Oblique
Deconstructivist – or just lop-sided?
Buildings without right angles pose considerable challenges to planners and specialist installers, and that includes smoke extraction and ventilation.
What do the central building on the campus of Leuphana University in Lüneburg and the experimenta science centre in Heilbronn have in common? Both buildings are striking in their architecture, because they have no right angles – and at the same time create a sense of light, space and a unique style. But even the best design won't work without the right technology. Even the most spectacular buildings must satisfy the necessary fire protection and ventilation standards, and this requires expertise and often a pioneering approach. The new edition of the redesigned D+H magazine Driven looks at this very topic – with the theme "Oblique". Here architects, planners, fabricators and other professionals can discover how SHEV and ventilation technologies, window drives and controllers can be integrated in oblique structures to the highest standard of quality. And why form doesn't always follow function.
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Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Remaking a campus
Some 100 components supplied by D+H provide effective smoke and heat exhaust ventilation in the university's central building
The stunning design by world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind for the central building of Lüneburg's Leuphana University, completed in 2017, features almost no right angles. Hardly any of the walls are perpendicular to each other and no two rooms are alike. Large window openings in the façade let lots of daylight into the interior. The campus strives to be carbon-neutral, with minimal energy expenditure for heating and cooling. There also has to be a reliable way to extract smoke and heat from the rooms, some of which wind and twist. This is made possible by a decentralised, overarching system of around 100 components, which also links cooling and shading. D+H products and expertise were crucial in the installation of this network. Learn more about Leuphana University in our video.
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Made to measure: The unusual architecture, with its numerous oblique angles and quirky window apertures, demands precise planning and implementation
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At a glance: The fire control panel shows where an alarm was triggered in the university's central building. Windows can be opened or closed directly using the panel
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Intelligent: Natural smoke and heat exhaust ventilators (NSHEV) dissipate hot flue gas in case of fire. They consist of separate components, from window profile to drive
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Striking: The design by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind uses no right angles. Students were involved in the development of the building
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Nonconformist: The oblique central building deliberately breaks with the geometric ground plan of the former Scharnhorst barracks on the university campus in Lüneburg
The experimenta science centre, Heilbronn
Luminous experiences
The spectacular new building on the island of Neckarinsel has 16 massive triangular opening sashes – moved by powerful D+H chain drives
Not far from central Heilbronn stands experimenta, a landmark of glass and steel constructed in 2019 with staggered floors and a sophisticated façade design. Its magical effect is especially apparent at night when the building is illuminated.
The complex draft from Berlin architects Sauerbruch Hutton envisions interlocking triangles for the individual fronts. Individual triangles are used as automatically opening sashes for smoke and heat exhaust ventilation in case of fire. Each sash weighs in at 1.5 tonnes. The huge components, which are supported by just four hinges each, are held and moved by chain drives from the CDP Series.
The appropriate solution for smoke and heat exhaust ventilation was supplied by long-time D+H service and sales partner Hübler Sicherheit und Service GmbH, on behalf of façade specialist Rupert App GmbH + Co, a renowned family-owned company. In 2020, the intricate façade construction project for experimenta even received an award. App won the German metal construction award in the "Windows, façades, solariums" category.
Bernd Einsiedler, project manager at Rupert App, spoke to Driven about overcoming this challenge.
How did you implement the necessary smoke and heat exhaust solution when constructing experimenta?
Backflow openings had to be created around the circumference of the spiral chamber for mechanical smoke extraction. Due to the structure of our façade, we needed to integrate a total of 16 opening sashes in eight of the triangles standing on end. We are talking about sash dimensions of about 2.5 metres wide and around 4.6 metres high, with a sash weight of almost 1.5 tonnes.
Those are enormous window dimensions. Is there a great deal of expertise behind your solution?
Absolutely! After countless trials, together with Hübler, we found a perfect drive and locking solution for the reinforced window frame profiles from Forster Profilsysteme AG from Arbon in Switzerland. We actually succeeded in moving these hefty opening sashes using just one D+H chain drive from the CDP Series and kept them closed with only two D+H lock drives each.
Discover the façade solution on Neckarinsel and read the complete interview with Bernd Einsiedler in the latest edition of Driven.
Product innovation
Successful model gets an upgrade
The newly developed CPS-B control panel from D+H can do so much more
or many building projects, the tendering process for the electrical work also includes the installation of a smoke and heat exhaust system, for example in the stairwell. To control these mostly smaller systems, a compact SHEV control panel from D+H is recommended. Drawing on 50 years of experience, D+H has developed a completely new control panel: the CPS-B. It features a newly developed circuit board, a new power supply unit and more effective battery management. The CPS-B significantly reduces the amount of installation work required, especially in wiring the system. This is ensured by the multifunctional, redesigned housing of this compact control panel. It is also designed to be easy to service. The D+H development team drew on the combined practical knowledge of its own installers and customers from the very beginning. Touch the different areas to explore the new CPS-B. To the product
Discover how the CPS-B works together with other components in Driven.
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