Façades in expanded metal – the main projects
The facade is the first thing we see, and the one that strikes us most, when we are in front of a building. A decadent and damaged facade is seen negatively by those who look at it, whether it is the first or the hundredth time, perceiving a sense of abandonment that is inevitably reflected also inside the building.
Given that the facade is the part of the building most exposed to damage and deterioration (caused by vandalism, intense atmospheric phenomena, pollution, etc.), it is essential to use materials that can protect it, always giving the entire building a well-kept appearance and elegance.
The use of expanded metal in architecture, and more precisely in the construction of facades, has allowed buildings to express their "character" in the best possible way, protecting themselves but without hiding. If you are also interested in different (and sometimes unusual) uses of metal mesh read here.
The strength and power that this material is able to offer allows buildings to communicate through the dynamism of shapes and the wide range of colors available for every need.
What we at Fils have created over the years are real "works of art", buildings that speak for themselves, open to people who observe them, ready to welcome them inside in all their prestige and all this thanks to expanded metal, a material with a thousand resources.
Now, we want to show you some of our best expanded metal facade works made around the world.
One of the works we are most proud of is the World Join Center (WJC), a new location in Milano, designed to host events and meetings of various kinds.
This building was born on the initiative of Relive Company, a real estate company, with the aim of finding new answers and new inputs for the world of Italian jewelry. In fact, the WJC is an entrepreneurial solidity project that concentrates the goldsmith companies of the Milanese and Lombardy areas with high production quality.
The theme of eco-sustainability guided the entire project, from start to finish, and although it may seem difficult to talk about it given the size of the building, the WJC is a perfect example of functionality and environmental compatibility, in which alternative energy solutions intersect and new technologies with the sole purpose of minimizing environmental impact and consumption of resources.
This is where the expanded metal panels of Fils come into play: in particular for this building an expanded metal mesh from the Protech Line family has been used, with a hexagonal shape and called ACADEMY.
In this building, elegance and innovation meet to give life to an ambitious project which has a strong visual impact and attracts anyone who is nearby.
The expanded metal used to cover the façade allows you to focus all attention on the building, making it almost resemble a giant lighthouse that stands imposingly thanks to the continuous changes of light.
Another amazing project, which we are happy to have taken part in, is the Azur Arena in Antibes, France.
We are talking about a sports hall that can house 5,000 spectators inaugurated on 15 August 2013 with a friendly match between France and Serbia.
The entire façade in expanded metal gives dynamism to the whole building and at night the effect is even more spectacular thanks to some inserts of light placed in some points of the façade.
For this project we use another mesh, always from the Protech Line family like the one used for the WJC, called AMBASCIATA, a mesh from the rhomboid shape called also “diamond mesh”.
If you want to deepen the theme of shapes here is the article for you: “Different shapes of metal mesh”)
Another great project in which Fils participated was the realization of the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Katowice, Poland.
Designed by the most internationally renowned groups in Poland, Jems Architekci, this colossal building is located in the heart of Katowice, right next to the Spodek, the famous building symbol of the city raised in 1962.
Meeting point for various activities such as conferences, events, presentations, exhibitions and much more, the ICC can hold up to 12,000 people in the “exhibition zone” that is divided in 3 different areas and there is also a Theatre auditorium for 600 people.
The idea behind the project was to be able to create a large gathering space, and functional, within the social space of the city without dominating the surrounding environment but inserting itself in a respectful and almost silent way.
The entire facade of this building, made with fils expanded metal, contrasts with all the greenery around which almost seems to want to hide the structure.
