Design Buy Build Issue 32 2018 | Page 17

Editors Choice MSCP CHALMERS TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY Multi-storey car park, Gothenburg, Sweden Architects: Tengbom Arkitekter URBAN SURROUNDINGS ENHANCED WITH PERFORATED METAL The facade of the multi-storey car park at Chalmers Technical University shows how perforated metal can work in perfect harmony with modern architecture. TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS 2000 m2 of perforated sheets in corten and aluminium, manufactured and supplied by RMIG, have been used to create a facade that gives the car park a contemporary and aesthetic look, fitting in with the surrounding brick buildings. The design of the facade gives the users of the car park a safe environment as well as a degree of privacy. Raw material: Aluminium and corten Pattern: R30U60, R50U60 Thickness: 3.0 mm Finishing operation: Bending Surface treatment: Powder coating [email protected] www.rmig.com 01925 839610 Schöck Natural Frequency Calculator for 2.3 metre balconies T he third phase of the Rathbone Market project in Canning Town, East London, awarded Development of the Year (schemes of over 200 homes) at The Sunday Times British Homes Awards in 2017, is a £160m mixed-use development. It has created 652 new homes and on the upper levels many apartments have a double aspect – with balconies that have an unusually demanding 2.3 metre cantilever. Schöck Isokorb structural thermal breaks are incorporated to meet the many demands of these large free cantilever steel balconies. However, large balconies can be prone to vibration when was comfortably above the recommended limit. people move about on them heavily and as discomfort varies from one individual to another, no precise limit can be depending on the structure, published data indicates limit frequencies of between 4 Hz and 7.5 Hz. By adopting a limit imposed that guarantees satisfaction for everyone. frequency of 7.5 Hz for steel balconies, it not only eliminates the possibility of undesirable vibration, cost-efficient design is The sensible approach is to design structures with a natural frequency sufficiently beyond potential excitation also achieved. frequencies. To assess this, Schöck has employed its latest Contact Schöck on 01865 290 890 or visit the website at www.schoeck.co.uk for a free copy of the Schöck Thermal Bridging Guide; the Schöck Specifiers Guide and to view the Natural Frequency Calculator software, a free downloadable program using geometric and material variables. When applied, the Natural Frequency of the balcony constructions full range of downloadable software. 17 In general,