SOLAR.shell-Transfer, Bad Rappenau (Germany)
The concept behind the SOLAR.shell façade, which Leipzig University of Applied Sciences has been developing since 2016, is aimed at achieving a three-dimensional PV façade that can be tailored to the respective location using a parametric design process. In addition, the yield per square metre of PV area can be increased by “up to 55 per cent” compared with vertically arranged modules. The carrier material consists of folded metal tiles made of aluminium composite panels.
In the façade that has now been realised in Bad Rappenau, the smallscale, landscape-format PV modules are used in different ways. In the southern façade, these modules (212 x 1380 mm) are installed in a series of tilted narrow strips, interrupted by the window openings. In the west, the loggia is framed by an area with modules (212 x 820 mm) that are both inclined at an angle and obliquely positioned.
A novel approach with rather small-format glass-film modules, which enables a variety of rainscreen cladding designs thanks to the homogeneous surfaces.
The project received an honorary mention by the jury in the „Student’s Award“ section of the “Architecture Award Building-Integrated Solar Technology 2022“.
Project partners
Architect: ai:L Architektur-Institut Leipzig an der Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Kultur
Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Frank Hülsmeier, Architekt
Stefan Huth, M.A., Architekt
Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Adrian Heller, Architekt
Owner/Operater/Façade engineering: Tim Friedrich Aluform Alucubondverarbeitungs-GmbH
Get an Overview of the series "Solar architecture at its best – Excellent projects from the Architecture Award Building Integrated Solar Technology 2022 introduced briefly“
About the Architecture Award Building Integrated Solar Technology
The “Architecture Award Building-Integrated Solar Technology“ was started in the year 2000 by the Solarenergieförderverein Bayern (Bavarian Association for the Promotion of Solar Energy) and held since then for the 9th time. The award is established as an international competition concerning the interface between architecture and solar energy. The prize honors exemplary contributions of planning and designing building-integrated solar systems.
In the last edition of the competition the jury singled out 15 projects from 121 entries, which we want to present in a series. The jury was unanimous in its positive assessment that even with very different building tasks, and in different environments, these projects show that photovoltaic modules and solar thermal collectors can be successfully integrated with equal ambition in terms of design and technology.
