Think, Act, Innovation
The name of this
extraordinary building is GEMÜ Dome. It is the version of a sophisticated
industrial culture and is located in Niederhall-Waldzimmern. Created as
innovation centre, its impressive wave-shaped ceiling is a highlight. The
ceiling was made by Vogl Deckensysteme from Emskirchen.
The seven-storey building at Fritz-Müller-Platz 1 in
Niederhall-Waldzimmern is distinguished by a kind of "lighthouse".
The upper storey offers a magnificent view of the landscape. Two stainless
steel columns, for fresh air and waste air, which nestle up to the staircase at
the left and right sides point the way to the entrance.
GEMÜ Dome is a building which reflects how industry and
art form a unity: modern, a lot of glass and wood. The spectator first notices
the red and grey letters. Only later his eye wanders to the fanning-out façade.
A red carpet in front of the entrance invites the visitor to enter the
building.
Dome is another name for a cupola whose tower top is
turning. Here it is at work, the creative spirit which expresses with its 3D
animation entrance façade that thinking, acting and innovation underpin the
corporate philosophy. This artistic façade with its flowing transitions
stylises the technical progress with graphics and sculptures. Even though the
spectator's eyes stick to the impressive world of pictures, the tower which
rises from the centre of the halved building circle attracts magically. The
"biggest valve of the world" sits at the right front of the façade!
What is impressive at the outside already, is also found inside as open wooden
structure. Gebrüder Müller Apparatebau have been working in the valve sector
for more than 45 years. Zeitgeist but also openness characterise the company.
The answer is given inside
Fritz Müller, the project owner, had an object realised
which presents itself as a think tank. The planning was made by Susanne
Vogelsang of the Swiss company Max Vogelsang AG in Wohlen which selected
reinforced concrete and wood for the project. The site management and
structural engineering calculation of this "work of art" were
performed by the engineering office Erich Schwarz from Künzelsau. The
construction project management was in the hands of Karin Feinauer of Fritz
Müller Apparatebau and the carcassing was made by ARGE Werner Feinauer &
Töchter GmbH and Schwarz GmbH from Hollenbach/Stachenhausen. "The new
building was erected from 2008 to 2009. The entire object including
brainstorming took 13 months. The construction of the third and fourth upper
storey was planned and realised by IP21 from Aalen. The completion of the
interior was in the hands of Christina Deinet and August Schmid. "It took
one year to build the rotating upper storey alone," Karin Feinauer
explains and she adds: "It was constructed and built by GEMÜ personnel.
The tower which extends beyond the building was an architectural
specialty," Feinauer stresses. The top floor is built as light-weight
steel-wood structure and it rotates. To optimally utilise the solar radiation,
a photovoltaic system was installed on the roof which has a pitch of approx.
20°. Thus the top of the tower follows the path of the sun. The construction
project manager stresses: "The control processes information about sunrise
and sunset and also current weather information, e.g. temperature, wind speed
or air humidity, for this. All calculations and the programming of the control
for exact solar tracking were performed by our internal control manufacturing
department. When the sun has set, the cupola is automatically moved to its
start position for the next morning. The cupola can also be controlled
individually with an additional control panel."
The power supply of the
rotatable cupola is realised with a slip ring at the centre of the GEMÜ Dome.
It transmits 400 V high voltage from the photovoltaic installation to the EDP
devices, building services and telephone, television and the Ethernet cables
for the control via 71 current paths which run from bottom to top.
Type of object: Office building
Vogl products: Vogl Adsorber Panel, Acoustic Design Ceilings System Compound Seam, Moulded Components, 3D Design
Photographer: Thilo Jaeckel
Size: 175 m²
Drywall contractor: Drazenko Ilibasic, Heilbronn-Biberach
Optimal Air and Indoor Climate
Another feature in the building is formed by the room-closing elements below the manager's office. The dry construction contractor Drazenko Ilibasic from Heilbronn-Biberach installed the Vogl adsorber panel on 175 m² there. "This product is especially suitable for large rooms where optimal acoustics and noise reduction are required," Benedikt Roos, product manager from Vogl Deckensysteme, says. This product provides the contractor with a component which has all required properties and in addition absorbs the "thick air"!
Inside air and indoor climate can have a strong effect on people. A sound indoor climate consists of many influences. Not only the interaction of temperature, air humidity, air quality and air movement plays a role here. Also the interaction of physical, biological and chemical factors, where even the inside air humidity is taken into consideration. It is well known that a person is most comfortable in an air mix of 78 % nitrogen, 21 % oxygen, 0.03 % carbon oxide and 0.93 % noble gases, and at a room temperature between 21°C and 22°C. When the indoor climate is ok, this has an influence on the immune system of the people and increases the work performance potential. Brief remark: A sitting person evaporates almost one litre of water and an active person evaporates up to 2.5 litres per day. Therefore, experts recommend an air humidity of 50 per cent.
The ceiling manufacturer from Emskirchen offers a huge range of various acoustic design panels. Architects and designers can choose the right ceiling system for every room situation from this varied selection.
Elaborate filling work
The size 1200 x 2000 x 12.5 mm acoustic panels have an 8/15/20 round perforation pattern and they are backed with white acoustic fleece. Their perforated area is 9.5 %. Roos adds: "We automatically deliver our acoustic design panels as adsorber panel with air purification effect, always and with no extra charge." The dry construction specialist first mounts the plasterboard panels to a rigid, even ceiling framework. After the installation of panels, he corrects any discrepancies in height. There are different options for making a joint, as for instance, the VoglFuge and the adhesive seam. In the present case, the dry construction specialist used the traditional compound seam technology. First he mixed the compound material. Then he loaded a cartridge to generously fill the joints. "To achieve high joint strength, a "mushroom" must form on the back of the two panels," the product manager explains the procedure. Before the compound dries and hardens, any protruding material is removed with a spatula. Now is the time to refill joints and screw heads with joint or finishing material. The perforation next to the joint should have been covered with tape beforehand. Any holes closed with joint compound can be re-opened with a perforation wheel. Only after the joint compound has completely cured is a handheld sander used to smooth the area.
Wave-shaped ceiling with cylinder
The manager's office is the highlight on the top floor of the dome. A spiral staircase leads up. The silver-coloured acoustic wall panelling contrasts the oak parquet floor and the dark carpet around the desk. The ambience is even enhanced by a wave-shaped ceiling with a rotunda in which an integrated illuminated ceiling floats. Vogl Deckensysteme not only permits various types of arches, domes or curved segments but also convex or concave forms. These individual customised built-in elements require a high degree of craftsmanship of the dry construction contractor.
This structure is delivered ex factory with a high level of pre-fabrication and delivered in components for final assembly to the construction site. Before the plasterboard wave-shaped ceiling is installed, plus border edges, coved lighting and pre-fabricated end pieces, a suspension system with curved CD profiles is mounted on the structural soffit. This is the prerequisite so that the individual parts can be joined accurately. The jewel in the crown of this sophisticated ceiling structure is a cylindrical moulded plasterboard element with round ribs. Both the wave-shaped ceiling and the cylinder are equipped with light elements which give the room a pleasant atmosphere.
At the end of the dry construction work, these ceilings give an absolute feel-good character and durably enhance the building value due to the shape and function.
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