THE ZIPPER, DÜSSELDORF 21
© David Franck
and participants in international medical training courses.
The tower incorporates advanced building management systems that optimise energy usage, lighting, and climate control, making it an “environmentally- conscious structure.”
Structural challenges Achieving structural stability on the building’s upper floors from challenging wind conditions posed a significant design challenge to the project team. Using a highly “tailored” approach, the team successfully anchored the aluminium waves, installed floor-to-ceiling balcony glazing, and added a glass balustrade – on a stainless steel platform. For AWD Engineering Company, tasked with the structural planning of the project, the incorporation of loggias and balconies presented a unique challenge. This was because they each had folding and sliding glass doors, serving as wind protection, while offering residents the flexibility to transform their loggias into winter gardens. However, incorporating these features introduced a substantial ‘dead weight,’
ADF OCTOBER 2023
meaning they were included as special loads in the structural calculations. Beyond these features, the challenges posed by the project structurally were further heightened by its diverse functions, spanning from the technical facilities in the basement to the medical areas and residential spaces, particularly on the top two floors. Here, the design incorporated soaring rooms exceeding eight metres in height, tailored for luxurious penthouse use, complete with expansive roof terraces that imposed specific static requirements. Additionally, AWD faced the intricate task of calculating for a distinctive architectural geometry on the building’s lower levels, where the structure recesses like the bow of a ship.
The Zipper RKM 740 Tower
represents an unusual fusion of innovative architecture and practical functionality, as an addition to healthcare but also residential provision in Düsseldorf. The unique combination of functions showcases how such hybrid high rises can integrate into its context, and use facade innovation to contribute significantly to the wider urban landscape. g
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