PROJECT DETAILS
Striking Envelope
NEXT partners characterise the facade of the Solid Home residential high-rise tower in Frankfurt.
Functional. comfortable, future-oriented: The Solid Home tower in the heart of the Main metropolis was designed by Frankfurt architectural firm KSP Engel and combines striking architecture with high-quality living. The implementation of the facade required the expertise of a range of companies who also cooperate with the NEXT Studio by WICONA + Partners, including WICONA, Flachglas Markenkreis, Hella Sonnenschutztechnik and Glassline.
High-Quality Urban Living
The 21-storey residential tower Solid Home covers an area of 2,880 m² in Niedernhausener Straße in the centre of Frankfurt's Europaviertel - conveniently located in the vicinity of the Messe and the city centre. The 66-metre-high building comprises a striking residential tower and a U-shaped base. While the six-storey base construction stretches to the edges of the development, the tower tapers gradually in a westerly direction with each storey. In this way, cascading terraces are created, which lend a characteristic style to the building. Matthias Koch, Head of KSP Engel's Frankfurt office, explains, "Solid Home is a vertical development of a closed perimeter block construction, extending upwards from the surroundings, and by stacking the storeys, a bridge is created between low-rise and high-rise." The interior of the new building, which accommodates a total of 200 flats, residences and exclusive penthouses, is characterised by functional, open and modular floor plans as well as particularly high-quality furnishings. Last but not least, the residents also have a concierge service, underground parking spaces with charging stations for electric vehicles, bicycle parking spaces and a green courtyard for leisure activities.
Energy-efficient and aesthetically appealing facade design
Solid Home's striking facade is particularly eye-catching. This was planned and realised with the support of four partners of the NEXT Studio by WICONA + Partners. The coherent combination of dark and white suspended fibre cement panels and floor-to-ceiling window surfaces is particularly striking. Here, the aluminium window systems WICLINE 75 TOP and WICLINE 75 evo were chosen for their high thermal insulation properties. These combine a slimline look with excellent thermal insulation values. They also incorporate triple solar protection insulating glass INFRASTOP Neutral 63/39 from the Flachglas Wernberg factory, a member of Flachglas MarkenKreis. The special glass design is based on a Pilkington coating (Neutral 70/40) and ensures excellent light transmission of 66% with a total energy transmission of only 39% – for a comfortable room climate at all times. The chosen window system delivers impressisve performance in terms of aesthetics and user comfort as well as in terms of energy efficiency. "By using the TOP series, it is possible to achieve passive house UV values of less than 0.80 W/ (m²K) with a construction depth of only 75 mm," explains Jürgen Buchholz, responsible WICONA sales manager. Furthermore, external hatches from Hella Sonnenschutztechnik, which are precisely matched to the facade concept, ensure optimum solar, visibility and heat protection. The implemented model HELLA ARB 80 has a low-noise wind protection and is inserted via a keder profile, which has been integrated into the raised strips of the WICONA window systems. The successful facade design is finished off by the BALARDO steel glass railing from Glassline, which is installed on the balconies or roof terraces. The high-quality system has been invisibly attached from the outside and reinforces the elegant and transparent overall impression of the building envelope. In addition, the selected design also meets all requirements in terms of crash safety.
After completion of the works, Frankfurt's Europaviertel is now one more outstanding high-rise building richer, thanks to Solid Home. This is how to make urban living sustainable.
About the NEXT Studio
The four companies involved in the Solid Home project, WICONA, Flachglas MarkenKreis, Hella Sonnenschutztechnik and Glassline are partners of the NEXT Studio by WICONA + Partners in Frankfurt am Main. Within the framework of this information and communication platform that is unique to the industry, renowned industrial companies present forward-looking concepts and innovative exhibits pertaining to the building envelope. A central component of the NEXT concept are high-profile specialist events on the subject of architecture, sustainable building and facades. For architects, facade planners, project developers, facade and metalworkers as well as students, the NEXT Studio makes the perfect platform for practical training and relaxed networking.
