82
EUROPA
2012.08.30
The prefab frames are part of a grid of steel
(HEA) profiles at a distance of 2.7 m from the
façade’s supporting structure, which is clad
on the inside with the second glass façade.
Four volumes in single thickness glass
(laminated and crystalline) measuring
2.7 m x 1.77 m each, make up the interior
panels. They are carried by frames of small
stainless steel sections affixed in their four
corners to the supporting structure, through
small steel rods, 30 cm long.
The components it is composed of are
steel H-shaped profiles, made up of welded
sheet metal of a constant thickness (on the
order of 20 mm) and a depth of 150 mm
perpendicular to the façade. The wings of
the sections parallel to the façade represent
a variable length from 100 to 300 mm. The
result is a structure with a cautious tree-like
appearance, where the attentive observer
will be able to «read» the layout of the
forces. Wind resistance on each level is
dealt with by L-shaped horizontal trusses.
Their ribs running lengthways (at a distance
Eleven levels above the ground floor with
each level representing a height of 3.54 m,
as well as the eight and nine principal
5.40-m wide bays on the east and north
façades define a regular rectangular frame-
work made up of 11 x 17 = 187 principal
panels measuring 3.54 m x 5.40 m, or
19,116 m².
31 half-panels measuring 3.54 m x 2.70 m
at the corner as well as at the other end of
the north façade and three full panels on the
west façade, complete it. Therefore there are
an equivalent of 205.5 panels, representing
a total surface area of 3,928 m².
The frames are screwed into a lacework of
stainless steel flat bars, which closely follow
its contours. This lacework is set into the
frame of the 3.54 m x 5.4 m panel. The frame
is fitted with a grating, horizontally project-
ing 60 cm outward on its lower edge. This
grating is used as a drip groove protecting
the wooden frames against the rainwater
flowing down, as a maintenance cradle as
well as for the filtering of natural light.
of 2.7 m) are formed by components of
the main supporting structure and HEA
one bearing the wooden frames. They are
connected every 2.7 m by round tube struts
measuring 120 mm in diameter; the square
panels created by the ribs running length-
wise and the struts are braced by diagonal
pre-stressed bars. This entire mechanism
results in the lightest possible structure,
both visually and physically. It is painted in a
dust grey paint in order to acquire a patina
without looking dirty.
Dr
philippe samyn
, engineer
Les vertus du patchwork et la façade du Conseil de
l’Union européenne
,
Bulletin de l’Académie Royale
de Belgique, Classe des Beaux-Arts
, 2006.12.07
the PATCHWORK
