376 2015 ¥ 4 ∂

Logistics Centre in Spreitenbach

Architects:
Frei Architekten, Aarau
Christian Frei
Team:
Andreas Gautschi (Project architect),
Roman Bertsch, Michael Meier
(Construction management)
Structural engineer:
EAG Eichenberger, Lenzburg
Others involved in the project: see page 429

When the conditions are just right, the irreg-

ular, reflective wavy pattern covering a lo-
gistics centre in Spreitenbach, Switzerland,
reflects light in a way that nearly causes the
large cube to merge with the surroundings.
Three new structures – a 4-storey, order-
picking warehouse in reinforced-concrete aa
construction; a slender high-bay-storage
structure whose load-bearing structure is
made of steel; and a single-storey outlet –
were sheathed in this new skin. An existing
building was also cloaked in it. The archi-
tects allude to the contents of the ware-
house: they make reference to the foil of a
chocolate bar – an easily understood signifi-
er. Realizing this special skin required real
handicraft: to attain a varied pattern, 4000
aluminium sheets were riveted to the corru-
gated-metal supporting structure. The
sheets overlap 10 cm. The waviness was at-
tained by deliberately spacing the rivets on
the supporting structure closer together
than the spacing on the aluminium sheet.
The results of the first trial – 5.0 ≈ 6.0 metre
a mock-up – were unsatisfactory, so, based
on the architect’s sketch, the most important
contours were transferred via spray paint to
the substrate. In the end, the articulation of a
the pattern was determined by the respec-
tive installation teams: upon closer inspec-
tion the subtle differences in their work
methods can be discerned in the building’s
different facades. 1

Axonometric 2

Section
Layout plans 3
scale 1:1500

1 Shop
2 High-bay storage warehouse (existing)
3 High-bay storage warehouse 4
4 Workshop 6
5 Order-picking warehouse 5
6 Loading station: rail
7 Loading station: lorry

A Refurbishment of the existing facade 7

B Facade of new building on steel skeleton
C Facade of new building on concrete wall

a
∂ 2015 ¥ 4 Documentation 377

B
A
C
378 Logistics Centre in Spreitenbach
Vertical section
Horizontal section
scale 1:20
5
1 80 mm plant substrate
20 mm protective mat/
drainage mat
15 mm bituminous roof sheeting,
two layers
200 mm EPS thermal insulation
vapour barrier
80 mm corrugated metal
steel load-bearing structure
2 4000/700/0.8 mm
aluminium sheet,
overlapping 100 mm, cambering
created incrementally with rivets
45/150 mm corrugated aluminium
80 mm mineral wool
thermal insulation
between 80 mm spacer bolts
120 mm mineral wool thermal
insulation in steel sheet panel
steel load-bearing structure
2015 ¥ 4 ∂
3 80 mm plant substrate
20 mm protective mat/
drainage mat
15 mm bituminous roof sheeting,
two layers
200 mm EPS thermal insulation
vapour barrier
200 mm reinforced concrete deck
4 4000/700/0.8 mm aluminium sheet,
overlapping 100 mm, cambering
created incrementally with rivets
45/150 mm corrugated
aluminium
200 mm mineral wool
thermal insulation
between aluminium
supporting structure
280 mm reinforced concrete
5 42 mm triple glazing in
aluminium frame
∂ 2015 ¥ 4 Documentation 379

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