VW Brand Centre

Beijing, China

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Key Facts

Complex geometry façade featuring louvre panels

VW Brand Centre's louvre panels provide shading to the façade, reducing solar gain

24m building height

Sold on good design

Located in the commercial centre of Beijing, China, the new VW Brand Centre will provide Volkswagen with a state of the art sales centre in the heart of Asia.

Featuring a complex façade that wraps around the building, the centre comprises four storeys of first class showroom and office space. BuroHappold Engineering provided façade engineering, specialist steel structural engineering and 3D modelling for the building envelope. The architect’s vision for the façade provided a number of complex challenges for our team.

BuroHappold Engineering provided facade engineering, structural engineering and 3D modelling to realise a brand enhancing sales complex for VW. Image: BHE

CHALLENGE

The intricate, complex form of the façade presented a number of challenges for our team. The façade is a continuous skin around the building, consisting of a louvre panel system that houses an inner wall that is made up of several different materials, including metal cladding, masonry and glazing. A complex steelwork system is integrated with the primary structure and the façade to support the louvres’ doubly curved surfaces.

We fused intelligent geometry with ambitious engineering to realise this iconic building for our client. Image: BHE

SOLUTION

In order to meet the aesthetic requirements of the architectural design while balancing the cost and complexity of manufacturing and installing the façade, our team provided detailed parametric studies and scripts to subdivide the louvre panels and set out the steel structure. Key considerations during our investigations included maintaining the continuity and smoothness of the curved panels, minimising the number of different sizes of panels used and carefully analysing the louvre configuration. Additionally, coordination of the façade joints and supporting structure was vital to ensure minimal steelwork was used.

Realising a state of the art sales centre for Volkswagon vehicles. Image: MetaDesign China Limited. Image: BHE

VALUE

Demonstrating our unique experience of working with complex geometry and delivering state of the art buildings, we were able to realise a design that many other firms would not be able to deliver. In addition to its striking appearance, the Beijing VW Brand Centre’s louvre panels also provide shading to the façade, reducing solar gain and contributing towards the sustainability of the building. Set to be completed in mid 2016, the centre will enhance the VW brand as well as offer outstanding facilities for occupants.