Parking Barmherzige Brüder
A closed but still transparent façade cladding made of LARGO-TWIST 2051 stainless steel mesh
Since 2020, a new parking garage creates a relaxed parking situation at the Barmherzige Brüder hospital in Regensburg. In cooperation with Peithner Architekten, Haver & Boecker developed a new architectural mesh especially for this project: LARGO-TWIST 2051.
The key requirement: Providing reliable anti-glare protection against reflections from outside and inside
The facade cladding of a parking garage is often much more than just the shell of a building. This is exactly what became apparent during the implementation of the project in Regensburg. The façade had to perform as a multifunctional element, fulfilling three essential characteristics: it should visually enhance the parking garage, provide natural ventilation and, in particular, it had to be a reliable anti-glare screen: neither reflections from the sun's rays on the façade cladding nor light from inside the parking garage should blind the passing traffic. Based on these clearly formulated requirements, a new mesh variant was developed in close cooperation with the architect: LARGO-TWIST 2051.
This new mesh was based on the LARGO-TWIST 2045 metal mesh which, like all LARGO-TWIST variants, is characterized by inclined, horizontal flat wires. Depending on their orientation, they can provide good sun shading or privacy protection. Installed over a large area on a building this mesh type creates a particularly homogeneous appearance with low transparency.
The key solution: Reduction of the open mesh area
For the parking garage, the weave type with horizontally inclined flat wires was retained, only the open mesh area was significantly reduced. With an open area of approx. 4% (when viewed two-dimensionally) and approx. 75% (when viewed three-dimensionally) LARGO-TWIST 2051 offers excellent visual protection and also ensures good natural air circulation, guaranteeing the necessary ventilation of the parking garage.
To ensure that the glare protection criteria was 100% met by this architectural mesh, Haver & Boecker worked together with ZAE Bayern (Bayerisches Zentrum für Angewandte Energieforschung e. V.). In cooperation, the mesh specification was adapted in detail so that the façade cladding would permanently meet the project requirements. The final glare assessment showed in detail that: with a façade cladding made of HAVER Architectural Mesh LARGO-TWIST 2051 the special anti-glare requirements are met throughout the year. The glare from traffic caused by light reflections on the mesh cladding can be ruled out.
Design elements create interesting effects
When viewing the cladding of the parking garage, the rectangles that stand out visually from the mesh immediately catch the eye. Located at different positions within a mesh panel they appear open or closed depending on the viewing angle and incidence of light. This effect is created by rotating the horizontal inclined flat wires 180°. The rectangles break up the facade cladding providing an interesting design element.
A total of 3,000 m² of ready-to-install mesh elements of the architectural mesh LARGO-TWIST 2051 were installed on the parking garage façade, using the Haver & Boecker tension profile, clevis bolt and pressure spring fastening system.
Photo: © N. Kazakov