Austrian space and design façade expert Rieder presented a specialized facade for One City Park, an office building located in Bradford, UK and designed by Sheppard Robson. Made of glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC), innovative feature of the gridded facade is in the curved corners of the building enclaves that are visually striking and perform to a purpose.
The architecture of One City Park is designed to combine with offices and professional services, retail services and recreational activities in the one building, which also aims to provide more contemporary features such as social areas, roof terraces and bicycle spaces. Rieder also felt that the GFRC facade, which comes with sandy/castle textured concrete slices, had regard to the existing architectural surround. The slender profile and soft-surfaced character of the material ensure that the structure sits well within the surrounding landscape.
Rieder clarified, ‘The physical presence of the glass-fibre-reinforced concrete elements adds to a tranquil and coherent composition which contributes to the general ambience of the neighborhood’. The design of the surface is shaped with the use of curves and angles, but it also has a significant impact on sustainable design. Solar shading is provided by GFRC elements, which moderate the internal temperatures. In continuation, Rieder noted that the decorative concrete bars not only improve the aesthetics of the building, but also shield its users from solar gain which would otherwise necessitate artificial cooling during summer months.
While the wall-to-ceiling high-performance glazing ensures a large amount of natural light, the GFRC surfaces are used to create structural sun shades to block off excessive heat loads. This amalgamation of design and purpose helps to attain the BREEAM rating for the building which is one of the measures of the sustainability of construction. The sustainability credentials of One City Park are also enhanced by the installation of solar panels and air source heat pumps.
The project owes much of its success to Rieder’s capacity to develop custom-made concrete solutions versatile in aesthetic but in a very high environmental standard. The design elements of each of the facade components were designed for a specific purpose; their light weight and three-dimensional profile providing both economic and ecological benefits. ‘The delicate, yet strong, custom GFRC units, effortlessly resolves intricate facades, underscoring the form and function of the solutions offered,’ said the company, highlighting the flexibility offered by such products in terms of technology and design.
Due to ethical design, modern materials, and appropriate incorporation into the urban environment, One City Park is an example of the contemporary, green office architecture.
