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| Architecture and design at its best  The Life & Style Hotel Kameha Grand Bonn has already been bestowed with two architecture awards – the International Property Award and the MIPIM Award. The members of the jury were impressed by Karl-Heinz Schommer's architectural design, which is true to a number of different aspects: the sensitive incorporation of the surroundings, the use of innovative technology, the high level of user comfort and sustainable, climate-efficient use of the building. From afar the building attracts attention with the silver shimmer of its aluminium and glass facade. The function such a design fulfils quickly becomes apparent. The entire building, with its dynamic curving design, devotes itself to the surrounding landscape of the Rhine and Siebengebirge mountains. From the sixth to third floors, the building plummets towards the Rhine. On account of the trapezoidal tapering of the hotel's struts, the 104 m long outer sides stand at an angle to the river, enabling hotel guests on either side to enjoy the special riverside location. There is a continuation of this direct reference to the Rhine within the building. On entering from the street, guests have a view of the open-air terrace and riverbank through the 7 m high lobby, atrium and the events hall, which from above is completely glazed and unsupported, and measures 12 to 21 m in height with a floor space of 1,800 sqm. The airiness of the building is on the one hand the result of its aspiring, arcuate form. Its solidity, on the other hand, is played down by the combination of transparent glass and light roof cladding in the form of Reynobond aluminium composite panels, each measuring up to 6.73 m x 1.60 m. The benefits of such cladding were appealing to Karl-Heinz Schommer, both in terms of the shimmering silver appearance and the ease with which it can be manipulated. Construction of the facade is just one element in the entire energy concept. The hollow sections of the facade are fed with water from a geothermal unit, allowing them to serve as intelligent heating and cooling panels. The geothermal unit, with its aquifer storage system, heats and cools the hotel, with a distinction being made between summer and winter operations. The entire package of geothermal unit, building architecture, central building control system along with individual room control, effects savings annually of approx. 1,700 MWh primary energy and 400 t carbon dioxide. write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Construction News :: home page |