The most beautiful, the best or the most sustainable product is worth little if it cannot be shown to its best advantage in a building. This applies to unique items as well as series and standard products. We show reference examples that have been created through the use of innovative products and solutions or have contributed to the development of custom-made products.

It is often the economic framework conditions that set limits to the creativity of architects and planners. With Hardie Architectural Panel, the balancing act between high-quality design and convincing cost-effectiveness can be achieved. The large-format façade panels, measuring 3,048 x 1,220 x 8 millimetres, are made of durable fiber cement and have been specially developed for new builds or renovations. A special manufacturing process, in which the texture is applied in a single step, is the basis for the economical price-performance ratio. It is also associated with lower CO2 emissions, which is why the medium-density façade panels have been awarded the Eco 1 label by Ecobau.

The popular Bambesch forest playground on the northern outskirts of Luxembourg was renovated. The concept by landscape architects Schwarze und Partner for the client, the City of Luxembourg, envisaged a playful interpretation of the city’s history and Luxembourg’s rocky landscape. In close cooperation with Richter Spielgeräte, an authentic, inclusive playground made of natural materials was created, embedded in the forest as a feel-good place for visitors of all ages.

At the entrance to the playground, the statue of the mermaid Melusine awaits the children next to the gnome village with playhouses and sand play facilities. Above, at the beginning of the watercourse with its many damming elements and water sources, the “Three Acorns” fort, a large playable castle complex, rises majestically. The “Hohler Zahn” castle ruins are located on another hill: they offer children an impressive view and an exciting descent down the tunnel slide to a huge climbing structure made of crooked robinia trunks. The “Three Towers” can be reached via the “Castle Bridge”, which is equipped with a wheelchair rocker as a bridge deck. A mystical basement made of artificial rock supports the wooden structure, which in turn contains a pretzel bakery and a guard room.

The glass shell may be deceptive: The new headquarters of the insurance company for fire and natural hazards (ECA) of the Swiss canton of Vaud offers maximum security. The Swiss architects Architram Architecture et Urbanisme chose steel profile systems from Forster to meet the multi-layered safety requirements.

Due to the complex tasks of the building, the architects’ nested yet ingenious concept placed the emergency call center at the core. The functions are arranged in a ring around a central inner courtyard. The second floor houses training facilities, exhibition rooms and a restaurant. The ECA offices are grouped on the other levels and around the inner courtyard. In the plinth area and on the two floors above the public level, a striking external façade is designed in the form of offset trapezoidal surfaces that simulate a faceted structure. Plane glass façade bands on the second floor or towards the inner courtyard form a formal contrast. The façade surfaces are designed as mullion-transom façades with thermfix vario façade, glazing and door system elements from Forster. The focus here was on maximum security such as fire protection, smoke extraction, burglary protection and bullet resistance, depending on the area of the building.

For demanding construction projects, especially in the area of fire protection, specialist knowledge and tailor-made solutions are essential. Which basic planning elements are crucial for such projects and how can they be integrated into the planning at an early stage? What preventative steps are required? What organizational and technical facilities need to be provided and how can structural fire protection be optimized?

The new “Fire protection white paper” from Teckentrup deals with these aspects in detail. In addition to an explanation of standards and guidelines, practical examples are also given in which Teckentrup has successfully fulfilled fire protection requirements. Projects include the German Museum in Munich. Here, too, Teckentrup has demonstrated its expertise in fire protection. The building complex with over 66,000 square meters of exhibition space will be extensively renovated by 2028. During this time, numerous exhibits must remain in their rooms, and the stricter fire protection regulations required specialist knowledge when it came to modernizing the doors.

The “ParkEntree” project in Schiedam, the Netherlands, is an exemplary residential concept for over-50s living together. Together with the residents, architects Inbo designed two buildings with a total of 89 apartments, 79 of which are ground-floor condominiums and ten rental apartments, spread over two courtyards. ParkEntree is part of the revitalization of the post-war Nieuwland district and also offers communal facilities such as two gardens, a clubhouse and a lounge. The light clinker brick façade plays a major role in the friendly appearance of the building complex: the architects chose the “Weimar HS” hand-struck clinker brick from Hagemeister, a light-colored yet robust brick that does not stain. Combined with the dark brown “Ruhrerde GT” brick with its iridescent silver-grey coal accents, the brickwork creates a lively façade appearance.