: the direction of the expanded metal has been adjusted to reduce direct incoming light as much as possible, to address the comfort of the local residents.
Jeroen: "The cladding with MD Expanded Metal follows the grid throughout, but we played with mesh sizes and the size of the panels. We used four different mesh variations, to create a layering in the facade. The lower part shows a more closed variation: the sizes of the panels at the upper edge are the smallest and the transparency of the expanded metal increases toward the top." With the transparency, the ventilation capacity ranges from 69% to 85%.
Shining gold
During the development phase of the façade, the architects consulted on multiple occasions with Metadecor's engineers. Together, the various types of MD Expanded Metal were chosen and the decision was made to give the expanded metal a 90 degrees turn. This change in alignment and production allowed a more stable construction for the larger panels and also improved the shielding of light from the inside to the outside.
All frames with expanded metal are anodized in AluGold01, "A golden trim for the mobility hub," Jeroen explains. "The rigid grid, the aluminium expanded metal, the lean detailing: it's all rather industrial, in a reference to the history of the place. BinnenDok is now transitioning into a residential neighborhood and that allows for a bit of a luxurious look."
Project BinnenDok in Amsterdam-North is currently under construction, with the façade of the parking garage expected to be finished at the end of 2023. The multifunctional block of apartments, retail and parking was designed by Heren 5 architects. The parking garage was commissioned by BMB Ontwikkeling.
A chat with Caroline Kruit
She set up a successful magazine on architecture and building technology, graduated as a structural engineer and journalist, teaches at the Academy of Architecture in Arnhem and is the ambitious link between Metadecor and the international world of architecture. Caroline Kruit combines many of her passions in her position as International Business Developer at Metadecor.
Her career in architecture and building began in Delft, where Caroline studied structural engineering. ‘After my graduation, I didn't want to first gain five years of experience at an engineering firm and do calculations I didn't feel like doing, before being able to taking on the nicer assignments’, she says. She saw the vacancy for technical editor at a large publishing firm, applied and was hired.
There you are, as a techie writing copy. Caroline started an evening course in journalism ‘to get a grip on writing’, she explains. Smiling: ‘As an engineer, you want to know what you are doing’. A year later, Caroline was editor-in-chief at the publishing house for magazines on architecture, building and the refurbishment of buildings.
Caroline was visiting the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in Dubai (UAE) in January 2023
Own magazine
In 2005, she set up her own magazine DAX: a magazine for and about architects and architecture, with a different architect as editor-in-chief for each edition. At the same time, she gave workshops to marketers in architecture. ‘One of the participants was Roelof van der Toorn (owner of Metadecor, ed.).’
Metadecor was still in its early days, but Caroline and Roelof kept in touch all these years. "I've always found it fascinating to see how an architectural idea gets translated to a building," says Caroline. "And then learn how to make high-quality facades while being mindful and innovative in your field of work."
Sustainability
The marriage of architecture and building engineering is one of the two themes central to Caroline's career. The second theme is sustainability, a subject she has been writing about and researching since her graduation. That passion has everything to do with her upbringing. ‘I come from a family of arborists and grew up amidst trees, plants and flowers. In the mid-1980s, the Dutch government – a main client of our family business - decided to stop planting trees. At the same time, the first images of burning rainforests were shown on television. I remember watching my father getting very emotional over these images. Therefore, I grew up with environmental awareness and the awareness of the makeability and fragility of things.’
Caroline wants to take the quality and makeability of Metadecor's facades across borders, to places where there is a market for the products - and where the sun shines more brightly than it does in The Netherlands. Beautiful, sun-resistant facades with unique patterns in MD Formatura or MD Designperforation, the tactile solutions with MD Shapes or the energy-producing facades with MD Fasolar: it is a pleasure to introduce these products to a new market. ‘I am a big fan of energy-efficient buildings. I am in love with good architecture. In this international playing field, I want to present and sell beautiful, environmentally conscious facades.’ Presenting the products and expertises of Metadecor, there is still a world to conquer.
Smart Cities trade mission in January 2023
Turning her life around
After a decades-long career of publishing, consulting and event management, Caroline felt it was time to do something different. That ‘different' translated to Metadecor, where she joined mid-2022. ‘I wanted to reinvent myself in a challenging position. At Metadecor, I have an international commercial position where I get to learn about new cultures and build a new network. At the moment, I mainly do business in the Middle East. So suddenly, you find yourself in the desert in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, or at a trade fair in Dubai.’
In the Middle East, Caroline has been talking to parties and governmental representatives who develop buildings there. Buildings to which Metadecor, according to Caroline, can make a valuable contribution. ‘I hope that in a few years' time I will walk into our assembly hall in Kampen and see projects ready for shipment to the other side of the world. Just because I had a chat at a trade fair in Dubai.’
Shiny projects
In 2017, the young architectural firm Space Encounters was given the opportunity to design eight plots in the first phase of the Wisselspoor project in Utrecht. Gijs Baks, architect and co-founder of Space Encounters, explains how they “tried to push the limits of the master plan” with bespoke aluminium facades. “A bit of rebellion”, he chuckles. Metadecor co-engineered the facades for two blocks of single-family houses in this new residential area.
Commissioned by project developer Synchroon and within the master plan by architecture firm Studioninedots and Delva Landscape Architecture | Urbanism, architectural firm Space Encounters designed a series of houses – eight plots in total - as the winners of The Next Step Award that was organised by the branch organisation BNA in 2017. The young architects aimed for “surprise and amazement” for the facades of 'their' plots but were required to stay within the structure of the master plan. Architect Gijs Baks worked with Metadecor on behalf of Space Encounters for the plots that were to be fitted with an aluminium facade.
“I have indeed called them our ‘shiny projects’,” Gijs laughs. He refers to a series of photos he posted on social media after recently taking a bike ride through the Wisselspoor project area. “They really stand out: the aluminium surfaces shine between the brickwork and the tiled facades,” he enthuses. Of the eight plots Space Encounters was allowed to fill in the first phase of Wisselspoor, two blocks of houses were given aluminium skins. "Aluminium was not in the master plan – with our design choices we investigated and pushed the limits of the plan. All in clear communication with the supervisor, of course," Gijs states. And as the winner of a prize for young architects, Space Encounters rightfully assumed they were allowed their bit of rebellion.
"Aluminium was not in the master plan - we pushed the boundaries"
Connection
For all dwellings and plots assigned to them, the architects had one important starting point for the architecture: the connection of the (inside) living space with the (outside) public space. The architect: "The architecture of the facades derives from our ambition to create social cohesion on different levels, starting at street level. We created large windows in the front facades to make that connection and allowed the residents to place their kitchen at the front or at the back of the ground floor area."
The architects chose tiles, bricks and aluminium for the facades of their plots. “To convince the developer and supervisor of our ideas to make an aluminium facade, we visited a previous project of ours with a robust corrugated iron façade: Rebel House. They liked it and that gave us a green light for the Wisselspoor facades." The engineers of Metadecor worked with Gijs and his team on the design and details of two plots: a facade with (partly mirroring) flat sheet elements and a row of three residential houses with concave facades made of corrugated aluminium sheets. Both designs have a - literal - twist.
"It is a flat facade that is not flat. Beautifully made."
Mirroring and concave
On one plot, the facade of two adjacent houses is clad with MD Flack. The window frames show a special feature: by placing the frames at an angle, a deep jamb was created on one side of the window. This jamb is covered with shiny - mirroring - stainless steel. "The result is beautiful!" states Gijs enthusiastically. "It is a flat facade that is not flat. Walking through the street, the experience of the space is different, because of that mirror. It surprises, it connects."
Three adjacent houses on another plot were given a full-height, full-width concave facade. "The concave facade embraces the public space: it connects the house and the street," the architect states. With its industrial aluminium skin, the design of this trio of houses also connects with that of the car park opposite the street. The parking garage is clad with a curtain of concave waves made of expanded metal (see also the Wisselspoor Car Park project on Metadecor's website). “It’s not a deliberate reference," Gijs confesses. "We wanted to make the facades of these terraced houses sturdy and robust, to counter the surrounding projects that are somewhat larger in scale.”
The arguments for Space Encounters to use aluminium and this concave may be different, and the similarities in the design are more coincidental than deliberate, but it gives this new neighbourhood an interesting cohesion. It must be said: the aluminium certainly stands out in this first phase of Wisselspoor, both with the residential projects and the parking garage. It stands out in a shiny and – looking at form and detailing - surprising way.
In the clouds
It’s a view we enjoy every day from Metadecor’s headquarters in Kampen: the beautiful cloudscapes of Overijssel, The Netherlands. Artist Jacob Voerman senior captured these exact views in his oil paintings, more than a century ago. The Kampen-born painter was inspired by the vistas around the river IJssel and brought his fascinations to life in his work, of which the ones with beautiful skies became the most famous. At Metadecor we make facades. And with our own headquarters, we have done what Voerman did: pay a tribute to both the landscape and fine art.
Metadecor’s headquarter is located on the banks of the river IJssel, at the base of the Eilandbrug, It is a somewhat abstract square volume, the place where the most beautiful facades are assembled each day and where we work with local, national and international architects and consultants every day. When the plans for this building were drawn, we knew we wanted to do something special with the façade. Together with the architect of the building NVDTA and artist Chris Kabel we created a bespoke pattern for the western – and most eyecatching - façade of our own building.
The story of Metadecor starts with facades made of expanded metal: three-dimensional, lightweight and with different degrees of transparency and light transmission. Expanded metal has structure and depth, it is a tactile material for any façade. But making patterns with it is quite a challenge. MD Designperforation was introduced: with digitized production methods any pattern is possible. But in the end, the panel remains flat.
MD Formatura was born from the idea of making panels that both have a pattern and an extra dimension, a certain depth. In a patterned perforated panel, parts of the perforation are rotated to create texture and an extra dimension to the pattern. Daylight reflects in different angles and casts shadows. After sunset, the light from within the building lights the façade up like a lantern.
Telling stories
Let’s go back to Jacob Voerman senior. With his paintings, the artist not only wanted to show his love for the landscape an cloudscapes, he also told stories. Every detail, every patch of colour had a meaning. It is a strategy that resonates with Metadecor and the façade we co-create, produce and install. Like a painting, architecture should tell the story of time, location, function and context. That is why we linked – quite literally – Voerman’s artwork to our building. We developed a pattern based on the painting ‘IJsselgezicht’ and translated that to façade elements in MD Formatura. The clouds in Voerman’s painting were converted to pixels, the rotation of the small elements following the shapes and colours in the artwork. We optimized the façade to meet the functional demands, such as sun reflection and (direct – indirect) daylight penetration.
Like many other facades we create, the facade of our headquarters plays a significant role in the energy management of the building. An extra layer of static (or dynamic) sun shading will make the building more energy efficient and often reduces or even obliterates the need for interior shading. The design process of MD Formatura allows for simulations and calculations of transparency, sun penetration and heat load on the glass façade during different times of the day and in every season to optimize each panel. Second skins with MD Formatura also shield the glass façade from wind, rain and dust.
Tribute to the landscape
With graphic artist Chris Kabel – who has designed many patterns and reliefs for Metadecor – we translated Jacob Voerman’s ‘IJsselgezicht’ into our own artwork on the banks of the IJssel. With the instalment of the MD Formatura façade on our headquarters, the sun not only shines on the surface of the river, but on the different fragments of our façade as well. This façade might be a showcase for our products, but it also reminds us of something that is also shown in Voerman’s paintings: that it is a privilege to be in this place, to enjoy the beauty of the landscape. Furthermore, the façade allows us to enjoy architecture on a daily basis and celebrate the role it plays in our lives. And that is why the people at Metadecor are – literally – every day with their heads in the clouds, working together enthusiastically on remarkable facades.
Parking garage Wisselspoor Utrecht:
Draped like a curtain
Architect Wouter Hermanns of Amsterdam-based architecture firm Studioninedots describes the development of the facade of the Wisselspoor Utrecht car park as ‘an exceptional process, a joint search for the best solution’. The architects’ idea to clad the parking tower with a wavy curtain of MD Expanded Metal turned out to be an exploration of the limits of the capricious material.
Studioninedots drew up the masterplan for the Wisselspoor area development in Utrecht together with Delva Landscape. Within this masterplan, the former railroad workshop Werkplaats Wisselspoor remained as a monument to the area's original function. Wouter Hermanns, architect at Studioninedots: ‘Buildings like the former workshop define the character of the area. You want to preserve that.’
Transformation of the industrial building did not prove easy. Wouter: ‘It is a very large building that needed a function and meaning within a context with small houses. The volume was too big for the public programme on that particular part of the site – a place for cultural activities in the neighbourhood. But the building was just too beautiful to demolish.’ The architects found a purpose for the building within the urban masterplan. ‘A parking garage in the middle of the area is a very logical intervention to minimise the number of cars on the street.’
Changing contrasts
‘We wanted to give the car park a special appearance, something alienating within this new living area - like a beacon in the neighbourhood,’ says the architect. ‘We drew a “curtain” around the parking tower in the heart of the building, which created a contrast in the overall image: an enrichment of the existing building with a new addition in a new language.’
The architects looked for a material to make that curtain and to achieve the desired effect and decided on expanded metal. ‘We looked at texture, at transparency and patterns. We studied variations where the curtain was tight at the top and flared at the bottom. That scenario turned out to be a bit too ambitious for a car park budget. In the end, we drew an irregularly waved curtain made of expanded metal. The next step was finding companies that could make it.’
Concave waves
The architectural firm came into contact with Metadecor through the contractor. ‘The design process was complicated: drawing details, finding the right curvature of the panels, experimenting with bending and folding expanded metal’, Wouter recalls. A total of three mock-ups were made to find the right curves for the panels. ‘When you look at the facade now, you see concave shapes with three different diameters. We had another, smaller element. But the curvature was too angular – did not look great – so we decided against it,’ explains the architect.
Crucial to the flowing appearance was the detail of the connection between the elements. ‘The credits for this detail go to Metadecor. We experimented with folding and setting. The chosen solution, an extruded profile with a rounded strip to which the expanded metal connects, gives the right subtlety.’ For the detail-lovers in our audience: at the entrance to the car park, this detail is visible in cross-section.
Rich colours and shades
The curtain of MD Expanded Metals extrudes sturdily out of the monumental industrial building. The aluminium was anodised, providing an intense experience of the metal. ‘The material has a rich hue in full sunlight; due to the reflections, you can see different colours and patterns in the metal surface at every position of the sun,’ Wouter explains enthusiastically.
Combined with the colourful new residential buildings around it, the Werkplaats Wisselspoor and its metal clad parking garage gives the site an atmosphere that is pleasant for the pioneers of this new residential area.
Subtitle
Five trends in facades for 2023
As Metadecor settles into the new year, we reflect upon recently completed projects and projects in the making for 2023. And by doing so, we do detect some trends. We name five.
Trend 1: Concave
Concave elements, concave elevations or whole concave facades. In two – completely different – parking garages we have installed 2-dimensionally formed sheets of MD Expanded Metal or MD Designperforation: Parking Garage Wisselspoor in Utrecht (NL, architects studioninedots) and Parkeerhuis ‘Hart van de Waalsprong’ in Nijmegen (NL, architects Korth Tielens).
Close to the project in Utrecht the facade of three terraced houses is concave, ‘to connect the residential spaces with the public realm’, according to the architects of Space Encounters.
Looking at our Metadecor-portfolio for 2023, we know for sure: there is more ‘concave’ ahead!
Trend 2: Triangles
We are talking about perforated triangles, of course. Aluminium sheets of MD Designperforation with a pattern of triangles, or triangles as the pattern. The facade we installed at Theatre Zuidplein in Rotterdam (NL, architects De Zwarte Hond) has an almost oriental pattern with different triangles in different sizes (forming triangles).
The golden ceilings in Cultural Centre Amare in The Hague (NL, architects Jo Coenen Architects, NL Architects and NOAHH) also have acoustic qualities – and a lot of triangles. Another trend combined with these triangles? Gold! For future – international - projects we predict… more triangles. It is quite the thing. Or form.
Trend 3: Gold, copper and bronze
When we are talking about precious metals at Metadecor, we usually talk about aluminium – with a special finish. If we could perforate a solid 2mm gold sheet, we probably would, but in reality: aluminium is much better in facades.
We do detect a tendency towards finishings in shades of gold, copper and bronze. For example, the penthouses in residential project Ananas (‘Pineapple’) in Leiden (NL, architects Van Egmond Architecten) have a ‘solid’ gold skin in MD Flack. The recently retrofitted primary school De Klimroos (‘The Climbing Rose’) in Utrecht shows sunshading MD Formatura panels with a leaf pattern, coated in a fresh metallic with a green shimmer. Not surprisingly, we have received ‘golden’ requests from the Middle East for facade solutions that hopefully will dazzle everybody in the near future.
Trend 4: Anodising
Compared to the years before, the projects in 2022 showed a tendency towards anodising to finish aluminium facades. This is undoubtedly connected with the development of the prices of anodising (versus powder coating).
From an environmental perspective, anodising has the advantage that it makes the aluminium more durable without adding an extra layer of material. But maybe this trend is also based on esthetical grounds: do we prefer the leaner patterns and a barren – subdued or shiny - surface? Take a look at the bronze screens in MD Designperforation of the Parking Garage Revius in Leeuwarden (NL, architects TWA Architecten) or the mesmerising – ‘champagne’ coloured - facade in MD Formatura of residential complex Plantsoen in Leiden (NL, architects VVKH Architecten), early adopters of this trend.
Trend 5: A modest palette
A very humble range of building materials was used for a few remarkable projects we recently delivered. The same goes for projects we are currently working on. For example, with the power station at IJburg (NL, architects Powerhouse Company) the facade is composed with different aluminium elements, powder coated in two shades of grey, a plinth of recycled bricks and a window here and there.
Boring? Not at all! The design is robust, but with a surprising amount of detail and architectural elements. A classic example of ‘the modest palette’ is the Toyota Material Handling Building in Ede (NL, architect Rempt van der Donk) that is covered with MD Expanded Metal in corten steel – and recently had an extension that you barely notice (although the building is almost twice as wide now). This building is getting more beautiful with the years, losing its orange glow and showing a darker, tactile skin. We love projects like this one: it shows our ability to make seamless connections, uniform textures and colours and eye-watering details (we are talking about the invisible ones, of course).
It is our ambition to make buildings that age gracefully or do not age at all.