Curtain
Walling Metal Cladding Facades
Sapa Building Systems - Keeping learning simple in Luxembourg
Simple forms and natural raw materials are the hallmark of
the design of the Lycée Technique which has been complemented by
the use of high performance aluminium curtain walling and
windows from Sapa Building Systems.
The Lycée Technique houses 1,300 students in 31,000m2 split into
five blocks. Each four-storey unit is 275m in length and 21m
wide allowing the large expanses of glazing, totalling over
6,300m2, to let light flood into common areas and corridors.
The buildings’ traditional construction of concrete columns and
cladding contrasts sharply with Sapa’s high performance Elegance
52 curtain walling which achieved a U-value of 1.3 W/m2K. This
high performance, coupled with the inherent long life and low
maintenance requirements, made aluminium the natural choice for
the architects Bureau d’architecture BENG.
A fixing system was devised for mounting the modular window
elements which allowed for serial production of the simple
frames. Sapa’s Excellence 75 windows are fitted with metal sun
blinds on the outside which are mounted in a concealed position
behind an elegant glass construction and fixed to the curtain
wall with steel brackets. The sun blinds are operated remotely
to reduce solar gain.
Although the glass surface areas of the curtain wall are at
least 3 metres wide by 2 metres high, a design was created
without steel supports which could meet the high static demands
whilst still allowing sufficient strength to cope with the
weight of the windows, in addition to the wind pressures.
The Lycée Technique project was undertaken for the
Administration des Bâtiments Publics, Luxembourg by contractors
Mieszala Jos of Ehlerange.
Email: Nicola.abbey@sapagroup.com