Type of building: Office
Location: Milan (Italy)
Climate: Humid subtropical (Köppen
Cfa)
Year of construction: 2017
Architect:Zaha HadidArchitects
Façade designer:ARUP
GeneraliTower façade
Façade analysis
The Delft Darmstadt München
Facades Education Project
Weather protection
Façade Principles
The facade of the GeneraliTower is made of two layers.The external one is composed of curved single-layer glass panels that define the tower's twisting shape. Functionally, this layer serves as a weather protection layer and an acoustic barrier. Double pane glass makes up the second layer, which serves as the building's thermal insulation layer. Between the two facade layers, we find a thermal buffer zone where roller shutters have been placed for sun shading purposes.
The Delft Darmstadt München
Thermal layer
Acoustic protection
shading
Facades Education ProjectStick system with curved single paned glass
Façade System
The two layers of the Generali tower façade use two different systems. For the most external layer a stick system with single paned glass infill has been used in order to achieve more easily the iconic curved shape of the building. Instead the internal layer uses a unitized system with double paned glass IGU that allow higher thermal performances
Building’s main structure
The Delft Darmstadt München
Unitized system with planar double paned glass IGU
Facades Education ProjectSingle paned glass
Façade Materials
Each layer of the facade is made out of the three materials that compose a standard glass facade: glass, plastic and alluminium.Aluminum and plastic have been used in both layers to realize the facade frame. In the most external layer of the facade, the glass has been used in single paned while in the internal layer, a more thermically efficient double paned glass IGU with a low g-value has been used.
Aluminium stick system
facade mullion
Aluminium unitized facade system
Double paned glass IGU with low g-value
Detail +Tolerances
Adiffert use of system type required a different detail approach.The external facade layer elements have been attached at the top to the main structure.The connection at the bottom allows movements to absorb the thermal expansion of the facade, which is continuous throughout the building's height. The internal layer, on the other hand, has been installed on top of each floor structural slab and is fixed at the bottom and free to move vertically at the top to absorb the differences in thermal expansion between the building's main structure and the facade elements.
External stick system facade
Main building structure
Internal unitize systemd facade
Building’s main structure
Complex Facades
Wrapping up the façade is composed of two separate and dixtint layers.The most external one is curved in two directions and is continuous through all the building height. Technologically it's made with a stick system made by alluminium elements and a single paned glass infills. Structurally, the panels are hanged at each floor with custom brackets that allow movement and expansion at the bottom of each panel.The internal layer is planar vertically and it's made out of plane unitized façade system panels made out of an alluminium frame with double paned high performance IGU. Between the two facade layers, we find a themal buffer zone where the building's sun shading system made with roller shaders are placed.
External facade bracket
External stick system facade
Internal unitized system facade
Internal facade bracket
