The façade cladding of the city school in Michelstadt, Germany, exemplifies a successful blend of functionality and aesthetic design. Its colorful sun protection façade made of HAVER Architectural Mesh not only provides effective sun protection but also creates a visual highlight.
In Michelstadt, the local elementary school was extended by a 570-square-meter building cube, which also houses the cafeteria. The project was commissioned by “Odenwaldkreis - Bau- und Immobilienmanagement,” while the architectural planning was carried out by “Planteam B architekten + ingenieure.” In order to make ideal utilization of the light-flooded building cube and at the same time provide sun and privacy protection, the glass façade was covered with a colorful printed façade cladding made of HAVER Architectural Mesh EGLA-TWIN 4253 over an area of 148 square meters.
Harmonious Design and Effective Solar Shading With Architectural Mesh
The mesh façade of the school cafeteria stands out with its vibrant, curved color gradients, which were applied to the individual stainless steel mesh elements using advanced digital printing technology. This colorful façade cladding has aesthetic value and provides contemporary sun protection. The stainless steel wire mesh EGLA-TWIN 4253 reflects and absorbs UV rays. With an open mesh area of approximately 51 %, it enables excellent air circulation, preventing heat buildup in front of the glass façade.
Inside, this design creates a cool, comfortably bright room climate. Despite the sun protection function, the HAVER Architectural Mesh ensures good transparency for easy outward viewing and, at the same time, provides good privacy from the outside world. The individual mesh elements, which are up to 3.6 meters high and 1.8 to 2.5 meters wide, were installed using a mounting system consisting of flat tensioning profiles, clevis screws, and pressure springs. To eliminate the risk of injury on the vertical edges of the wire mesh in accessible areas, these were deflected by 180°.
Sustainable Materials for Modern Architecture
The wire mesh EGLA-TWIN 4253 combines timeless elegance with exceptional durability. It is maintenance-free, corrosion-resistant, and fully recyclable after use, which makes it a sustainable choice for modern construction projects. The use of digital printing to achieve unique design possibilities is a standout feature of this project. The printed façade cladding not only blends harmoniously into the surroundings but also sets a creative example for the future of architecture in educational institutions.
All in all, the HAVER Architectural Mesh façade cladding of the school cafeteria in Michelstadt demonstrates how innovative materials and techniques can be used to create functional yet aesthetically pleasing solutions for modern educational spaces.
Photos: © Felicitas von Lutzau
