esigned by architect practice BURO ll & ARCH+l, the building makes extensive use of Reynaers’ CW 50 curtain wall system, in both its standard form and with complex bespoke solutions, in order to accommodate the extensive use of glass on the project. The facade incorporates hundreds of diagonal sections as a stylish feature of the building’s design.
A key part of the city’s regeneration, the building is based on an old bank but only retains the original concrete structure. As part of the dynamic concept, three different types of glass make up the facade with clear and green glass, as well as a third white glass panel positioned approximately 12cm further forward. This gives a sense of greater depth to the curtain wall, which covers an area of 2700m².
Marketing Manager at Reynaers, Rebecca Cope, said: “The Knowledge Center has won a number of awards, including the Benelux Aluminium Award, for its exceptionally sustainable renovation, and the Joinery Award, thanks to its excellent execution and exceptional technical challenges.
“We’re very proud that both our products and technical team have helped to contribute to this award-winning building.”
The facade’s complexity meant that the fabricator on the project – De Witte Aluminiumconstructies NV – worked in collaboration with Reynaers on the development of bespoke solutions to achieve the desired effect. These included T-shaped face caps for the enamelled white glass, special mounting brackets and flat face caps for the CW 50 transoms.
As the facade featured several complex junctions, critical for effectively draining water, the fabricator produced a mock-up of part of the curtain wall on the building, in which all of the diagonal details and glass types were included. Reynaers’ high insulation doors and windows, CS 86-HI and CS 86-HI/HV, were also included on the project to complement the building’s external envelope, along with sliding system, CP 155. The main contractor on the project was Stabag Belgium NV, Region West.
Custom-made facades
The curtain wall system features an extensive range of profiles so that a wealth of design constructions can be created. Offering extensive design freedom, this curtain wall can be custom-designed – such as The Circle, the new HQ of Belgian tech giant, Barco.
Rebecca Cope added: “Architects from the UK and beyond have been really impressed by the increased thermal performance from the system, making it ideal for Passive House or energy-efficient buildings.
“Our new variant of CW 50 benefits from improved insulation profiles, which can achieve an impressive insulation value (Uf) down to 0.56 W/m2K with a glass thickness of 60mm. The new additions to this proven curtain wall system also result in much larger panes of glass being able to be installed. It is perfectly suited for much larger panes and for triple-glazing, which provides eco-efficient buildings with more light than ever before.”
Opening types such as the top-hung windows, parallel opening windows, hidden vent turn and tilt windows and flush roof vents for integration in roof applications can be seamlessly integrated within the CW 50. Its design variants offer curtain walls for both the exterior and the interior of a building.
