Expansion of a University Building at Plattenstrasse 14 in Zurich

In planning the concrete façade, EBP was able to draw upon its established interdisciplinary approach, in this case, effectively combining its expertise in the fields of façade engineering and structural engineering. The convex and concave contours in the prefab concrete elements, which were specified by the architectural firm, needed to be planned in a manner that would ensure proper installation during the construction phase. One of the main challenges was to coordinate the attachment of the panel anchors at the load-bearing interface of the concrete floors. It was also necessary to ensure that there would be space enough in the contoured features of the concrete elements for the vertical guide rails of an exterior, fabric shading system. The concrete elements were also sandblasted and otherwise treated for sufficient hydrophobicity.