A higher level of freedom for the architect. Schüco: those who know how

PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA in collaboration with Schüco Ukraine launches a series of articles in which we introduce the audience to the opportunities that are open to architects and construction companies of Ukraine thanks to access to the experience and technical innovations of the company — the market leader in the field of development and production of system solutions for windows and doors , facades, security technologies, sliding and sun protection systems.

In the first of the materials, we talk about why star architects choose Schüco technologies for the implementation of their projects, and with the top managers of the company Schüco Ukraine we talk about its mission, assistance to Ukraine, and to what extent Ukrainian architects and developers can count on Schüco's advisory and partnership support.

Total DNA

What do the famous glowing Port House by Zaha Hadid Architects in Antwerp have in common with the university buildings with the white "thread" pattern on the facades by Studio Gang in Chicago? Or between the black crystal Powerhouse Telemark by Snøhetta in Porsgrunn and an IKEA center reminiscent of the white signature shelving by querkraft architekten in Vienna? Or between the Bauhaus Museum in Weimar and Richard Neutra's newly restored Kemper House in Wuppertal?

Crystals of office towers, old churches, factories, schools and gymnasiums, theaters and museums, town halls, as well as residential buildings, apartment buildings or private mansions - in the Schüco portfolio there are hundreds of buildings that are completely different from each other. Each with its own history, character and charisma. But part of their common DNA comes from Bielefeld, Germany.

"Every year we publish a calendar with photos of beautiful buildings built using Schüco facade systems, windows or doors, and we have to organize a big internal competition. There seem to be so many interesting new architectural objects where our products are used, and only 12 months," says Thomas Hausfelder, head of Schüco's sales and marketing department in Ukraine, Israel, Mongolia and the Caucasus countries.

Why do Zhanna Hahn, David Chipperfield, Kjetil Thorsen and other architects choose aluminum or steel systems of this German brand for their exclusive projects?

For developers, architects and design engineers, the Schüco brand is about what Bang & Olufsen is for music lovers or Mercedes Benz Benz for car enthusiasts. But it's not about prestige. More precisely, not only in it.

Why do Zhanna Hahn, David Chipperfield, Kjetil Thorsen and other architects choose aluminum or steel systems of this German brand for their exclusive projects?

The German brand purposefully and confidently expands its range year after year in order to provide architects with the highest degree of design freedom and an almost limitless palette of options. Schüco allows you to choose options for different budgets. At the stage of drawing up working documentation, most architects are no longer inclined to float in the clouds and are guided by purely practical considerations and numbers.

 

Energy efficiency +

If Ludwig Mies van der Rohe had designed his famous Seagram Building not in 1954, but after a series of energy crises, then the icon of modernism, this elegant pioneering tower with a hinged glass facade of tinted glass with brass imposts would never have been criticized as "the most energy-consuming building in New -York". It would simply not be built.

The founder of the International Style, creating "architecture of bones and skin" (that is, of a supporting structure and a glass shell) and anticipating the general obsessive love of glass skyscrapers, lived in a world of accessible, cheap and seemingly inexhaustible energy. The German architect focused on the aesthetic qualities of glass facades, and left the technical solutions to the engineers. In the middle of the XNUMXth century, engineers tried, but did not always keep up with the rapid architectural thought. That is why Seagram's black tower has become an anti-symbol of energy efficiency: a comfortable microclimate in office spaces is ensured by continuously operating systems of forced ventilation, heating and cooling.

In 1951, Heinz Schürmann organized initially a small, practically "garage" production of aluminum window systems. He understood that architects, in love with glass for its unique ability to "dematerialize" heavy volumes and dimensions, laid the foundation for the prosperity of his window and showcase business. But did Schürmann predict that in 70 years his company would become the largest developer of systems for of fencing structures in the world, supplying products to 80 countries on different continents?

In 1954, the German company took root in the industrial city of Bielefeld, in East Westphalia. Schuermann immediately bet on innovation. Already in 1957 at the exhibition Hannover At Messe, the company presented avant-garde construction profiles and fittings made of aluminum.

Did Schürmann predict that in 70 years the company would become the largest manufacturer of fencing structures in the world, supplying products to 80 countries?

Constructions made of aluminum profiles and glass attracted architects and developers because they minimized the load on the foundation and left the useful floor area free, because such walls were very thin. At first, the high thermal conductivity of the structure did not seem like a big problem, because before the oil crisis of 1973, energy was cheap. Then it became obvious to all market participants that without solving the problem of heat loss, ambitious architectural plans will have to be put on hold.

 

Visionaries have always worked at Schüco. Even two years before the crisis, the company's engineers developed large-sized sliding panels (as well as windows, doors, facades) with high thermal insulation properties and already in 1971 brought the first heat-insulated rack-transom facade from Schüco to the market.

More than 70 years ago, Schüco founder Heinz Schürmann chose the slogan "I can and I will" for his business. The experience gained since then has allowed the general partner of Schüco International KG, Andreas Engelhardt, to confidently declare: "We know how."

Today (even despite the biggest global energy crisis of 2021-2022), those who choose eco-design are no longer obliged to sacrifice the elegance of the image and the advantages of panoramic glazing, even if it is about black glass towers. A clear example is the reference building Powerhouse Telemark, built in 2020 in the Norwegian city of Porsgrunn. The building has an innovative Schüco FWS 50.HI thermally insulated facade and a roof with integrated photovoltaic modules. Over a 60-year life cycle, the carbon-neutral building will produce almost 15 million kilowatt-hours of energy. Despite its black crystal image, historically compromised by Seagram, the Snøhetta-designed facility has been awarded a BREEAM Excellent environmental sustainability certificate. This certificate is issued if the building is not only energy-efficient, but also made of sustainable (recyclable) materials and user-friendly.

Today, those who choose eco-design are no longer obliged to sacrifice the elegance of the image, even if it is about black glass towers

Schüco energy-efficient solutions are available not only for exclusive projects. They can be used to renovate morally outdated residential buildings, in particular panel high-rise buildings of the "late Soviet" period. For example, typical panels in Rostock (a port city that was the main transport hub of the former East Germany) with new facades have acquired a modern look and energy efficiency.

 

The campus is like a business card

The Schüco campus in Bielefeld, which was visited by PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA journalists, is a collection of unique buildings that are also the company's hallmark.

Welcome Forum was created specifically to comfortably welcome guests and partners from around the world. This is a place where you can learn in detail about innovative developments and corporate values, inspect and test samples of new systems and accessories.

The architecture, created by designers one fine day, a bureau from Dusseldorf, gives visitors the opportunity to walk around the exhibition hall and see how barrier-free systems work with a threshold that descends into the floor, or sun protection systems that allow you to darken part of the glass of your choice. It seems like real magic. Fire-resistant, burglar-resistant, bulletproof systems, systems with increased acoustic protection, a fragment of a glass heat-insulated facade several meters high, as well as a fragment of a green facade with living plants are also exhibited here - the company is also developing this promising direction.

It is simply amazing how much know-how can be hidden behind a thin, almost invisible profile from the outside: hidden gutters, air chambers, mechatronic drives. Many sensors for monitoring the condition of the window, such as those that count how many opening cycles have passed since the time of manufacture, and much more.

The developers' efforts to rationally optimize energy consumption can be seen in every detail. If the visitor has a desire to learn more about a particular sample, he can get information using the QR code.

Part of the building's ceiling is occupied by a fragment of the Schüco Grid2Shell domed self-supporting structure, this faceted structure allows creating futuristic volumes similar to those designed by Zaha Hadid and so loved by Norman Foster.

The Schüco campus in Bielefeld is also home to a technology center licensed for independent research

A separate hall is dedicated to the demonstration of industrial robots and machines for the production of aluminum systems. Schüco not only sells products, but also technologies, and also trains staff.

The Schüco Technology Center is a state within a state. New systems and components are tested here, subjecting them to various tests: extreme temperatures, dynamic loads, being shot from a robotic installation simulating a weapon, passing through fire and water. You can see how the robots work, constantly opening and closing windows and doors for many hours. Will the window withstand 100 thousand opening cycles? And 200 thousand? And 1 million? A fragment of the 12-meter-high facade is mounted on a separate stand. Then a gusty wind and rain will fall on him. The development customer will be able to observe the testing process remotely using cameras.

The technology center in Bielefeld has a license to conduct independent research, that is, samples of other companies' products can be tested here on their order.

The next building, designed by Architekten Wannenmacher + Möller GmbH, is also used as a training base. The other part of the building has spaces for conferences and events. Solar energy and geothermal pumps are used to heat and cool this building.

But the main object of the campus is definitely the Schüco One headquarters, created as an extension of the old administrative building by Copenhagen architects 3XN. Schüco One is unique because it is the first building in the world to be certified under three sustainability systems: LEED, BREEAM and DGNB, and its facade system complies with the Cradle-to-Cradle certificate. This means that all parts of the facade can be recycled and reused.

The open working spaces of Schüco One open into the atrium, where a white spiral staircase rises from the center of the foyer to the upper level. The transparent roof lets in a large amount of sunlight, which, however, does not create discomfort for employees.

Electrochromic glass can be shaded on hot summer days, and anti-glare protection prevents direct rays from entering workplaces. All facade windows are equipped with a roll-up solar shading system, a proprietary Schüco development.

Right here on the campus are modernized Digital Hub One buildings and the Schüco Corporate Services service, a parking lot with a unique parametric facade made of reinforced textiles (also developed by Schüco) and huge warehouses from which products are shipped to different parts of the world.

Warehouse spaces are almost fully automated. Processes that previously required significant physical exertion are now being performed by robots. But there is also enough work for people. Operators complete orders, load the computer with data, control the processes of product shipment.

On the eve CONSTRUCTION 23

During our visit, employees of several Schüco departments are immersed in preparations for participation in the largest industry event, the international architecture and construction exhibition BAU 2023, which will take place from April 17 to 22 in Munich. Traditionally, BAU is held every two years, but in 2021, due to the quarantine, the event was held online. It is expected that the exhibition will be a double success after the break. Exhibitors' stands will occupy 19 pavilions of Messe München, and the number of visitors is expected to exceed a quarter of a million people. As the key topics to which the exposition will be devoted, the most urgent were chosen: the problem of climate change, digital transformation, houses of the future, resources and recycling, modular buildings.

The general interest in innovations in the field of construction is absolutely justified. Europe relatively painlessly survived the biggest energy crisis, in particular thanks to the fact that the concept of saving resources and modernizing buildings is a priority not from the first day, but at least for the last decade. In theory, Europe could save up to 2050 billion euros by 285 by saving energy for cooling buildings. It remains to implement this plan in practice.

Thomas Hausfelder: "Ukraine is important for us. What exactly will you start a major renovation with?"

At the Schüco headquarters, we spoke with representatives of the company's management. PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA's questions about the company's plans, in particular in Ukraine, were answered by Thomas Hausfelder, head of Schüco's sales and marketing department in Ukraine, Israel, Mongolia and the Caucasus countries.

PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: If we talk about the company in general, what direction of development, solving what problems is a priority for Schüco today?

Thomas Hausfelder: For us today, the topic of combating climate change and protecting the environment is particularly important. This means that we are working on the problem of resource utilization, implementing recycling and reuse of aluminum. Today, we consider the building as an object that will later be disposed of. And today you should think about how you can use all these materials after the building is decommissioned. We pay attention not only to the design and function of our systems, but also to how our windows, doors and facades will look and function in the building. We also care about how these materials and systems can be recycled and reused efficiently and without damaging the environment.

Aluminum profiles and other recycled aluminum products have already appeared on the market. That is, the waste was collected, sorted, remelted and remelted. And we see a clear trend in the market: when announcing tenders, investors and developers very often prefer recycled aluminum products. Responsible customers today want to see recycled products in their projects. This is important even for further certification of buildings and structures.

End-of-life plastic windows are also processed: they are ground into granules, then mixed with other composites. (From 2022, the companies Remondis Recycling GmbH & Co. KG and Schüco Polymer Technologies KG have concluded an agreement that they close the Schüco PVC recycling cycle and are ready to offer partner companies an exclusive service for processing profile scraps from window structures, as well as from old windows. — Editor's Note)

PM: Which markets are your priority and most promising?

T. H.: Our key market remains primarily Germany and Europe in general. The Asian market is simply huge, of course, we are interested in increasing our presence there.

Also, the Middle East is a very important and promising direction for us. And in the near future, the African continent as a whole is of great interest to the company.

One of the important qualities of our systems is that they are stable and therefore functional in different climatic conditions: they can withstand temperature changes, severe frost and severe heat. That is, they can be successfully used in countries with different climatic conditions.

PM: As for Ukraine, how important is this region?

T. H.: Ukraine has always been interesting for us and remains so. The Ukrainian representative office of Schüco was officially opened in 2001, a year later it acquired the status of a subsidiary company. Before the war, orders from Ukrainian partners had a good turnover, we noted good rates of development of the construction market in Ukraine, and in all regions. It is very important for us to continue helping Ukraine recover.

PM: Didn't you plan to open your warehouse in Ukraine to simplify logistics and shorten delivery times?

T. H.: There are ideas to open a warehouse in Ukraine, but everything depends on the situation and the volume of construction. The largest warehouse of Schüco products in Europe is located in Bielefeld. If we are talking about products for exclusive buildings, then since the central warehouse is located here, both profiles and accessories will be transported to Ukraine by truck from Germany, as is happening now. But the idea of ​​opening an intermediate warehouse in Ukraine, with a stock of the most specific products, exists, and when the right moment comes, it will be implemented.

PM: Are you more interested in supply for residential construction, that is, in volumes, or are you focused on customers of exclusive buildings? Despite the war, Ukrainian architects and developers do not give up ambitious ideas and are confident that they will soon be able to realize them.

T. H.: The potential of the Ukrainian market is great, there is a lot of work. Everything depends on the budget of future objects, on how architects and developers see future houses. Despite our almost limitless assortment, not everything can fit them. There are other manufacturers of aluminum structures on the Ukrainian market, so architects have the opportunity to choose, and such a competitive environment is quite normal. A decisive role is played by the budget and quality criteria that the customer focuses on.

All our innovative products, including those focused on the climate and environmental agenda, are available to Ukrainian architects

Another issue is purely political. From what exactly in Ukraine will the major renovation begin: with the construction of mass housing or with the construction of administrative and exclusive buildings? What plan will your government approve? It depends on what amounts of funding investors will allocate and what it will be decided to spend these investments on. Many countries are preparing to help rebuild Ukraine, and European investors are interested in ensuring that their money is spent wisely: on the construction of high-quality sustainable buildings that meet modern energy efficiency standards. Buildings that can be certified are easy to operate, and in the future can be disassembled into materials that can be recycled and reused. All of our innovative products, including those focused on the climate and environmental agenda, are available to Ukrainian architects.

And of course, we are all waiting for the end of the war. In order to build logistics, it is necessary to understand what happens with the roads, in what condition they are, to know the post-war conditions at the borders. All of us at Schüco believe in the best. Therefore, they gave our Ukrainian employees a job guarantee so that they could continue their activities even in difficult wartime. Currently, our colleagues in Ukraine continue to work actively, preparing reconstruction and new construction projects. And they are preparing for further development.

PM: The request from Ukrainian customers may be with a specific focus on security. This is dictated by life in unstable wartime conditions. All of us would like to feel safe, at least inside the buildings. Is Schüco ready to answer such a request?

T. H.: Our products are versatile and can be used in projects of any scale and complexity — from a private home to an airport. Depending on the function of the building, the technical conditions also differ. Our company has a special department that works on systems for exclusive buildings with special security requirements. Among them are administrative buildings, banks, embassies, and offices.

Today, extra safety does not reject friendly design. Embassies or administrative buildings should not look like a safe or be surrounded by high walls - they are increasingly striving to be transparent and democratic. In fact, transparent glass walls with thin, almost imperceptible frames are bullet- and explosion-proof. At the request of the customer, one or two floors in the corporate tower can be made safe, and these windows will not stand out from the street. The customer can get safe panoramic windows, doors or a safe facade even in his private country house. A sample of a safe facade is presented in the showroom, but visually it is no different from the usual one. It just costs more. We can protect the building against fires and explosions. The question is the price. It all depends only on the budget.

When talking about quality, it is convenient to compare our products with cars. For example, there is a car in standard configuration and in luxury. There are cars that accelerate to a speed of 300 km/h. Q: How often will I use this feature? And does it make sense if such a car costs twice or three times more than a regular one?

If the architects designed structures from glass and aluminum, this is one budget, if from steel and reinforced, and possibly armored glass units, another. But there is no upper price bar when it comes to security. You can always demand a higher and higher level of security, and the price of such an order will be extraordinarily high. It is necessary to find a balance between the price and the problem.

PM: Should strategic resources and efforts be focused on building security or modern defense and diplomacy? Yes, it is a matter of politics. We know that you not only preserved the subsidiary company in Ukraine, but also provided active assistance to the families of employees and all Ukrainians.

T. H.: Both we in Germany and our colleagues from other bureaus and other countries — Poland, France, etc. — managed to consolidate efforts to organize assistance in the shortest possible time. It was nice to feel solidarity within the company. Our local employees themselves offered help and accepted refugees into their families. We purchased and sent an ambulance to Ukraine, as well as several electric generators.

This does not mean that we have done all we can and rest on that. As for the upcoming BAU exhibition in Munich, for me it is not only a significant event, but also an opportunity to discuss with colleagues plans for further assistance - with the participation of our Ukrainian employees, as well as Ukrainian architects, engineers and developers. The very topic of construction is an excellent platform for discussing future plans.

Oleksiy Sverchkov: "We do not see a decrease in requirements for product quality or simplification of projects for the purpose of savings"

At the invitation of Schüco Ukraine, a delegation of Ukrainian architects and developers will visit the exhibition. On the eve of the event, PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA journalists spoke with the commercial director of Schüco Ukraine, Oleksiy Sverchkov, to find out how the Ukrainian representative office works in wartime conditions and what employees expect from participating in BAU and meeting with colleagues and business partners.

PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: You managed to save the team, despite the military aggression of the Russian Federation. Did you feel supported by your European colleagues? What did it consist of?

Oleksiy Sverchkov: From the first day of the war, we received a huge number of calls from our colleagues from different countries. Everyone wanted to help us with something, asked what they could do for us. Literally within a week, this process was well organized, the company created a Committee to help Ukraine for this purpose. The first humanitarian convoys were formed with medicines, basic necessities, baby food, etc. All these things were delivered by our trucks to the Ukrainian-Polish border, where further aid was distributed to the regions of Ukraine through humanitarian funds. In addition, Ukrainian employees were offered asylum in European countries. Many of our colleagues from Europe even took the initiative to place someone from Ukraine in their home.

We are all grateful for such sympathy, but our place is here, so all employees of the Ukrainian representative office remained at their workplaces. Colleagues from Kramatorsk and Kharkiv are currently working in other regions of Ukraine. Free online English language courses were organized for the children of our employees, and for the children of the orphanage from Mariupol, who were miraculously saved by Erika Rosenfeld in their hometown of Laage. Among them are 2022 children from an orphanage. — Ed.), Schüco helped with the renovation of their new home in Germany.

It is also important to mention the support that the Schüco company, in the form of the central office, provided to our customers who were unable to pick up their orders or found themselves in a difficult financial situation. The capacities of some processors were simply destroyed. We found a common language with everyone and suggested ways to solve problems. We helped some clients with work abroad. For example, the logistics department of the central office decided to place an order for the production of steel pallets for the Schüco company International KG precisely in Ukraine. This is a serious decision, and we are grateful for your trust.

PM: How much has your work process changed because of the war — logistics, customer service? Has the request from customers changed, what do they emphasize today, what product qualities do they prioritize?

O.S.: In the two previous years of the pandemic, we have adapted well to remote work. We have already worked out communication algorithms, developed our own software products, virtual tours, presentations, programs for employees, an online office for clients and much more. So there were no problems with communications or any insurmountable difficulties from our side.

Regarding logistics, we have been operating in several modes for many years. Customers can ship both from a warehouse in Germany and receive products already in Kyiv. For some time (it was March-April 2022), we suspended the shipment of orders to Ukraine, but already in May 2022, the supply resumed. First of all, these were, of course, projects that had already been started before the war, but there are also many objects whose glazing had already begun during the war. These projects are located in different cities of Ukraine: Kyiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Odesa. Thus, we are completely dependent on the situation on the construction market and the willingness of our partners to continue glazing the objects.

Of course, there were difficulties with imports, transport, long border crossings, etc. But these are all temporary difficulties that have not globally affected our ability to remain a reliable partner. As for participation in the design of facades, this work did not stop even on the most difficult days. I cannot say that the requirements of customers or architects have changed. Everything is very individual and depends on a specific project. We do not see any lowering of product quality requirements or simplification of projects for the purpose of savings.

PM: Today, the government is working on a strategy for the recovery of Ukraine. There is a heated debate: some campaign for quick and cheap solutions, others call for adherence to the principle of Build Back Better. Your opinion: will Schüco products, despite their high cost in the premium segment, be the best solution for accent business buildings and socially significant public architecture?

O.S.: I would not argue that Schüco products are only a premium segment, and moreover at a high cost. This is rather a myth, in practice everything is different. Our technical solutions and the quality of the products themselves impress customers all over the world (Schüco has representative offices in more than 80 countries), including not only countries with developed economies. If our products were so expensive, it is unlikely that we would occupy leading positions in almost all markets. Schüco systems are very energy efficient, thus we help save money on building maintenance.

Temporary difficulties have not globally affected our ability to remain a reliable partner. As for participation in the design, this work did not stop even on the most difficult days

As for our country, namely iconic projects that will symbolize the new Ukraine, we believe that they should correspond to the latest trends in architecture. This is a kind of look into the future and parting with the Soviet and post-Soviet past. Glazing of such interesting and complex forms is precisely our specialty. We have vast experience, many implemented complex objects, a staff consisting of world-class specialists. All this, of course, affects decision-making when choosing a glazing system.

 

PM: Why is it important for the Ukrainian team to take extended participation in the BAU exhibition? What do you plan to bring from there?

O.S.: As I have already mentioned, we have a desire to support our partners in these difficult days. We all believe that soon we will restore the country, make our cities even more beautiful than they were before the war. For this, it is necessary to stay abreast of the latest developments, innovations of the world construction industry.

The BAU exhibition in Munich is the largest innovation forum. Considering that it has not been held live for 4 years, you can imagine the level and number of novelties. We want our investors, architects and contractors to be aware of everything that will be presented there. We have organized a group of more than 50 people to introduce our innovations. It will be done at the highest level, the way we know how to do it. Members of the Ukrainian delegation will also be able to familiarize themselves with the exhibits of other manufacturers of construction technologies (materials, machines, software, etc.). We will be very happy if we see the results in implemented Ukrainian projects.

 

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Schüco representative office in Ukraine

Kyiv, str. 15 A, Leipsizka (2nd floor)
tel. +38 044 490 68 37
www.facebook.com\schueco

 

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