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Last 20th of october I was invited by Tecnalia to give an speech in their headquarters for the Technical Conference: Perforated Sheet Metal for Enclosures and Architectural Meshes.
My speech was based upon the use of metallic meshes inside the laminated glass. I told the point of view of Cricursa, the company I actually work for, who has developed an important know-how within the field of laminates pushed by the requirements to manufacture laminated curved glass.
The facade business is steadily making progress by demands of Architects and Designers.
Glass is still the one and only transparent filling for curtain walls and interiors designs because it offers its versatility, through its compatibility with a range of materials and the possibility of being bent. Therefore, it helps making feasible complex geometries and designs.
In the following list, I describe the main technologies that can be used with curved and flat glass:
-Screen printing: the colour is baked during the tempering process, bonding it permanently to the glass.

-Colour interlayers: the combination of different colour layers of 0.38 mm PVB thick, creates a wide range of more than 600 colors.

-Solar control interlayer: high-technology solar control film is placed  between two layers of PVB, obtaining a high visible light transmission, in the meantime being controlled infrared solar energy.

-Ink-jet printig on interlayers, which enables the production of designs and photografic images in a laminated safety glass.

-Metallic meshes have been for the last decade in fashion in architecture, being considered by Dominique Perrault, who has enhanced the use of stainless steel in his most distingued projects.

-Plastic meshes has been threatening the place of the metallics, because of easiness to get laminated versus metallics and it requires less energy cost to manufacture. It is also manufactured from metal diposits that use the latest technological advances and provides solar control control and privacy functions, as well as unrivalled asthetic value.
In order to achieve the quality required in such a singular products, it is basic a long manufacture process to succeed with a final product.This process is required several testing until a suitable result is achieved.
This post is under construction and it may be under cosntruction for years, because it will always remains open.

Source: renatocilento.blogspot.com

repost from www.renatocilento.com

We all love architectural photographs, they are perfect. No distortions or imperfections. But they also never show how things go together. On my last trip to Munich, Germany I stuffed my camera inside the façade of the Brandhorst Museum to find out how the NBK Terracotta was installed. Of course, I lost the camera briefly but was able to retrieve it. Here is what I found.

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Copper anodized panels highlight the new 47-story Parkview West condominiums, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Chicago, near Lake Michigan in Chicago. More than 33,000 sq. ft. of .063″ aluminum Dri-Design panels complement the building’s curved glass façade and masonry accents. More here: http://tiny.cc/44e1m

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making bacon -canadian road trip:  we took a little detour from the construct canada show today and spent the morning looking at (what else) zinc projects in and around the greater toronto area.  all the projects rocked in their own way.  and, like children, we love them all.  or, perhaps more germane, like maple syrup and bacon, we dig ‘em both.  (eh.)  however…

the photo above is of pigmented zinc (we call it “pigmento”) being installed on a new courthouse in kitchner -north of toronto.  the pigmented zinc comes in three flavors, and, if one looks closely, in multiple widths, textures and dimensions.  in this case, the courthouse is sporting multiple widths of an interlocking panel.  (more info can be found on the interlocking panel used on this project at www.vmzinc-us.com).  in addition, the soffit panels will be dri-design panels sauteed in zinc.  (www.dri-design.com). 

now, before we get called out for always talking about zinc, (sidebar: um, check out the name of the blog), let us share a great video link for this project:  http://tinyurl.com/c6whl4k .  this video shows the project being built from the moment it comes out of the ground to… well, let’s just say that it is a very tasty treat for those that are so inclined.  forgive the weak metaphor -kind of like canadian bacon.  enjoy. -vm  
 

Source: www.zincsense.com

repost from www.zincsense.com

There are many reasons for choosing VM ZINC® for your project. Whether it is used in renovation or new construction, traditional or avant-garde designs, zinc is an elegant partner for many building envelope materials, blending with wood, glass, stone and other materials in complete harmony. More here: http://tiny.cc/kg5ik

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Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai measures 828 meters and simply blows all the superlatives apart. Topakustik won the contract to produce two sound absorbing ceilings finishes. The Chairman’s Suite 152nd -154th floors uses Topperfo with a CLOU perforation and a high gloss paint finish. The Sky Lobby on the 123rd floor uses Topperfo as well with a Wenege Veneer. For more information visit http://tiny.cc/5izsv

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green friends:  our friends at dri-design (www.dri-design.com) were recently featured on the bdc network’s green zone.  check out their sweet videos (plural) in the lower right hand corner of the screen.  after you watch the first building (filmed at green build) click on the next video to see how fast this material goes up.  it’s pretty amazing and nice to see a product that is designed for efficiency as well as aesthetics.  here’s the link:  http://www.bdcnetwork.com/greenzone/dri-design.html  enjoy. -vm

Source: www.zincsense.com

repost from www.zincsense.com