Staticus 2022

Anthology Works, UK

CONTRACTORS IN VIRTUOSITY

When it comes to navigating the often-challenging European construction industry, Staticus has taken centre stage for providing long-term value for its clients, partners and society. We catch up with CEO, Ausra Vankeviciute, on smart building concepts and construction with an environmental conscience

Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Nicholas Kernan

For me personally, it’s always been all about the architecture – the art behind it, the idea of knowing what cities are going to look like in the future, and how we can make an impact upon that. It’s truly amazing and inspiring.”

It was this original allure of the construction industry that enticed Aušra Vankeviciute, CEO of Staticus, to dive headfirst into the sector in which her family was already immersed.

From humble beginnings 20 years ago as a small family-owned enterprise, which Vankeviciute was born into, her current tenure and career to date can clearly be seen as a series of natural progressions for someone born and raised in such a construction-oriented environment.

“In general, it’s very interesting to see what is happening in construction across Europe at present,” she opens enthusiastically.

“Firstly, there was the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic which brought challenges for the supply chain and

Ausra Vankeviciute, CEO

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDRIUS GUDELIS

required adjustments. Now, with the war in Ukraine, the European market has once again been affected by a shortage of materials and prices have continuously been raised, which has happened alongside the rising costs of the energy crisis, so there have been several major hurdles to overcome in recent years,” she continues.

However, Vankeviciute remains optimistic despite these recent obstacles; “as Winston Churchill once said, never waste a good crisis!”

As a company, Staticus believes that this is the perfect time to bring about real change in the industry and improve on current issues such as sustainability. The belief is held that the entire construction sector must now all work together to find solutions for the long-term, in an industry that is forced to continuously shift and mutate in response to new challenges.

“Departing an era where most of the industry relies on Russia for gas, we can now embrace renewable energy, so we must dive deeper

into using new technologies to decrease our carbon emissions in the construction industry. I find with all these new challenges we have been encountering, that it is vital to spot the opportunities and to remain optimistic about the bright future of the industry,” offers Vankeviciute.

A FOUNDATION OF SAFETY

Through constantly developing processes, investment in R&D, and commitment to incorporating the very latest technologies, Staticus enables its clients to set new standards in aesthetics and sustainability with every project.

“We build lasting partnerships, and we ensure people always come first. We also understand what it takes to make partnerships work because we have spent 20 years building them.

STATICUS VALUE CHAIN

Staticus delivers tailored and innovative solutions designed to fully realise the concept of the architect and the client. To do this, Staticus engages early in the process, developing prospective solutions with all stakeholders’ concept designs and consulting closely with the client. This intricate process includes:

• Early-stage consultation: early involvement allows Staticus to design energy-efficient façades, choose suitable recycled materials, and optimise panelization

• Concept design development

• Advice on the technical feasibility of the project

• Customised project solutions

•

and cost

“For us, long-term cooperation is always rooted in aligning different interests and knowing when and how to be flexible,” says Vankeviciute

Health and safety is the foundation of all work, culture and practices at Staticus.

“We never compromise when it comes to keeping our team, our partners, and the public safe. Respect and the continual pursuit of knowledge and excellence are also central to our culture,” she adds.

It is through this cautious and effective methodology that Staticus has expertly carved out a solid industry standing as a leading façade

contractor in Northern Europe, specialising in unitised curtain wall systems.

“We now leverage a wealth of experience and our strong competencies in innovation to deliver benchmark-setting projects that maximise long-term value for our clients and society,” says Vankeviciute.

As a family-owned business that has grown and developed sustainably over a substantial period, the company understands the importance of having a long-term perspective, a key trait for securing longevity in the ultra-competitive construction industry.

Sthlm 01, Sweden

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDRIUS GUDELIS

BUILD FAÇADES BEYOND TOMORROW

More than just a closed cavity façade

WICTEC Modul air is a closed cavity system solution with a 10-year guarantee, which unites the unitised façade, dry air and solar shading systems. Therefore you receive façades, solar shading devices, dry air system, manufacture and installation by certified WICONA partners, maintenance and guarantee – all from one source.

GUDELIS

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

Staticus has made commitments to looking after and preserving the natural environment of the planet. The company’s dedicated sustainability team oversees each individual project, assessing the carbon footprint of the façade’s design and production.

“We totally commit to our partners, building close and collaborative relationships with the clients and suppliers we work with. This includes taking a proactive approach to each project we work on. Our experienced team provides earlystage interventions to ensure the best possible result in terms of architectural vision, performance, and sustainability,” Vankeviciute adds.

Alongside this, the company’s endto-end value chain enables Staticus to implement genuine life cycle thinking. Furthermore, this is combined with the constantly improving environmental performance of the facilities and the plan to dedicate time and resources to developing

lower-carbon façade technologies.

“Above all else, we also commit to people. We subscribe to the very highest standards of health and safety in the industry in order to keep our team, our partners, and the public safe. Our people-first culture within the company aims to create the

conditions for every team member to develop and thrive,” she describes.

Staticus has been consistently delivering innovative, high-quality façades for two decades now, and this long-term, safety-conscious and sustainably-minded approach is what enables the company to consistently

Prisma, Sweden

Okern-Portal, Norway

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDRIUS GUDELIS

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDRIUS GUDELIS

Iconic architecture

Closed cavity façade for innovative VIA office and retail complex in Oslo

In the centre of Oslo, just a stone’s throw from the offices of Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, stands the iconic VIA office and retail complex. The architecturally striking building complex is a new symbol of the Norwegian city, representing urban life in the metropolis. But the real highlight of the BREEAM-certified building is the innovative closed cavity façade by WICONA.

The new heart of the pulsing city

With exclusive boutiques, premium offices and parking facilities, the striking VIA building complex is a focal point of the city’s bustling business district. The building fits harmoniously into the city’s urban landscape with its fjord, numerous cultural sights and pulsing nightlife. Most of all, the remarkable architecture with shimmering curved façade helps establish VIA as the new focal point of urban life in Oslo. The design by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects interprets the characteristics and heights of the surrounding structures with unique architectural expression.

Sustainable building and energy concept

Sustainability was a particular focus during planning. The VIA is intended to be a pioneer in environmentally friendly construction and resource conservation. This is particularly evident in the use of recycled materials from the building that previously stood on the site. The aim was to recycle and reuse as much as possible, as Unn Hofstad, Sustainability Manager at property developer Storebrand Eiendom, explained: “It’s such a shame that perfectly good materials and products are thrown away when a building is demolished. The challenge is to use resources responsibly and keep them in the cycle.” In addition to recycling old material, the building also features a holistic energy concept that incorporates photovoltaics and green roofs.

Closed cavity façade: a sophisticated system

WICONA’s WICTEC Modul air closed cavity system proved to be an ideal solution for the façade design due to the exposed inner city location with its heavy traffic, high noise pollution and high wind loads. In this special double-

shell construction, the profile system accommodates the inner glazing and the outer frame of the impact pane. The glazing technology is designed to create a cavity that is sealed off from the environment. Monitored by a cloudbased monitoring system, conditioned air with minimal overpressure is introduced into this intermediate space. This prevents moisture from the exterior or interior from entering the cavity. The sun protection designed as a Venetian blind solution also remains clean and protected within the cavity. It can be adjusted to suit the individual needs of the user, thanks to an intelligent control concept. This guarantees a pleasant room climate, optimum transparency, effective glare protection and maximum energy efficiency at all times. As part of the ventilation concept, the building is cooled passively by means of narrow ventilation flaps integrated into the windows.

High energy efficiency with optimal visitor comfort

Looking at the entire life cycle of the façade, the chosen solution is particularly convincing as it requires significantly less cleaning. Since the sunshade is integrated into the cavity, it is protected from the inclement weather of the coastal region. This ensures full functionality at all times. Approximately 880 closed cavity façade elements installed on the cladding of the VIA also contribute greatly to the energy efficiency and environmentally friendly construction of the building.

The closed cavity system reduces heat loss in winter and, in combination with the sun protection and automated night cooling, offers very good thermal protection in summer. WICONA’s Project Manager, Marco Theisinger explained that, “the system achieves a Ucw value of around 0.54 W/ (m2K). On top of that, the façade solution has excellent sound insulation that far exceeds the value of 39 dB required by the client. This way, the façade offers maximum user comfort over its entire life cycle, with comparatively very low maintenance costs.” The closed cavity system used on the outside of the VIA is perfectly complemented in the inner courtyard by the WICTEC EL evo element façade – a total of 1,133 elements of the highly insulating system were manufactured and installed especially for the project.

With the VIA, Oslo now has an architectural showpiece right on its famous fjord – a powerful statement for future-oriented and sustainable construction.

www.wicona.com

win and implement such impressive and benchmark-setting projects.

“We now have a very strong track record across the Northern European market and have built a reputation for going the extra mile. We have also delivered the first ever project in the region to use Closed Cavity Façade technology. And, with our R&D team working on new innovations in Internet of Things (IoT) and hybrid façades, we aim to continue leading the way in the façade industry.

“Recently our building ‘VIA vika’, in Oslo has been shortlisted in two categories at the Façade 2022 Design and Engineering Awards. The winners will be announced on the third of November 2022, and this is already a huge win for the company,” Vankeviciute acclaims.

ENHANCING THE STATICUS BRAND

The Staticus team and its slate of exciting developments continues to grow at record speed.

“We are currently focused on

Jager Freight LTD

JAGER FREIGHT LTD was formed in 2012 as a small garage, with a single van for local deliveries to residential construction sites only.

This year we are celebrating our 10th anniversary and pride ourselves as a trustworthy partner of the London construction industry. Over a decade of steady growth has allowed us to expand into an international freight forwarding company.

Jager Freight has an international haulage branch in Lithuania, warehouses in London, our own fleet (with FORS, CLOCS certificates) and a customs clearance division to help with BREXIT issues.

Our dedication to the construction industry is to provide A-Z tailored logistics solutions to our valued customers in this highly regulated sector.

entering new markets, as this year saw the company secure its first projects in Denmark and Iceland. We are also continuing to roll out agile project management, on top of working on pioneering R&D projects, and there is a lot more happening even beyond this.”

After last year’s major drive on rebranding the business, Staticus has embraced a new visual identity.

“We realised that our visual branding and company identity wasn’t keeping up with all these other key developments. It did not fit an innovative international company working on complex and cuttingedge projects, so needed upgrading,” she adds.

With this in mind, Staticus has created a new visual identity that better represents the company as it exists today. This was of course completed with one conditionthat it still reflected the reliability, high-quality standards, and, most importantly, a commitment to the long term, all of which remain key to

Over the years, our gathered knowhow from a number of delivered construction projects allows Jager Freight Ltd to form long-term partnerships with our customers and suppliers based on trust, safety, mutual understanding and always staying behind our slogan:

WE WALK THE TALK - to get the job done!

4, 434 London Road, Grays, RM20 4DH, UK

+44 (0) 203 773 1544 www.jagerfreight.com

Lexington, UK

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDRIUS GUDELIS

“OUR NEW VISUAL IDENTITY IS FRESH, EMPLOYING CLEAN ELEMENTS TO EFFICIENTLY COMMUNICATE HOW INNOVATIVE AND FORWARD-THINKING WE ARE”

– AUSRA VANKEVICIUTE, CEO, STATICUS

the core brand values that Staticus has worked tirelessly to establish.

“Our new visual identity is fresh, employing clean elements to efficiently communicate how innovative and forward-thinking we are, while its timeless visual language also reflects our commitment to the long term, and to our partners.”

EXPANDING ACROSS THE CONTINENT

Staticus is a truly international company and continues to expand its presence both in terms of where its team is based, and which markets it operates in. Comprising more than 600 staff members, the company has delivered or is currently working on projects in seven different countries:

Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the UK, Iceland, and Lithuania. This is in addition to Staticus’ active operations in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

“Our international team has seven offices at present and our headquarters and production facilities are located in Vilnius, Lithuania, with our sustainability team based in Basel, Switzerland. We also have offices in London, Vienna, Kaunas, Oslo and Stockholm, and our team members come from all four corners of the European continent.”

Creating a motivational work environment has been a key attribute to Staticus’ ongoing success. In this way, working with non-traditional structures has helped to showcase

the company’s refined qualities of adaptation and innovation.

“We are hungry, open to new possibilities, and very transparent in our way of working. Our agility to introduce new technologies is a source of great pride for the company. We see ourselves as pragmatic visionaries with the ability to stay agile, unlike many traditional construction companies, and it’s been a beautiful journey so far,” concludes Vankeviciute triumphantly.

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VIA Vika, Norway