CreativeWEAVE. form function solution WORLD WIDE WEAVE

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1 GB CreativeWEAVE form function solution WORLD WIDE WEAVE

2 CreativeWEAVE 2 form function solution A cloak of shadows and light - Dominique Perrault s study for the François Pinault Foundation of Contemporary Art, Paris/France. (1) Since 1983 managing directors of GKD Gebr. Kufferath AG: Ingo and Stephan Kufferath-Kassner. (2) Presence and transience veils of light and shadows. In descriptions of architecture featuring wire mesh, two concepts turn up repeatedly: concealment and revelation. These diametrically opposed ideas suggest layers of meaning, changes of level and perspective, the setting and transcending of limits, presence and absence. Yet the absence is never complete, for it has a presence of its own. What is concealed remains visible, hinting at something of significance, assuming a quality which excites curiosity, imagination and speculation. What is revealed surprises us, shows us something so far unknown, a new perspective. Wire mesh has a textile-like structure, supple and adaptable, yet at the same time durable and robust. It can be flexibly formed into a veil for whole buildings, walls, ceilings or floors. One moment a transparent membrane, the next it is a solid wall reflecting the lights and colours of its surroundings. Like a veil, it keeps on revealing new perspectives of what it is concealing. At the same time, its stainless steel gives the filigree mesh structure immense strength and durability.

3 3 Transcending limits focus on GKD. In the world of architecture and design, wire mesh made its first appearance in 1993, when Dominique Perrault accomplished his project for the French National Library using 30,000 square meters of GKD mesh a lightning start which was followed by the creation of the business unit CreativeWEAVE. On special looms, mesh panels of up to eight meters in width are produced. (3) Schadow Arkaden, Düsseldorf/Germany: Swarovski crystals integrated into the mesh refract the light in all colors of the spectrum. Architect: Renzo Vallebuona. Mesh type: Crystal PC Sambesi. (4) Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris/France: Architect: Dominique Perrault. Mesh type: Omega (5) With its business units SolidWEAVE for filtration and separation and WEAVEinMotion for process belt technology, GKD has for decades been one of the leading producers of technical meshes made of metal, plastics and technical fibers. Its range of products runs from meshes for beer brewing through flexible conveyor belts and filter media for solid/liquid separation to turbulence screens for wind tunnels in the aerospace industry. Stainless steel wire meshes are the product of cutting-edge weaving technologies. Manual finishing touches to the seam of a mesh panel. (6) The technical know-how acquired in industrial applications proved to be equally useful in architecture: mesh density and stability, woven widths of up to eight meters, or knowledge of the behaviour of the material when wind flows through it. The visual quality of the building material may well provoke an immediate creative impulse, but it is its technical functionalities which inspire architects and planners to use it to transcend creative limits. And then there are the additional incentives of GKD s product quality and service, its technological lead and its global corporate presence through factories, branches and agencies all over the world.

4 CreativeWEAVE 4 form function solution Mobile stages backlit with LED at the Spielbudenplatz on Hamburg's Reeperbahn/Germany. Architect: Spengler Wiescholek Architekten und Stadtplaner. Mesh type: Escale 7x1, Escale 7x2. (7) EXPOMEDIA Light Cube, Saarbrücken/Germany: An office building with a wire mesh façade which is floodlit from behind during the night. Architect: Kramm & Strigl. Mesh type: Omega. (8) Variety of material and effect. Wire mesh unites contradictory qualities: a filigree, formable structure with massive robustness. Variable widths, lengths, densities and wire diameters allow designers to transcend the limits of the possible and to achieve the impossible. Practically any weavable metal can be processed, but stainless steel s reflectivity and corrosion-resistant durability make it the dominant choice in architecture. Reflectivity and transparency, plasticity and rhythm vary according to how the light breaks on the woven structure and the stainless steel. Natural or accentuated lighting creates colourful highlights and moiré effects, allowing a choice between transparency and opaqueness. Lit from behind, stainless steel wire mesh is a translucent membrane; lit from the front, a solid, shiny surface. Woven panels of up to eight meters in width and practically endless lengths clad even the largest surfaces in an apparently seamless veil. Usually formed of fine cables lengthwise and monofilament rods crosswise, wire meshes are stable in the one direction and formable in the other.

5 5 The dense wall cladding in the Restaurant El Japonés, Barcelona/Spain, creates a puristic interior design in combination with rustic wooden benches. Architect: Isabel López/Blanca Tarruella. Mesh type: Tatami. (9) Mediamesh : With LED profiles woven into it, this metal mesh has unlimited potential as a transparent media façade. (10) Intelligent functionality. The robustness, resistance and practically unlimited service life of stainless steel meet the demands of modern intelligent facility management. This weatherproof, corrosion-resistant and fully recyclable material is easy to clean in external installations, rainfall alone is enough. It is non-flammable and resistant to mechanical deformation. Some material types are strong enough to be walked on and can even stand up to detonations. For the installation of its wire meshes, GKD provides standardized fastening systems. Areas of application: stainless steel wire meshes demonstrate their uniquely versatile effect in classic or experimental building styles and a range of other applications: Façades / carparks Page 6 7 Sunscreens / roller shutters Page 8 9 Suspended ceilings Page Wall claddings / partition screens / projection screens Page Staircases / elevator cabins / balustrades Page Floor covering / column claddings Page Mesh types / service / support Page 18 19

6 CreativeWEAVE 6 façades / carparks Sunscreen roof of the council chamber of the Town Hall Gallery in Innsbruck/Austria: dual-shelled façades of stainless steel wire mesh and glass live from and through the daylight. Architect: Dominique Perrault. Mesh type: Canisse (special weave). (11) The Home of FIFA, Zurich/Switzerland: The striking parabolic and hyperbolic façade lends a distinctive mark to the FIFA headquarters. Architect: Tilla Theus. Mesh type: Omega 1847 Stainless Steel / Aluminium silver anodized (special weave). (12) Multidimensional perspectives: wire mesh façades as filigree membranes between inner space and the outside world. The most important aspect is to keep control of the presence and absence of architecture, says French architect Dominique Perrault. Textile-like structures of stainless steel are a constantly changing skin between inner space and the world outside. They break up the massiveness of the building into a variety of perceptions, giving it a crystalline lightness. The lights and colours of the surroundings become constitutive elements of the building's appearance. In this sense, façades made of stainless steel wire mesh can also be described as architecture of light. Administrative building in Pforzheim/Germany: A shimmering cladding of stainless steel wire mesh for the glass façade. Architect: Architektur- und Planungsgesellschaft mbh Jung Rudolph Webel. Mesh type: Tigris. (13) Maison Folie, Lille-Wazemmes/France: The spiral mesh façade of this cultural center features voluminous, three-dimensional undulations. Architect: NOX, Lars Spuybroek Mesh type: Escale 2,8 x1 (14) Transparent structures are dominant currents in the architectural language of commercial and public utility buildings in the 21st century. They reflect not only light, but also the self-image of modern enterprise: openness and communicativity.

7 7 Carpark, Princeton University/USA: the structure of the building is clearly visible, yet subtly transformed through its veil of stainless steel wire mesh. Architect: Enrique Norten/TEN Arquitectos. Mesh type: Futura. (15) Façades made of stainless steel wire mesh integrate two carparks into the architectural concept of Barcelona Airport/Spain. Architect: Perez Pita. Mesh type: Tigris (16) Shiny mantles for utility buildings: carpark façades unite design aesthetics and extreme durability. The external shell of a building says a lot about the quality of the architecture. Mobility and the trend to urban decentralization increase the importance of materials which enhance the visual and functional value of public places like carparks, which count as one of the most neglected forms of urban architecture. Stainless steel wire mesh as a building material for façades adds dynamics, new functionalities and aesthetic perspectives. Its textile-like structure suggests the idea that buildings, like people, can be dressed up. But the unattractive supporting structures are not only optically upgraded. Stainless steel wire mesh façades allow daylight to flood into the parking decks and provide protection against wind and rain as well as stable balustrading against falls. Huge reflective surfaces during the day, trans-parent curtaining at night: stainless steel wire mesh façade of one of Europe's largest carparks at Cologne Bonn Airport/Germany. Architect: Murphy/Jahn. Mesh type: Futura (17) Glistening like gold in the setting sun: carpark façade of the MECC congress centre, Maastricht/Netherlands. Architect: Hoen Architekten. Mesh type: Tigris. (18)

8 CreativeWEAVE 8 sunscreens / roller shutters Town Hall Passage, Innsbruck/Austria: roofing and sunscreens of stainless steel wire mesh. Architect: Dominique Perrault. Mesh type: Canisse (special weave). (19) The PENZ Hotel, Town Hall Gallery, Innsbruck/Austria: the alternation of window panes and mobile sunscreen elements creates a constantly changing chessboard pattern which reflects the sun and the clouds. Architect: Dominique Perrault. Mesh type: Omega (20) Rollable sunscreen elements on an administrative building in the Volkswagen Autostadt, Wolfsburg/Germany. From a distance, the fine metal mesh looks like a shining sun reflector. Architect: Henn Architekten. Mesh type: Kiwi. (21) Alternation of intimacy and openness: versatile light filters for inner spaces. The effect of light falling on façades of stainless steel wire mesh influences more than just external appearance. The cladding of wire mesh must also ensure the appropriate ambience inside the building a variation of views in and out, of light and shadows within. Some mesh types achieve almost the same light transmission values at a 50-degree angle of incidence as conventional sunscreen systems with almost completely closed lamellae. Varying mesh densities within the elements also allow precise control of the degree of shade. And stainless steel wire mesh leaves an unhindered view out while it guides and filters natural daylight in a differentiated way into the room. Moveable elements or motorized mesh panels, adjusted manually or electrically, permit flexible variation of the degree of protection against sunlight and people looking in, of the degree of intimacy and openness.

9 9 Frankenlandhalle, Buchen/Germany: roller shutters secure the cloakroom and transform it into a design feature. Architect: Lainer. Mesh type: Sambesi. (22) Protective steel curtaining: security and stylish decor for displays of wares. On shop windows or doors, stainless steel wire mesh in the form of roller shutters provides protection without obscuring the view of display areas for passers-by. The aesthetics of the mesh create an atmosphere of puristic exclusivity and ensure that showrooms remain eye-catching, even after closing time. With the appropriate lighting, the roller shutter is tranformed into an integral element of the building and shop window design, as a semi-transparent, shimmering curtain behind which the wares are well-protected, yet still discernable. Roller shutter at Cologne Bonn Airport/Germany: an aesthetically integrated and at the same time functional element in the airport s technical ambience. Architect Murphy/Jahn. Mesh type: Sambesi. (23) Ten stainless steel wire mesh roller shutters secure the Entertainment Center in Vienna/Austria. Architect: Lainer. Mesh type: Sambesi 450. (24)

10 CreativeWEAVE 10 suspended ceilings Tonhalle Düsseldorf/Germany: The acoustically neutral cladding of the dome transforms this concert hall into a musical planetarium. Architect: HPP Hentrich-Petschnigg & Partner KG. Mesh type: Omega 1540 bronze (special weave). (25) Multidimensionality of inner space: shimmering reflections of light and colours as an interior design feature. Wire meshes, in their formability and scale, meet the demands of any interior design style. They can form precisely geometrical coffered ceilings, or flood liberally into the room in small or generous waves. As a mirror of versatile light and colour reflections, the ceiling becomes a characteristic feature of the interior design, creating a range of atmospheres - cool, puristic high-tech grace, or warm, welcoming ambience - depending on the lighting and the interior surroundings. Inside the building, too, thanks to its semi-transparency, wire mesh reduces the massiveness of structures, creating spatial depths and multidimensionality. Lit from the side, however, it appears opaque and conceals technical equipment like ventilation pipes or sprinklers from view. Thinned mesh panels in appropriate locations ensure optimal air circulation and sprinkler functionality through open mesh surfaces of up to 70 percent.

11 11 Guaredisch nedunfeg sukschab, netigülend reiken sumsas Fox sumrisutuf muz mittagenbereid Through a futuristic tunnel of stainless steel wire mesh, visitors enter the high-tech world of the Mediaplaza on the Utrecht/Netherlands exhibition grounds. Architect: Ellen Sander. Mesh type: Tatami. (26) Archives Departementales, Laval/France: The suspended ceiling masks the architectonic vaults of the high archive chambers. The extreme width and length of the wire mesh strips lend the room a unique accent. Architect: Dominique Perrault. Mesh type: Ocean. (27) American College of Surgeons, Chicago/USA: The wire mesh ceiling has the shape of an inverted ship s hull, of a futuristic vaulted ceiling. Architect: Gary Lee & Partners. Mesh type: Sambesi. (28) Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris/France: the coffered ceiling reflects the colours of the floor and the wooden walls. The atmosphere is thus characterized by warm bronze and copper tones. Architect: Dominique Perrault. Mesh type: Canisse (special weave). (29)

12 CreativeWEAVE 12 wall claddings / partition screens / projection screens Exclusive shop design: Boutique Loewe, Paris/France. Architect: Cabinet Deleu & Associés. Mesh type: Lamelle. (30) Restaurant Taku, Cologne/Germany: the wall cladding of bronze wire mesh complements the Asian-style purism of the interior. Architect: Rainer Jensen/Ulrike Görgl. Mesh type: Mandarin. (31) Lustrous drapery: filigree wall hangings and curtains of woven steel. Like suspended ceilings, wall claddings also play an important role in characterizing the light modulation and the dimensional effect of a room. Wire mesh reflects and filters the light, from outside or from artificial sources behind the material, and diffuses it glarefree into the room. With the textile-like grace of fine drapery, the wire mesh becomes a futuristic parallel to traditional wall hangings, and is just as versatile. After installation, the material needs no special care. The mesh panels can be removed independently for easy access to technical equipment concealed behind them. The exclusivity, purism, clear form, unobtrusive and subtle transparency of wire mesh create a style which emphasizes reduction to the quintessential and provides scope for a variety of interpretations. Large-scale wall cladding at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris/France: accentuated lighting creates attractive effects. Architect: ADP/Paul Andreu. Mesh type: Lago. (32) Eurogress Aachen/Germany: Mesh panels curved with varying radii combine neutral acoustics with optical opaqueness and reflectivity for colorful lighting effects. Architect: Klein/Haller, Büro für Innenarchitektur und Design. Mesh type: Baltic. (33)

13 13 Exhibition stand of General Motors/Opel, International Motor Show 2007, Geneva/Switzerland: This innovative multimedia wall is a further development of Mediamesh. Architect: Bellprat Associates AG. Mesh type: Mediamesh with SMD technology as inhouse model. (34) Cool high-tech atmosphere: wall claddings up to seven meters high and six meters wide in the entrance lobbies to the office buildings of the Sony Center, Berlin/Germany. Architect: Murphy/Jahn. Mesh type: Ocean. (35) Exclusive scenery: structuring spaces, maintaining openness. Semi-transparent partition walls of stainless steel wire mesh are versatile elements for structuring inner spaces without compromising the spaciousness of the room. Lit from the side, they appear opaque und thus protect against people looking through. Self-supporting or in frames, they unfold the full range of their potential for sensual interior design, especially when individual light sources are installed at the top and the bottom. As robust suspended ceilings and wall claddings, as floor coverings, as backings for shop windows or showcases, wire mesh provides a subtle, scintillating backdrop for displays in shops or at trade fairs. It has a strong signal effect which reflects the competence and strength of a modern enterprise. The extreme formability of the mesh structure provides endless scope for creative design. As a projection screen for company logos or presentations, it can be used in various functions of corporate communications. Mercedes-Benz trade fair stand, International Motor Show 2000, Geneva/Switzerland: In spite of their stability, stainless steel wire meshes can be formed like drapery into precise folds. Their spatial flexibility and formability offer scope for subtle designs for trade fair stands. Architect: Kaufmann/Theilig. Mesh type: Delphin. (36) Radiating technical competence: a wire mesh wall with integrated logo at the Renault trade fair stand, International Motor Show 2000, Geneva/Switzerland. Mesh type: Sambesi. (37)

14 CreativeWEAVE 14 staircases / elevator cabins / balustrades Ascot Racecourse/England: The woven metallic stairwell cladding of this world famous racecourse provides reliable protection against wind, rain and falls. Architect: HOK Sport Architecture. Mesh type: Baltic. (38) Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris/France: large-scale balustrading along the walkways Architect: ADP/Paul Andreu. Mesh type: Lago. (39) Sony Center, Berlin/Germany: consistent design with stainless steel and bronze wire mesh cladding in the 24 elevator cabins of the building complex. Architect: Murphy/Jahn. Mesh type: Ocean. (40) High-quality aesthetics for transit spaces. In highly frequented transit spaces like bridges or staircases, stainless steel wire mesh provides reliable protection against falls with aesthetically attractive balustrades and banisters. As a cladding for staircases on the outside of carparks or other public buildings, stainless steel wire mesh is also an effective shield against wind and rain. Balustrades, for example on bridges, are resistant to corrosion and weathering. Deposits of dust, soot and dirt have no chance to build up. Functional architecture is enhanced with an aesthetic which is elegant and eye-catching in its simplicity.

15 15 Guaredisch nedunfeg sukschab, netigülend reiken sumsas Fox sumrisutuf muz mittagenbereid Passerelle Prisma, Paris-La Défense/France: the bridge's balustrade is a stainless steel wire mesh with various densities. Non-transparent at the bottom to avoid provoking vertigo, the mesh becomes increasingly transparent towards the top. Architect: E.P.A.D. Mesh type: special weave. (41) Culture and Congress Centre, Lucerne/Switzerland: the transparent wire mesh on the sides of the stairs is like a visual filter which plays with the perception as one passes by. Architect: Jean Nouvel. Mesh type: Lago. (42) Depth and dimension for functional spaces. Different weave densities within the mesh allow variable degrees of protection against people looking through. The material can be flexibly adjusted and stretched, and thus fits easily to the curvatures of bridges or round tubular constructions for stairways. Elevators are usually rather dismal, oppressive spaces. Wall claddings made of the shiny material give them depth and a quality of exclusiveness. The resistance of wire mesh to vandalism is also a relevant factor in public transit spaces. Spray paint or other forms of defacement can be removed. Fingerprints are not visible. The Center for Sustainable Technologies and Processes in Berlin/Germany: Transparent wire mesh cladding for elevator shaft and stairwell. Architect: Henn Architekten. Mesh type: Futura 240. (43) 2 Broadway, New York/USA: Elevator wall-cladding in an office building. Architect: S.O.M. Mesh type: Tatami. (44)

16 CreativeWEAVE 16 floor covering / column claddings The floor covering Tatami in the premises of the optician Preu, Königstein/Germany, sets the scene for a friendly but high-tech atmosphere. Architect: Stefan Schlapp/Christian M. Knecht. Mesh type: Tatami. (45) Seamless presentation surfaces: robust stainless steel carpeting with an exclusive, puristic effect. Japanese pressed rice straw matting is its inspiration and the source of its name: the floor covering Tatami with its iridescent, discrete aesthetics fits into a wide range of design contexts and provides a robustness which is indispensable for hotels, shops, cinemas, bars or airports. The woven structure is good to walk on and has pleasant acoustic properties. The purism and versatility of stainless steel wire mesh make it fit convincingly into any exclusive surroundings. With seamless widths of up to eight meters, Tatami sets new standards in the homogeneous design of large surface areas without irritating seams. The wire mesh can be laid directly onto concrete without preparatory measures. Bridging element between stainless steel carpeting and showcases: low strip lighting highlights the shiny mesh in a way which makes the fittings seem to float in the air. An organization of the room for exclusive product presentations through a sensual expressiveness which combines lightness and weight, say the architects. Architect: Stefan Schlapp/Christian M. Knecht. Mesh type: Tatami. (46/47)

17 17 Column claddings in the Sandton Convention Centre, Sandton/South Africa. Architect: Julius & Co. Mesh type: Sambesi. (48) Office building in Kiel/Germany: cladding of a stairwell with an elevator shaft inside it. Architect: Manfred Nagel. Mesh type: Sambesi. (49) Supporting structures as design objects: nobly clad columns impart functional aesthetics. As column cladding, stainless steel wire mesh characterizes interior design with its versatile aesthetics. Shimmering gently, columns give an optical structure to large spaces or, individually placed, set specific accents. With accentuated lighting, the wire mesh becomes a light sculpture with a life of its own. Its robust durability is its real strength in the context of public spaces: its resistance to pressure and impact protects it from damage and preserves the exclusivity of its intact form. Cemex Computer Center, Monterey/Mexico: column claddings and suspended ceilings complement the high-tech interior design concept. The cool, shining stainless steel wire mesh intensifies the impression of technical competence and subtly reflects the futuristic lighting. Architect: Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners. Mesh type: Omega (ceilings), Sambesi (columns, wall). (50) The cladding of columns with wire mesh can be accomplished with an inconspicuous seam. This makes it possible to have access to the underlying building structure functional high-tech design with subtle sensuality.

18 CreativeWEAVE mesh types / service / support 18 Unlimited choice: variety of materials provides scope for design. Delphin Alu 6010 Baltic Capella Crystal Lago Crystal Lamelle Crystal Sambesi Escale 7x1 Version: stainless steel / coated stainless steel / anodized aluminum Escale 5x1 Version: stainless steel / coated stainless steel / anodized aluminum Escale 2,8x1 Version: stainless steel / coated stainless steel / anodized aluminum Futura 3110 Kiwi Lago Lamelle Luna Mandarin Ocean Omega 1520 PC Lago PC Omega 1520 PC Sambesi PC Tigris Sambesi Tatami Tigris Photography: GKD: 1, 5, 13, 16, 17, 22, 24, 26-30, 32, 36, 37, 39, 41-44, 48, 49 Emil Zander: 2 Jean Ber: 3, 6 A.M. van Treeck: 4 Ralf Buscher: 7 Christian Richters: 8 E. Pons: 9 GKD/ag4: 10, 34 Roland Halbe: 11, 19, 20 FIFA/Kurt Schorrer: 12 NOX, Lars Spuybroek: 14 Paul Warchol: 15 Wolfgang Schwager: 18, 31, Rudi Böhmer: 21, 23 artur, Tomas Riehle: 25 Ralf Röger: 33 Werner Huthmacher: 35, 40 Adam Coupe: 38 Willebrand: 50

19 19 Service and know-how worldwide: closeness to customers ensures project success. However large the scale and however intricate the details, wire meshes provide a perfect fit, with 25 material types ranging from stainless steel wire meshes and robust structures to fine mesh types of aluminium or golden shimmering bronze. Standard meshes supplied from stock ensure the costeffective accomplishment of even smaller applications. The meshes are produced in rolls or panels, and delivered including standardized and project-specific fastening systems like round bars, loops, hooks or clamps. GKD supports its project partners in the choice of material and in planning and execution. Factories and branches, for example in Germany, England, Spain, the USA, South Africa, France, China or Dubai, ensure that service and know-how are directly available to the customer. The CD ROM Picture Book : a pictorial archive of products and projects to stimulate ideas and inspire further exploration of the materiaĺ s potentials. In addition to individual advice, GKD offers a range of service and informational media. The technical manual Wire Mesh Atlas explains everything there is to know about the working material, its properties and handling, with detailed descriptions of example applications. Data sheets list the technical features of each individual mesh type. and the pictorial archive Picture Book invite you to explore the world of GKD projects and products.

20 CreativeWEAVE form function solution GKD Gebr. Kufferath AG Metallweberstraße 46 D Düren Germany fon: +49 (0) fax: +49 (0) GKD-USA Inc. 825 Chesapeake Drive Cambridge, Md U.S.A. fon: fax: GKD-Buismet (Pty.) Ltd. Cnr. Fiat and Chrysler Streets Aureus RSA-1759 Randfontein South Africa P.O. Box 6175 RSA-1767 Greenhills South Africa fon: fax: GKD-UK Ltd. Unit 14, By-Pass-Park Estate Sherburn in Elmet LS25 6EP Great Britain fon: fax: GKD Beijing Ind. Technologies Co., Ltd. Hongfu Industry Garden Bei Qi Jia Town Changping District Beijing P.R. China fon: fax: GKD (Middle East) Branch Office Dubai German Business Centre Sharaf Shipping Building 1/F, #102 Al Minh Road Bur Dubai United Arab Emirates fon: fax: GKD Team France B.P. 21 Route de St. Anne F La Roque d Anthéron France fon: fax: teamfrance@gkd.fr FINSA Arquitectura S.L. Joan Monpeó 144 E Terrassa (Barcelona) España fon: fax: finsa@finsa-arquitectura.com impetus.pr Agentur für Corporate Communications GmbH, Aachen 2007 WORLD WIDE WEAVE