To date, Rieder, which is based in Austria, has made a name for itself as a developer of extremely thin and yet very strong fiberglass-reinforced concrete panels. And now the company is expanding its portfolio to include new elements. fibreC 3D is the name of the perforated façade elements that boast a fair-faced quality on both sides, as smooth as the shuttering boards.

These mold elements are truly impressive in a recently commissioned Helsinki apartment complex made to plans by Huttunen-Lipasti-Pakkanen architects. Formerly an industrial port, the site is being converted into an exclusive housing estate.

A total of 374 fibreC 3D façade elements – in no less than 48 versions – together create a gleaming white look to the frontage, which covers over 2,000 square meters. As a curtain wall, the panels serve multiple functions. In summer, they keep the heat out during the day, as the careful management of incoming light prevents overheating of surfaces. At night, they act as a filter for the light inside the building to create any manner of exciting lighting effects when viewed from outside. The interplay of light and shadow, of open and closed surfaces and the surface texture of the concrete material itself enabled the architects to create a building that truly acts as a landmark.

The coherent overall impression is further supported by the intelligent system Rieder has devised for assembling the panels. The connecting anchors are integrated into the concrete façade elements during production and are later invisible as a consequence, ensuring the frontage is not marred by any technical details.