Promotion: Austrian facade brand Rieder has created a custom frontage for the One City Park office building in Bradford, which was designed by UK architecture studio Sheppard Robson.
A gridded facade made up of rectangular windows and glass fibre-reinforced concrete (GFRC) bars wraps the building and its rounded corners.
One City Park aims to provide transport links to the city and space business, retail and leisure with offices, social spaces, roof terraces and bicycle storage.
Its curved form and sandstone-coloured concrete components were designed to complement the surrounding built environment.
“The materiality and calming appearance of the glass fibre-reinforced concrete elements allow for a harmonious integration into the surrounding neighbourhood,” said Rieder.
“The sandstone-coloured concrete components serve as both an architectural feature and a key element in creating a sustainable, visionary work environment.”
High-performance glazing was chosen to maximise the natural light coming in, while the external concrete bars were designed to provide solar shading in the interior.
“The concrete elements not only connect visually with the surrounding area but also perform important functional roles,” Rieder explained.
“They act as a structural sunshade, protecting against temperature fluctuations and reducing unwanted solar gain in the summer,” the brand continued. “Occupants benefit from unobstructed views combined with effective sun protection.”
According to Rieder, the lightweight quality of the facade contributed to One City Park achieving a BREEAM certification, along with the building’s roof-mounted photovoltaic panels and air-source heat pumps.
“Rieder’s three-dimensional facade elements impressed the planners with their aesthetic versatility, as well as technical factors such as their relatively low weight and high environmental and health standards,” said the brand.
Rieder designs and produces a range of concrete facade elements, which are custom made to different shapes, colours and surface textures.
“The custom-made elements, with their delicate appearance, are tailored to requirements and create a seamless look,” said the brand.
“Facades with demanding geometries and economic benefits can thus be realised effortlessly.”
Partnership content
This article was written by Dezeen for Rieder as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.