Press release
Further information about publication:
Schüco International KG
Ulrike Krüger
August 2015
Karolinenstr. 1–15
33609 Bielefeld, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)521 783-803
Fax: +49 (0)521 783-950803
E-mail: PR@schueco.com
www.schueco.de/presse
www.schueco.de/press
Schüco quality for extreme situations
Building under extreme climatic and
geographical conditions
Whether in Antarctica or the Atacama Desert, when it
comes to complex construction projects in the most
isolated and adverse places in the world, Schüco proves to
be the right partner even in extreme situations.
The Bielefeld-based company made a significant contribution to
the Jang Bogo research station in Antarctica with its FW 60+.SI
mullion/transom system and AWS 90 SI+ window system. The
innovative aluminium windows with Super Insulation technology
can withstand the extreme sub-zero temperatures and strong
winds of this inhospitable region. They guarantee the highest
thermal insulation properties at passive house level and allow
for a range of design options due to their minimal basic depths.
These design options also meet the formal requirement for
buildings that operate all year round.
A very similar project is the copper mine headquarters in
Calama in the Chilean Atacama Desert. The area is
characterised by extreme wind conditions, heat and aridity,
which means that this construction project also requires the
highest system and design quality. The glass façades of the
office building are based on the Schüco AOC 50 system. The
narrow face profiles of the dark, anodised aluminium units
comply with the design principles – the architects wanted the
construction to be as good as invisible – and meet the highest
requirements in terms of thermal conditions. The Schüco AOC
50 also proved to be an extremely flexible and adaptable
system.
The copper mine headquarters in Calama, Chile
About 600 km to the south of Arica near Calama, a town with
150,000 inhabitants in the middle of the Atacama Desert, is the
infant copper mine of Ministro Hales. With annual precipitation
of no more than 75 mm, the area is one of the driest on Earth.
Heat, cold nights and high winds make living and working there
difficult. The heart of the mine is the 4800 m² administration and
social facility that was completed in 2014, for which COXARQ
Arquitectos from Santiago de Chile are responsible. The
structure is divided in two: it consists of an office building, the
Barrio Cívico, which is dominant in terms of its size, and the
smaller Centro Integrado de Operaciones (CIO).
The new office construction is arranged along a straight axis,
the main access route. Four building structures with inner
courtyards between them each form a building unit. The main
entrance and forecourt are halfway along the axis, via which the
head building of the ensemble, the CIO, is accessible. Barrio
Cívico and CIO were constructed in a steel frame construction;
which is typical for an industrial building. The structures have
been elevated on stands. For the people who work in the mine,
the new centre offers daily protection against heat, cold, wind
and sand – as well as the comfort of an open-plan and modern
office building.
For the façades, the choice of material was Corten steel and
glass. These withstand the extreme climatic conditions, but also
accommodate formal aspects. The lighting, colour and
geometry of the facility were selected to underline the character
of the barren, inhospitable, yet extremely beautiful desert
landscape and arouse various associations. The contradictions
of the Ministro Hales construction project are concentrated in
the glass fronts of the cubes. The project thrives from the
contrast between the natural and artificial. The copper colour of
the Corten steel façades contrasts with the all-pervading desert
grey.
Under the direction of architect Daniel Anselmi, the façade
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construction company Anodite developed an individual solution
for the glass constructions based on the Schüco System AOC
50. The profiles were manufactured and pre-assembled into
frames in Santiago. They were transported to Calama by road.
The ADS 50.NI system with opening heights of up to 2500 mm
was used for entrances and internal doors and partition walls.
Ventilation vents were also installed where necessary.
In summary, the project shows that an architecturally
sophisticated building can be built even under such adverse
local conditions.
Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station (South Korean)
In the words of the South Korean architect Lee Sang-leem,
head of the architects from SPACE Group commissioned with
the Jang Bogo Research Station, "Antarctica is a place which
nature created for eternity, not for human beings". A highly
insulated building ensemble with a striking, aerodynamic main
building has been defying extreme temperatures and wind
conditions since the beginning of this year. The challenging
environment not only accounts for the way in which it has been
constructed, but also the formal design which has been used.
When the Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station was
completed in February 2014, the Republic of Korea gained its
second research facility on the Antarctic continent. The King
Sejong Station has been on King George Island since 1988. It
focuses on ocean research and the investigation of ecosystems
along the coasts, whilst the latest science centre will primarily
be devoted to geographical and climate research from now on.
The Jang Bogo Station should also serve as a platform for
experiments, where engineers and scientists will be able to test
their instruments, equipment, new materials or robots under
extraordinary temperature conditions. After an intensive search
for a location, the selection of Terra Nova Bay in Victoria Land,
a region in the east of Antarctica situated south of New Zealand
on the Ross Sea, means that an area has been chosen which is
relatively free of ice, but which is still exposed to extreme
climate conditions. In addition to temperatures of down to -40
degrees Celsius, strong wind conditions prevail here all year
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round with peak speeds of up to 65 metres per second.
Withstanding these conditions placed high demands on the
construction, coupled with the condition of being energy
efficient to a high degree. One of the most important
requirements, both during the construction period and in its
subsequent operation, was to keep the impact on the
environment as low and short term as possible.
To guarantee a minimal impact on nature and to make the
construction period as short and efficient as possible, the
decision was made in favour of a modular system, whereby the
prefabricated building components and other equipment were
shipped from Busan in South Korea via New Zealand, finally
reaching their destination with the help of ice breakers. On site,
they were assembled by a team of 200 people in a race against
time, as every day counts in the short Antarctic summer. The
construction stage consisted of two successive summer
periods, each lasting just 65 days.
The research station has 16 buildings and ancillary facilities
devoted to research. These include a power plant, a
maintenance building, emergency accommodation,
observatories and laboratories, which radiate out from the
striking central building structure by approx. 100 metres in
clusters. The characteristic aerodynamic structure of the multistorey main building has three arms so that it provides the wind
with only a minimal contact surface. A raised position with only
a few points of contact with the floor area, as well as sloping
wall and roof shapes, minimise contact with the ever-present
ice and snow. The foundations and building sections close to
the ground have also been clad in stainless steel so that they
are able to withstand the thawing ice.
Two of the three wings of the building house bedrooms, whilst
the third is home to some of the laboratories. In the main part of
the building, offices are accommodated on a second floor,
whilst an observatory and a communication room form the top
section. The plan is to have 15 people for operation all year
round; something which only around half of all Antarctic
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research facilities pursue. At the peak of the summer, the plan
is for up to 60 scientists, employees and visitors to be able to
use the Korean station. Numerous features create pleasant
working and living conditions inside, including so-called "light
shelves", which ensure that sufficient daylight reaches the work
spaces. The energy concept is also a key component of the
architecture. Solar panels mounted on the exterior wall, which
take into account the angle of radiation of the sun at these
latitudes, contribute towards alternative energy generation with
38 kW, and wind energy generates an average of 60 kW on top
of this. The contribution from waste heat and diesel-powered
combined heat and power generation amounts to 270 kW.
Ultimately, it is the outstanding insulation that guarantees this
artificially created human living environment, with a constant
inside temperature of around 20°C and relative humidity of
40%. The double-skin exterior walls are filled with highly
efficient insulating material made from rigid polyisocyanurate
foam. These are clad in a 225 mm deep curtain wall which,
thanks to the installation of steel units, contributes to the wind
resistance and overall stability of the building. Together with
triple-glazed windows, a total depth of 309 mm is not exceeded.
In the inhabited sections of the building, two rows of windows
were installed in the end: fixed triple-glazed windows on the
outside and double-glazed windows which can be swivelled on
the inside, collectively creating five layers of glazing here. For
these building units, the commissioned company Eagon
Windows & Doors Co. Ltd. from South Korea opted for the
Schüco AWS 90 SI+ and FW 60+ SI systems; the innovative
aluminium windows featuring super insulation technology which
offer the highest thermal insulation properties to passive house
standard, as well as numerous design possibilities due to their
minimal basic depths. In the end, the fact that the building can
be fully dismantled and transported away after its use, which is
scheduled to be at least 25 years, is intrinsic to the
sustainability concept.
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Schüco – system solutions for windows, doors and façades
Together with its worldwide network of partners, architects, specifiers and
investors, Schüco creates sustainable building envelopes that focus on people
and their needs in harmony with nature and technology. Window, door and
façade solutions from Schüco meet the highest requirements in terms of
design, comfort and security. At the same time, CO2 emissions are reduced
through energy efficiency, thereby conserving natural resources. The
company and its Metal and PVC-U divisions deliver tailored products for
newbuilds and renovations, designed to meet individual user needs in all
climate zones. Everyone involved is supported with a comprehensive range of
services at every stage of the construction process. With 4800 employees and
12,000 partner companies, Schüco is active in more than 80 countries and
achieved a turnover of 1.425 billion euros in 2014. For more information, visit
www.schueco.com
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Project details
Project name: Barrio Cívico y Centro Integrado de
Operaciones
División Ministro Hales
Location: Calama, Region de Antofagasta, Chile
Architects: COXARQ arquitectos, Santiago de Chile
Client: Codelco Chile
Period of construction: 2013-2014
General contractor: Inarco S.A.
Façade design: Anodite S.A.
Commercial manager: Jose Luis Priego
Head Architect: Daniel Anselmi
Technical area – Anodite: Hugo Ariel Ropero
German contact and Anodite site manager in Calma: Jürgen
Tolle
Schüco systems: AOC 50, ADS 50.NI
Project: Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station
Location: Terra Nova Bay, Victoria Land, Antarctica
Architects: Space Group working group: Space / DongJu / Add
Design
Client: Government of South Korea, Ministry of Oceans and
Fisheries / KOPRI – Korean Polar Research Institute
Turnkey construction: Hyundai E&C working group: Hyundai /
Kolon / Kyeryong E&I / Hyundai Engineering
Construction management: Shinhwa Engineering working
group: Shinhwa / Hanmi Global / Sunjin Engineering
Start of construction: December 2012
Completion date: February 2014
Floor space: 4458 m2
Construction costs: 98 million US dollars
Schüco systems: AWS 90.SI+, FW 60+.SI
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The copper mine headquarters in Calama, Chile
Picture credits: Schüco International KG
The copper mine headquarters in the Atacama Desert
The administrative centre of the 126-hectare mine is the
"Centro Integrado de Operaciones", or CIO for short. The
mullion/transom construction of the glass fronts is a special
construction based on the Schüco System AOC 50. The face
profiles are chamfered at the edges and, at 6.5 mm, have been
kept extremely narrow.
Severe sandstorms and large temperature fluctuations dictated
the character of the façade. The architects designed a closed
building envelope made of Corten steel and glass. Narrow
openings are arranged along the side walls of the cube.
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The new office construction is arranged along an axis, the main
access route. Four building structures form a structural unit.
Site map, scale 1:5500
Floor plan of the office building (section), scale 1:250
Cross section of the office building, scale 1:1000
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Horizontal and vertical section of curtain wall, scale 1:5
1 Load-bearing steel profile, 150x50x3 mm
2 Special construction based on the Schüco AOC 50 profile,
100x50x2.5 mm, aluminium, dark, anodised
3 Double glazing 6/15/6 mm
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Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station (South Korean)
Picture credits: Schüco International KG
Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station
The research station has 16 buildings and ancillary facilities
devoted to research, which radiate out from the central building
structure.
The characteristic aerodynamic structure of the main building
has three arms and provides the wind with only a minimal
contact surface.
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In order to achieve a quick and efficient construction time, a
modular design was chosen so that pre-fabricated components
could be assembled on-site.
Ground floor, scale 1:1000
1 First floor, scale 1:1000
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2 First floor, scale 1:1000
Section detail aa, scale 1:1000
Section detail bb, scale 1:1000
Façade sections, scale 1:20
High-resolution pictures are available to download in the
Schüco Newsroom at www.schueco.de/press
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