Rockpanel

ROCKPANEL® façades have formed the stunning canvas for a specially commissioned, three storey carving on the new ‘Heart of the Campus’ building at Sheffield Hallam University. Natural shapes with a nod to the past The themes explored in the artwork by Artist Christopher Tipping are conveyed through dynamic mark making and linear drawing, routed into the ROCKPANEL surface. The work evokes the history of cutlery & silverware manufacture in the city via techniques associated with it such as engraving & chasing, suggesting the role of an individual maker and the exotic materials they often worked with such as Brazilian Rosewood & Red Deer antler. The layered images are a recurring theme, appearing in the glazing as well as the façade... More

In the Dutch community of Maasniel, the nature of a tree is the inspiration behind Architectenbureau Coppen’s school extension project comprising four new classrooms as well as a new library, outdoor theater and central space for meeting and open learning. The symbolism of a tree is used to organize new uses and new ways of teaching within an existing traditional corridor-style school. In the words of architect Hans Coppen, “Teaching is no longer about telling children facts. It is about sharing ideas to foster enthusiasm for a new world, not the world we think we know. People gather under a tree. The new central area here is like a tree as it offers a place for gathering, for sharing stories and ideas.” Just as the canopy of a tree o... More

In the small town of Rijssen 2by4-architects designed the new healthcare and housing complex ‘Eltheto’ for elderly people. Until recently elderly people were seen as a group that functions outside of modern society and are only in need of care. The contemporary healthcare centers and housing for elderly people are still designed according to his idea. Over the past decennia this resulted in a range of introvert buildings where the main focus is healthcare instead of the quality of life itself. For Eltheto 2by4-architects inverted this concept and separated the housing and healthcare program. The housing program functions like a particular housing program that one would find in a suburb. They are open and social housing blocks where the m... More

Located in close vicinity to Bonarka City Center, a popular shopping and entertainment hub in Krakow, Poland, ‘Building F’ of the Bonarka for Business (B4B) development is a modern office building that offers an optimal working environment with high class finishes and design befitting a leading edge business park concept for the 21st century. One of ten innovative buildings that make up the award winning B4B office park development, the eight-storey Building F is designed as an open plan concept characterized by an abundance of natural light. Concentrated in the center of the floor plan is a vertical circulation core that consists of a lifts, cased exit stairs, service shafts, restrooms, utility rooms and staff lounges. This centralizat... More

Located in Winterthur, Switzerland, this multi-family housing development by Bänninger + Partner Architekten is notable for meeting Switzerland’s demanding Minergie standards for low energy consumption building. Further to this, its striking yellow façade cladding has attracted attention as an architectural landmark in the town. The development comprises a total of 45 apartments housed within 4 different apartment buildings that have been sited within spacious green areas that include playgrounds. Although the vibrant façade colour stands out as a key design element, it interestingly was not immediately clear from the beginning that the façade would even be solid, let alone so vividly coloured. Project architect Gérard Wolf explains... More

The S&R Olympia Brugge is a water sport and entertainment facility located in the Belgian city of Bruges. The facility, designed by Artabel Architects, is a visual rhapsody in shades of blue which is accomplished in cooperation with local authorities and organizations. The facilities include a 50 m Olympic size indoor swimming pool, recreation area, paddling pools, two outdoor pools, playing fields, café and outdoor bar, meeting rooms and a playground. The exterior expression of the building is an important aspect of the design in terms of relating exterior and interior uses to each other. The design of a façade to accommodate such a large programme of uses was not an easy task however, with the eastern wall of the facility alone measuri... More

Located just north of Aberdeen, U.K., The Plaza at Riverside Quarter by Stewart Milne Homes offers a unique collection of contemporary houses and apartments at the edge of the River Don. Created within the historic grounds of Davidson Mill, the development features an historic industrial character alongside modern materials, amenities and transport links. Specialized in paper and plasterboard, Davidson Mill was a working paper mill from 1797 until 2005. Although now closed and largely demolished, the mill remains a valued landmark to the city of Aberdeen. For project architects Jeff Ewan and Stewart Milne, it was therefore necessary that the contemporary look of this new development stay in keeping with the historic surroundings and ma... More

An office building with brilliant colours and a striped appearance Located in the Hippocrate Commercial Area to the east of Montpellier, the Fahrenheit building accommodates several businesses and medical offices. This refined and HQE-certified architectural design blends elegantly into its environment. Resolutely modern, striking and sustainable The A+ Architectural firm, commissioned by the developer Agir Promotion, chose natural materials with high environmental ratings in order to develop a new approach for the buildings insulation and cladding. “ROCKPANEL façade board material was selected following the results of rigorous research evaluating the economic and aesthetic objectives and performance factors. The fact that the boa... More

A NEW PROFILE SCHOOL IN THE HARBOUR OF COPENHAGEN In The School in Sydhavnen – Skolen I Sydhavnen - JJW Architects invite the city into the school and connects the school with the city, while utilizing the harbour location by using the water as an extra classroom. At the same time varied spaces create numerous, different scale gathering opportunities for pupils – from the overall school assembly to intimate learning sessions between two classmates. When JJW Architects won the architectural competition there were some newly build apartments and office facilities in this new part of Sydhavnen – and old part of Copenhagens Harbour that is currently being developed into a new mix-use quarter. But the new Sydhavnen lacked an assembling... More

The Think Tank at Lincoln Innovation Centre is dressed for battle, contours evoke imagery of the army tank. Rivets are featured as a design statement to further enhance the military feel, with the name of the building itself adding to the overall impression. But Rockpanel Chameleon brings an extra dimension to the building. Its pearlescent paint system embodies the building’s purpose: innovation. When viewed from one angle, the facade panels are predominantly a military-style grey and green. From straight on they give the impression of bronze, and in direct sunlight the sun they have a dazzling orange glow. “The tank reference is not meant to be visible to every visitor, but I like buildings that echo their surroundings,” says Archite... More