Schüco Corporate Services

Information about the reference project

Type of building:	Office and Business
Products:	Solar shading, Automation, Windows, Security, Doors, Ventilation, Façades
Series:	FWS 50.SI, AWS 75 PD.SI, AF UDC 80, ADS 80 FR 30, FWS 60.HI, FWS 60, AD UP 75, AWS 75 BS.HI+, AWS 75.SI+, FACID 65, FWS 50, FireStop ADS 76.NI SP
Location:	Bielefeld, Germany
Completion:	2021
Architects:	tr.architekten Rössing-Tilicke
Specialist company:	Hilzinger Metallbau
Picture credits:	Frank Peterschröder

Choosing renovation over newbuilds

Targets for the renovation

How can you conserve a building whilst also meeting current safety and functionality requirements? The Schüco Corporate Service building is the answer. Situated on the Schüco Campus on the corner of Karolinenstraße and Herforder Straße, the building had remained for the most part unchanged since its construction - only its suspended façade facing both streets had ever been refurbished. It was clear that the expansion of the Campus merited a corresponding renovation of this building. So what to do: Tear down and rebuild? Quite the opposite. Renovation was decided on for Schüco Corporate Services. All aluminium components of the outdated building were fed into a raw material cycle to be recycled. In their place, modern and energy-efficient components were introduced, including Cradle to Cradle certified products such as the Schüco AF UDC 80 unitised façade. Another key design aspect emphasised by Schüco was a future-oriented workspace concept; new ways of working meant that Schüco Corporate Services needed to facilitate communication and networking. The goal was to approach the building in a new and holistic way, both structurally and in regards to the work environment.

Recycling

Schüco Corporate Services is not only an example of a successful renovation of an existing building, but also demonstrates the potential that modernisation can offer in regards to sustainable building. The project served as a reference building for a study by the EA (European Aluminium) to confirm the high recycling rates of aluminium removed from buildings that are being dismantled. The building's old aluminium façade was dismantled in 2020 and in total its outer envelope contained more than 28 tonnes of aluminium. Around 98% of the material was collected when the building was dismantled and was then fed back into a closed-loop recycling process, so that it can be used in future to create new aluminium products of the same quality.

New working environment

A future-oriented concept for working is also being introduced with the renovation. The office levels were completely redesigned in line with the principles of New Work. Open areas with the option of desk sharing, individual offices providing a quiet working environment, as well as meeting rooms and zones for informal communication alternate with one another in the floor plans. The challenge of enabling concentrated work in an open office space was combated by introducing sound-absorbing materials. Individual bookable rooms also serve as a place to retreat and work undisturbed. In this way, the building manages to combine spaces for open flows of communication with areas for quiet working.

Product information

FWS 50.SI

Passive house-certified mullion/transom façade for a variety of solutions

Based on pioneering isolator technology, the Schüco FWS 50.SI (Super Insulated) façade system offers highly thermally insulated solutions for designing diverse façades and skylights to passive house level, including optimised fabrication and installation processes.

With its high flexibility and broad system range, the system ensures mullion/transom constructions for the most varied functional and design requirements in high-end residential and commercial projects.

A transparent system solution integrated in the profile for spandrel safety barriers blends in seamlessly and elegantly into the external façade appearance.

Maximum transparency with minimal face width

Alongside energy efficiency, the seamless integration of form and function is nowadays a fundamental requirement when creating modern building envelopes. With the Schüco AWS 75 PD.SI (Panorama Design Super Insulation) window, Schüco now offers an opening unit that meets these architectural requirements perfectly, with minimal internal and external face widths and excellent thermal insulation.

System features which are perfectly tailored to one another serve as the basis for this.

Dynamic unitised façade with high degree of design freedom

The Schüco AF UDC 80 (Aluminium Façade Unitized Dynamic Construction) is part of the Schüco AF UDC 80 system platform for aluminium unitised façades. With its scalable and tested assemblies, the dynamic system offers architects, specifiers and fabricators an easy way to construct building projects with unitised constructions and a wide range of use and design options based on efficient planning and fabrication.

The flexibility with maximum system reliability facilitates optimum use of system components even for adapted, project-specific unitised façade constructions.

High-performance mullion/transom façade with 60 mm face width – the basis for a variety of solutions

The Schüco FWS 60 façade system is an impressive basic system for façades and skylight areas with a high level of flexibility and attractive design options, including optimised fabrication and installation processes. Thanks to a broad system range, solutions for the most varied requirements and applications can be implemented.

A transparent system solution integrated in the profile for spandrel safety barriers blends seamlessly and elegantly into the external façade appearance.

Universal use as heavily used commercial door and stylish entrance door

Excellent insulation properties combined with high stability – the Schüco AD UP 75 door system with a 75 mm basic depth offers high functional reliability for all requirements in luxury residential and commercial buildings.

With its groundbreaking construction principle and modular gasket system, the system sets new standards in thermal insulation, weathertightness, load-bearing capacity and durability for aluminium door systems.

Improved thermal insulation, security and fabrication

The optimised Schüco AWS 75.SI+ (Super Insulation) standard window system for the 75 mm basic depth is part of the Schüco AWS system platform and forms the basis for a range of applications in energy-efficient building envelopes. Depending on the architectural requirements, the highly thermally insulated aluminium system can be used as a punched opening, ribbon window, façade insert unit or in combination with Schüco door systems.

An additional benefit for architects and specifiers is the wide range of opening types such as tilt/slide vents, bottom-hung toplights or horizontal and vertical pivot vents.

Multifunctional textile façade with wide range of uses and designs

Sustainable construction increasingly includes the entire lifecycle of buildings, which means that the demand for functionality and flexibility in façades is always on the rise too. With the Schüco FACID 65 textile façade, the external appearance of a building can be adapted to changing requirements quickly and efficiently at any time, without limiting its function – an important step on the path to the transformative façade.

Be it as a suspended, rear-ventilated façade, as an additional decorative level or as a combined façade, the highly flexible system opens up a wide selection of design options with suitability for digital printing, many different lighting options and three-dimensional malleability.

High-performance mullion/transom façade with 50 mm face width – the basis for a variety of solutions

The Schüco FWS 50 façade system is an impressive basic system for façades and skylight areas with a high level of flexibility and attractive design options, including optimised fabrication and installation processes. Thanks to a broad system range, solutions for the most varied requirements and applications can be implemented.

A transparent system solution integrated in the profile for spandrel safety barriers blends seamlessly and elegantly into the external façade appearance.

Non-insulated smoke protection system with high flexibility

The Schüco FireStop ADS 76.NI SP non-insulated smoke protection door system, with its innovative open rebate single-chamber profile, is based on the Schüco FireStop platform, guaranteeing a high level of flexibility in planning and design.

With a basic depth of 76 mm, the fully tested smoke protection system allows for maximum transparency with extremely narrow face widths in conjunction with a high level of user comfort.

The system also sets new standards in terms of handling during operation: for example the door fittings can be flexibly and easily retrofitted or upgraded at any time without impairing the security function.

Information about the reference project