WINDOWS with a view: Reynaers in the architecture of the travel industry

Any journey can be broken down into its components. Architecture not only surrounds the tourist, but also guides him in an unfamiliar, little-explored and emotionally charged environment. Objects of the tourist sphere are not only hotels. This category includes the entire series of locations through which a person's successive acquaintance with a new city passes. Such buildings are always about how it is possible to process a request for one or another emotion, ultimately ensuring its achievement by a system of spatial and construction techniques. But what role does glazing play in this?

Wherever we go, we always want to examine new locations in detail, absorb every detail. Even if the trip is a business trip and there is no time for a walk, it is still nice to see and mentally take with you at least a piece of the picturesque view from the hotel room. Panoramic glazing migrated to tourist architecture, including from the transport industry - in the late 30s, a new Greyhound Lines bus, the design of which was developed by Raymond Lowy, hit American roads. The main advantage of this model was panoramic windows. Yes, 80 years ago, it was already clear that the view from the window is an integral part of any trip, because it is from it that the very "travel atmosphere" begins.

Residential building 26 Carré Or, located in the heart of Monte Carlo. Thanks to the Reynaers Hi-Finity system with a motor, it was possible to provide an infinite view, high-quality isolation and high comfort of use

Abundant glazing with large areas of double-glazed windows is one of the main techniques in the architecture of the tourist industry, helping to maintain human contact with the landscape panorama of cities. The priority of such buildings is that their interiors are filled with light and air, and behind the glass there are views that remind us of the purpose and value of the journey at all its stages. The magic of any tourist city consists of being impressed by staying in certain locations, and the task of architecture in this area is to make this stay as pleasant and comfortable as possible.

The priority in the field of interiors of tourist facilities is to fill them with light, and behind the glass to open views that remind of the purpose and value of travel

The first control point

Today, the travel industry includes objects of large and small architectural forms with completely different functional scenarios and priorities in design, but at the very beginning of this list there is always a transit location - a station or an airport. This is where the acquaintance with the place of arrival begins.

If you look at a selection of architectural projects of airports in large cities, you can see how clearly they emphasize visibility and illumination. Consequently, glass is the predominant material in the implementation of such buildings. In high-traffic locations, such a solution not only maintains visual contact between a person and the surrounding species — it also compensates for the atmosphere of bustle, which is inextricably linked with flights. A large number of people are certainly more comfortable in spacious rooms flooded with daylight than in a hall with the same area, but with lower ceilings and spot artificial lighting

Dmitry Kaladzhiev is an architectural consultant at Reynaers

"Airports are characterized by extreme flows of passengers and the concentration of sometimes thousands of people in individual rooms. Stained glass, which is intensively used in airports, helps preserve the mood of the trip. It maintains constant contact with the horizon, the environment of the airport, and also reveals the beauty of aircraft from such angles, from which you can see them only from the airport - this is definitely a vivid impression, especially if you take into account that sometimes you have to spend more than one time in such public spaces . Spacious airport halls with high ceilings are beautifully finished with impressive windows of the boldest sizes and heights. The deep and wide spaces of the passages and recreation areas are best illuminated by natural light through the glass roofs," Reynaers architectural consultant Dmitry Kaladzhiev says.

The airport in Wroclaw was designed by the Polish branch of the German architectural office JSK Architekten together with Altro Projekt, which acted as the developer of the facade. The new design replaced the outdated and cramped terminal built in the 1990s.

Increased noise loads and colossal traffic of such locations imply special requirements for glazing integrated into the airport project. System profiles must have high load-bearing properties, be resistant to wear and, in particular, to wind gusts and vibrations — these factors are unavoidable near airplanes. Aluminum constructions in such objects perfectly cope with the tasks - they are durable, resistant to mechanical influences, and the bearing capacity of aluminum allows installing double-glazed windows with large areas in systems with thinner profiles. This property is especially valuable in those areas of the project for which a seamless panorama is a priority.

One of the most powerful modern tools for creating architecture is unique glazing, individually made for a specific project

Reynaers is a European leader in the development and production of aluminum structures. The account of this company includes windows, doors, sliding and facade systems of various sizes and configurations. Airport projects implemented using Reynaers aluminum systems clearly demonstrate the potential of this material in the field of glazing large public facilities. Copernicus Airport in Wroclaw is a vivid example of this.

One of the most powerful modern tools for creating architecture is unique glazing, individually made for a specific project

The commissioning of the new terminal was timed for Euro-2012. The project was developed by the architectural bureau JSK Architekci. The authors themselves characterize the form of the building as soft, but possessing unique dynamics. Due to the cross-modular construction, the terminal building can be expanded and improved in the future. The renovated Wrocław airport attracts attention with abundant glazing: in this project, not only the facades were made translucent - daylight floods the terminal premises, also penetrating through the roof.

The main elements of the terminal, which form its architecture, are made in the form of a light steel structure - the roof on curved beams is covered with a profiled aluminum sheet. Reynaers Concept System 77 window systems, as well as Curtain Wall 50 and 60 facade systems, are used in the glazing of the airport, each of which has properties that make it possible to accurately realize the visual intent of the project. So, for example, aluminum facade profiles CW 60 provide for the installation of large and heavy double-glazed windows weighing up to 450 kg. The system is suitable for the construction of inclined and curved facades - precisely these constructive possibilities of glazing were necessary for the construction of the airport named after Copernicus. All Reynaers systems are tested for thermal insulation, tightness, and resistance to wind loads when they leave production — these qualities of materials are fundamentally important in the implementation of large objects of transit architecture.

(Not) like home

Hotels are also one of the key categories in the architecture of the travel industry. In them, there is an inevitable break in the rhythm of the trip. From a tense-vigilant state, in which the trajectory "taxi-terminal-plane-terminal-taxi" is overcome, a person reaches an emotional plateau, satisfied with the final arrival from point A to point B.

In its basic essence, hotel architecture is built on a combination of contrasting but complementary characteristics. The living space in such objects should be cozy, accommodating, but at the same time have distinctive features that focus a person's attention on the uniqueness of the trip, the city in general and the hotel in particular. A panoramic view is one of the most obvious, but no less striking techniques in the interpretation of hotel spaces.

"We observe an increase in the number of applications for glazing of tourism facilities. Their peculiarity consists in non-standard solutions, connected with the desire to arouse in visitors the admiration of both facades and panoramic views from the interiors. In some projects, privacy requirements are added, so glass roofs of different configurations are used more often, through which we are only open to views of celestial bodies. Another trend in similar objects is "seasonal walls", which in the open state combine rooms with terraces in the summer period, and in the winter period are closed and leave the results of any bad weather outside," says Dmitry Kaladzhiev.

Empathy and personalization are important components of architecture in the travel industry today. In the organization of hotels, such things as optional zoning, increased sound insulation in rooms, as well as mirror coating of panoramic windows for greater privacy and at the same time visual openness play an increasingly important role. Service, recreation areas, which in modern projects are also made at the species level, stylish, furnished and decorated interiors - every detail in such places emphasizes a person's going beyond everyday needs and familiar landscapes.

Crowne Plaza Hotel in Geneva. Facades using the CW 50 system are perfectly combined with window systems CS 68 from REYNAERS ALUMINUM

Today's trends set a certain benchmark for hotel architecture, which is taken into account not only when developing new projects, but also when renovating and restructuring hotels that have a venerable long-standing status. Reynaers actively participates in such initiatives. One of them is the project to expand the building of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Geneva, Switzerland.

The initial task was to supplement the hotel with a congress center and three hundred additional seats. The list of innovations also included enhanced sound insulation and an emphasis on the panoramic view, as the Crowne Plaza windows offer an impressive landscape of Alpine mountain ranges. The project was carried out by the Swiss architects of Groupe H. It was decided to supplement the main building with a new wing with glazing in the entire facade. The strict geometry of the original building served as the starting point for the development of the visual concept of the architectural tandem of the old and new blocks. Reynaers Curtain Wall 50 systems were used for glass facades. Their design provides for the fastening of a double-glazed unit with the help of internal clamping profiles, which allows you to build an all-glass external surface of the facade. CW 50 is designed for the installation of double-glazed windows, due to which the facade of the Crowne Plaza hotel is characterized by increased tightness. Such a solution made it possible to reduce the energy consumption of the building with such abundant glazing, as well as suppress the noise of the nearby airport.

Hotels of the future

For someone, a hotel on a journey is just a transfer point for the night, and for someone else, it is a full-fledged line in the list of locations that need to be spent. Regardless of the goals set before him, the interior of the room should be built on the concept of comfort. In recent years, apart-hotels have also entered the architectural arena in this niche as an alternative to rooms. Their distinguishing feature is that the apartments themselves are a more "complete" location, adapted also for long-term residence.

Apartments in the residential coordinate system are a buffer zone between hotel rooms and rented apartments, combining the best features of both categories

Apartments in the residential coordinate system are a buffer zone between hotel rooms and rented apartments, combining the best features of both categories, such as, for example, a multi-meter zoned layout and the availability of services. Where a residential apartment has construction restrictions, including panoramic glazing, apartments, being legally commercial real estate, may not comply with them, otherwise preserving all the "residential" interior filling. So, for example, in residential high-rise buildings, the presence of so-called fire protection sumps, providing an evacuation route through the balcony, is mandatory. This often does not make it possible to organize a barrier-free panoramic view. In apartments, this possibility exists, and if we talk about apartment hotels, it is especially relevant there, since in combination with a view of tourist locations and a stylish interior, it creates an environment in which a person is comfortable, like at home, but the service and local landscapes of each details support the atmosphere of the trip.

Four Seasons Hotel with 273 rooms in Bahrain by the architectural company Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). CP 96-LS sliding systems are used in the project

Apart-hotels are a fresh and promising industry in the tourist industry, but should we expect its widespread use in Ukraine so soon? Europe began to master the apartment business in the tourism industry many years ago, while Ukraine is still only getting acquainted with this type of temporary housing. "Hotels are certainly leading in the application of high-quality and sometimes even sophisticated solutions. Apart-hotels are gradually entering the real estate market of Ukraine, so developers are still "shooting" with the use of solutions and materials in them. As soon as there is more experience in the operation of apartment hotels and all their features are revealed, the developers will follow the path of their European colleagues and begin to use more reliable solutions in the construction of apartment hotels," - shares his thoughts on this topic, Dmitry Kaladzhiev.

Points on the map

Any city has its own "points of attraction". Sights, markets, parks, cafes and restaurants are a classic route of a tourist "pilgrimage" through the new city. If transit architecture and hotel buildings are objects in which the installation of panoramic glazing is motivated by the opportunity to observe the unfolding panorama while staying inside the premises, then the following locations have a somewhat different interpretation of similar techniques.

"Light one-story galleries and cafes are often added to parks. The most successful solution for such lightness will be the costs in the entire height of the building"—

Dmitry Kaladzhiev

The aesthetic component is especially important in the filling of tourist zones in the heart of the city. The architectural fabric of the city itself is a complex urban system in which more modern projects are intertwined with objects of venerable age, already existing infrastructure and a system of urban landscaping. Panoramic glazing given in such a context plays several more important roles — it is responsible for visibility and stylistic accentuation. This applies not only to busy streets, but also to recreational areas.

"Light 1-story galleries and cafes are often added to parks. The most successful solution for such lightness will be seamless facades to the entire height of the building with transparent glazing, which dissolves the building in the panorama of the park, while making its interior space comfortable in any weather," comments Dmitry.

Park. Art of Rest by Savytskyy Design in Lviv. Total area of ​​glass structures: 700 m². Reynaers systems: CW 50‑HI, CP 155‑LS, CS 77

Supplementing parks with small architectural forms is one of the ways to diversify existing locations with new control points. Recreational zones perfectly "rhyme" with small restaurants and cultural facilities that can serve as a place for exhibitions or small concerts. In the context of the travel industry, such architecture not only complements the already familiar appearance of green spots on the map of a tourist city — it also gives the tourist the opportunity to take with him, in his own way, unique impressions from an accidentally discovered exposition, displayed at the right time on the dates of his arrival, or from a chamber performances of some local performer. In such conditions, a person is not so much a tourist as simply a visitor to the event - the same as local residents.

Similar locations in the context of parks can differ not only in compact dimensions, but also in memorable architecture. Landscaping is a fairly neutral background into which any stylistic idea can be incorporated with competent architectural interpretation. Reynaers aluminum glazing systems are characterized by variability and multitasking. This allows the company to have experience working both in projects with a colossal scale and in such small locations as described above. Here is what Dmitry Kaladzhiev says about this:

"Cities that are developing with a focus on tourism often already have traditional "magnets of attraction". But even in such cities, new locations are created, the most important accent of which is impressive architecture. One of the most powerful modern tools for creating such is unique glazing, individually made for a specific project. The development of special solutions in such projects starts at the early stages of creating an architectural idea."

The task of the Park project. Art of Rest consisted in letting as much light as possible into the premises. The designers even had an idea to make a completely glass roof

An ideal example of all of the above will be the Park project in Lviv. Art of Rest, developed by the architectural studio Savytskyy Design. The starting point of the project was the original building - a dilapidated abandoned cinema, built in the 60s of the last century. The task of the architects was to reorganize the existing building into an entertainment center. However, as a result of the negotiations, it was decided to endow the project with a cultural role. Thus, the result was a two-level space combining a platform for events, a restaurant area and a block with open terraces.

The building itself looks massive and even somewhat heavy. In order to visually facilitate the project, it was decided to supplement it with panoramic glazing - it is installed in the end part of the building, and also visually segments it, going from the walls to the roof.

"Why decorate a room, if nature itself has decorated it with its surroundings? We set ourselves the goal of making a large sliding system on the terraces that could be used both in summer and in winter. Our task was to let as much light into the premises as possible. We even had an idea to make a completely glass roof, but technological difficulties with heating, sun protection and air conditioning played their role, we had to compromise. However, we still left large openings in the structure," says architect Marko Savitsky about the project.

"We even had an idea to make a completely glass roof, but technological difficulties with heating, protection from the sun, overheating and air conditioning played their role. We had to compromise, but we still left large openings in the structure," says Marko Savitsky

Thanks to the quality and load-bearing properties of Reynaers aluminum systems, the team was able to install a sliding system with a total length of 18 m, as well as implement an architectural design with inclined glazing on the terrace of the second floor. Reynaers CW 50-HI, CS 77 and CP 155-LS systems were used in the project. The proven tandem of the visual concept and selected materials made it possible to bring the project to life and subsequently add another location to Lviv that is interesting to both local residents and tourists.

Returning to the travel industry, I would like to summarize that the use of panoramic glazing in the architecture of this industry has not only aesthetic, but also functional and even psychological justification. The tasks that modern architecture sets for building materials are increasingly ambitious. Buildings differ in scale, purpose and operating conditions, however, aluminum profiles in the glazing of objects of the travel industry — from small to large — is a universe of quality that meets almost any criteria.

/The material is published on the pages #33 of volume PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA/