The new building, known as the Zipper/RKM740 – Rhine Kilometre 740 – has a clean yet varied design. The facade reflects the waves of the River Rhine in horizontal ripples, which appear to move in the wind. A cloud-shaped, white aluminium structure envelops the building, interspersed by openings of different sizes. The white, wave-like facade forms a contrast with the otherwise completely transparent design.
The 19-storey building is tapered towards the top, so that individual recesses, which are used as terraces, break up its overall appearance. The perforation of the aluminium facade gives it a certain sense of lightness.
With the design for the building’s unique silhouette, which defines the skyline on the left side of the Rhine, J. MAYER H. und Partner Architekten were able to outshine the international competition.
The facade concept was executed by the company Ebener, whose core expertise includes facade cladding in full aluminium. The two-layered facade takes into account the wind and noise conditions of the almost 70-metre-high building along the four-lane main road. The planning, technical preparations and installation were performed in collaboration with Solarlux. Thanks to a sophisticated customised design, it was possible to secure the aluminium waves, floor-to-ceiling balcony glazing and a glass balustrade on a stainless steel console.
A total of 4,500 waves are featured on the facade, which vary in terms of height, protrusion and the size of the cutouts. 1,250 glass elements from Solarlux adorn the Rhine-facing side and provide protection against noise, wind and weather across 14 residential floors. The large-format slide-and-turn elements of the SL 25 XXL system can be parked to one side as an inconspicuous bundle of glass, preserving the character of the balconies. When closed, the glazing creates a thermal buffer zone. Despite their high degree of impermeability to driving rain, the approx. 3 mm vent between the individual elements ensures constant ventilation.