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Case Study

Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau

Completed in 2012, this university expansion now hosts new teaching facilities, a laboratory and an additional student residence hall.

Integrated into the existing historical industrial architecture, the building is clad in perforated Novelis ff2® pre-painted aluminum panels. Chosen for its workability and longevity as a facade material, ff2 has the look and durability to realize the architect’s vision.

The play of light and shadow created by the perforations changes with the position of the sun and passersby. This emphasizes the three-dimensional nature and depth of the facade structure of the Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau and lends it a constantly changing vitality.

Download Data Sheet(EN)/(DE)

City: Wildau
Country: Germany
Products: Pre-painted aluminum ff2
Application: Facade cladding
Color: Crystal silver

Thickness: 2 mm
Quantity: 4,500 m2
Architect: SEHW Architekten Berlin
Installation: Ness – Pankow, Berlin

Proven Aluminum Facade Cladding

The entire building envelope, except for the inner canopy cladding and the suspended ceiling in the gateway, was designed as a rear-ventilated curtain wall made of horizontal, perforated aluminum facade panels with a standard measurement of 395×2880 mm.

Novelis ff2 pre-painted aluminum in crystal silver was used to cover the 4,500 m2 facade of the Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, using four layers of PVdF (polyvinylidene fluoride) paint. Novelis only applies PVdF coatings in an 80/20 mixture for outdoor architectural applications. Since the greater the ratio of PVdF in the paint typically means the greater the weather resistance, the pre-painted aluminum surface is made to withstand the effects of corrosion and ultraviolet radiation.

The number of perforations on the aluminum panels was designed to gradually increase from the bottom to the top of the facade.

Easy to bend without any damage to the surface finish, ff2 was also selected for its weather and corrosion resistance and non-chalking surface. It also features a high permissible load (96 MPa), is non-flammable and A1 certified according to DIN EN 13501.

Novelis ff2 has a high recycled content and is 100 percent recyclable, which made it easy to recycle stamping scrap on this project.

Achieving a Seamless Appearance

The perforated panels were fixed to the sub-construction at the top. At the bottom, glued in clips on the reverse side were connected to the guiding rail fixed to the facade elements below. These were completely closed at the back by white-coated aluminum sheets. The vertical joints were covered by ff2 aluminum strips glued on the reverse side of the elements. This produced a completely closed uniform facade without joints.

Novelis ff2 offers additional installation techniques, depending on the desired appearance. These include panel, flat sheet, cassette with non-visible-fixing and cassette with hook-in-system. Adhesive bonding is also an option. The lacquer on the reverse side of ff2 is designed for adhesive bonding without visible fixings to the substructure.

As edging profiles were not used, special panels with corresponding patterns of holes were made for the soffits, corners and other fixtures on the building.

The facade structure of the Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau contains insulation, sub-construction with T-profiles and a vapor barrier. The rain water penetrating the perforated facade is drained away via the white aluminum sheets and the perforations in the horizontal elements.