Horten Facade

Three Dimensional Facade in Fibreglass and Travertine

Two years of research and development on building facades is now about to be realized on one of 3XN’s latest projects. The development of a head office for a Danish law firm on the Copenhagen harbourfront is incorporating a range of sustainable solutions. This is innovative in that these solutions do not require any compromise with the original energy saving requirements and aesthetic objectives in its architectural design.

’The building is a good example of how environmentally friendly objectives can be combined with beautiful architecture,’ says Kim Herforth Nielsen, Creative Director and Founder of 3XN.

Shape which Saves Energy

From the start, the objective was to design a building that didn’t just live up to the existing energy saving requirements, but that set new standards in surpassing these environmental regulations in the building code.

In order to shield against overheating, it was necessary to design the building in such a way that it is closed to the south and opened to the north. Because of the three dimensional relief, the facade works as a screen against the sun, thus allowing a pleasant office temperature. This is done while still providing a view to the water with each office having its own individually framed ‘bow’.

In other words, it is the architecture itself that has contributed most to energy savings in this building; the building’s orientation and the facade’s three-dimensional self shielding design.

New Materials

With its unique design, the facade is also unique in its material composition. To adapt to the special geometry, it was natural to design using new and innovative building materials and methods.

If the same facade were to be built using traditional construction methods (ie. Steel frames), it would be a challenge to build each element separately and therefore difficult to keep uniformity. By contrast, by taking the decision to build completely out of fibreglass, it becomes possible to mass produce with much fewer discrepancies amongst the various building elements.

‘In our research, we found several relevant references to ships and windmills – but no building projects with self-supporting and insulating fibreglass elements,’ says Bo Boje Larsen, Architect and Partner in 3XN.

The production method using fibreglass has been well known in many capacities, which allows for accurate projections and the know-how to actually design with it. The ‘innovation’ has been integrating fibreglass into building design.

The end result is a facade design which consists of two layers of fibreglass composite, with a highly insulated core of foam; upon which is placed an outer layer of travertine.

Optimal Design

In order to keep within the budget, it was necessary to design a facade with as many repetitions as possible without losing the unique expression of the building. Making the floor slab design zig-zag shaped allows for a very rational and efficient way of attaching the facade. In addition, by making optimal use of the moulds, it is made possible to realize the complex geometry without compromising the original architectural vision.

‘Two years of research and development doesn’t really feel like hard work when we begin to see the results take form. The hardest challenges have actually been the most fun. In fact, it is these challenges that enrich the experience of an architect,’ says Olaf Kunert, an Architect on the project at 3XN.

Project Team

The facade was developed in collaboration with Pihl, Rambøll og Skandinaviska Glassystem AB. De involverede arkitekter og konstruktører fra 3XN har været: Kim Herforth Nielsen, Bo Boje Larsen, Dorthe Toft Boesen, Jeanette Hansen, Olaf Kunert, Torsten Wang, Jakob Ohm Lauersen, Dag Præstegaard, Gry Kjær, Ida Geisen, Allan Brinch, Robin Vind Christiansen, Mogens Bruun Jepsen, Carsten Olsen, Ida Wonsild og Sune Mogensen.