Above the clouds, beneath the city
A new underground station in Nuremberg is making an impression with a special motif: passengers can view a large-scale sky motif on large-format aluminium profiled sheets from Kalzip.
The Nuremberg district of Großreuth near Schweinau is to be densified within the framework of an urban development plan. Local public transport is already provided for: Nuremberg city centre can be reached in a few minutes with a newly built underground station. At the end of 2020, the Großreuth underground station of the same name near Schweinau was put into operation. Special attention was paid to the design: While many underground stations are traditionally adorned with different formats and colours of tiling, the architectural office Berschneider + Berschneider from Pilsach opted for the patented FC façade system from Kalzip with individual printing.
Blue sky instead of grey concrete
A blue sky covered with a few clouds welcomes passengers to the new underground station. The sky motif has not been recreated, but is actually based on photographs. In order to transfer these without gaps to a suitable substrate, not only high-resolution image data was required, but also a special solution. In cooperation with the partner company EuromaxLab, the aluminium profiled sheets of the Kalzip FC façade system were coated using a special printing process. The result was a detailed motif in long-lasting quality.
Pinpoint mapping
The FC panels with a construction width of 500 mm and an average length of approx. 2.50 m provides a delicate grid in the overall surface with a discreet joint. When creating a model for sampling, it became clear in advance that the lateral edges of the profiles would also have to be coated with the motif in order to keep the joints as unobtrusive as possible and the overall appearance transition-free. However, since the profiled panels are already being coated in their final form, a precise coating plan was required. With the help of a mapping procedure developed by the Koblenz-based company Rolfs 3D UG, it was possible to record and catalogue the exact surfaces, each with a slight overlap. Marked with position numbers and recorded in a laying plan, the employees of the executing company P+E Schmitt GmbH & Co. KG were able to install the panels without confusion.
Lightweight system, simple construction
In addition to the material advantages of the FC façade system, the focus is on the freedom of assembly and the subsequent exchangeability of individual façade panels. In order to compensate for any unevenness and to keep the overall construction as low as possible, the specialist tradesmen fixed the type SE grid click rails of the FC façade system to the reinforced concrete wall with U-wall brackets from BWM Fassadensysteme GmbH. Spans of the grid click rails and the FC panels were determined in cooperation with BWM, taking into account increased suction loads in the case of a railway passing at high speed.
Due to the high fire protection regulations that apply in this area, all plastic parts were dispensed. Accordingly, the modular click rails were lasered out at the suspension point for this project. The plastic inlays normally used in this case were not used.
Distinctive, but exchangeable
The new line U3 station stands out with its architectural concept. Daylight hits the underground platform through seven rooflights that differ in their geometric shape, and in the evening the reversed effect on the surface of the earth draws attention to the station. The simple design of the platform is contrasted by the sky surface, which covers a total area of around 750 m2. Passengers will enjoy the homogeneous overall appearance for a long time - because the Kalzip FC façade panels are extremely hard-wearing. And should a panel become damaged or heavily soiled, it can be quickly and easily replaced one-to-one using the FC Toolkit.
