Functional Aesthetics

High-rise buildings and climate-friendly construction are not mutually exclusive.

This is demonstrated by numerous buildings with Rieder facades, such as the Solstice on the Park skyscraper by Studio Gang. The residential tower block in Chicago illustrates how ecology, architectural symbolism, urban integration into the surroundings and material sensuality can work in harmony.

The significant form of the building was conceived using sun diagrams: On the south facade the glazing is inwardly inclined and optimally aligned to the angle of incidence of the sun.

The design cuts into the building’s facade in response to the sun and orients surfaces to the optimum 72-degree angle for Chicago’s latitude, maximising sunlight in winter for passive solar warming and minimising light and heat gain during summer to reduce air-conditioning usage.

Passive solar contribution and shading

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It is not only the arrangement and tilt of the elements that contribute to sun protection, the three-dimensional formed parts also support the shading process and play an important role in the building's energy concept. formparts are monolithic concrete slats that offer a high degree of flexibility and numerous design options for innovative building envelopes. The front-mounted elements also protect your privacy and serve as sun protection.

Especially in buildings with large glass surfaces, the pre-set concrete slats provide protection from heat on the inside.

This way, the design of the facade remains open and transparent while also offering protection in the form of shading elements, especially in regions where there is a lot of light and sunlight.

The material can contribute to the cooling and heating of facades through thermal activation, which is an efficient as well as innovative method. Building envelopes made of glassfibre reinforced concrete in light colours do not produce a so-called heat island effect.

Highlighting & Framing

Glassfibre reinforced concrete elements play a significant role in facade design, as they not only excel in functionality but also emphasise aesthetic aspects and, when combined with other materials, create a dynamic effect. By strategically placing three-dimensional formparts or concrete skin panels around the entrance area, windows, or on the ground floor, attention can be directed toward significant areas, allowing for unique accents.

Individual design

The Rieder facade elements create an exciting balance between timeless subtlety, stylish design and optimum functionality. The material does not impose any design limitations on architects and planners. Glassfibre reinforced concrete with its unusual and complex design options, such as in terms of colour, texture, shape and perforation, meets the demands of modern architecture. Rieder currently has a product portfolio offering 28,500 combination and design options. The robust elements are also durable and low-maintenance. Their long service life also saves resources.

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The 13mm thin facade panels are also available in oversize and create a uniform building envelope.

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The narrow facade slats generate a lively image with different surfaces in just one colour tone.

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The 3D elements not only impart a unique design character but also serve as sophisticated visual and sun protection.

Case study par excellence

Studio Gang designed a very special building, the high-rise Solar Carve, on the edge of Manhattan, between High Line Park and the Hudson River. The design is based on the position of the sun, which changes over the course of the day. The shape of the high-rise is characterised by the angles at which the sun’s rays strike its surface. The faceted, gem-like building envelope creates three-dimensional highlights with its slanted, polygon-shaped glass surfaces. The special facade design brings plenty of daylight into the streets as well as into the interior. It also prevents the rooms from heating up. The lower base of the LEED Gold certified skyscraper was clad with concrete skin panels, which blend harmoniously into the overall picture.