Bau 2017 magazine

1
WHO WE ARE
ETEM is one of the leading
companies for extrusion
of aluminium profiles in
Europe. Established in 1971,
the company quickly enters
the international market
and is currently operating
in more than 20 countries.
ETEM is a designer and a
manufacturer at the same
time of faÇade systems,
doors and windows, and
aluminium profiles for different industrial applications. The
product line of ETEM is exquisitely diverse, striving not
only to answer the demands of clients, but also the state-
of the-art trends in architecture and construction. ETEM
has manufacturing facilities in Bulgaria, situated over
built-up surface area exceeding 39 000 square meters.
With its annual capacity, which exceeds 35 000 tons per
year, the company guarantees constant and uninterrupted
delivery of its products. The production of ETEM is certified
under ISO 9001-2000 and is compliant with the strictest
European and international standards. The ETEM team
is highly-qualified and consists of exquisite experts from
different areas. From the very beginning of a new project,
ETEM is an important
supplier of aluminium
components for the
automotive industry
sector. The company
is a direct supplier of
international automo-
tive industry giants,
such as BMW, Porsche,
Mercedes-Benz, Jag-
uar, Daimler, etc.

5About ETEM
the company experts help the client select the best
product or solution in compliance with its requirements.
The vision of the company is to offer added value products
and services by developing long-term relationships based
on correctness, integrity and consistency. Each order
is produced and processed with the end goal of 100%
satisfaction of the clients as regards efficiency, quality,
delivery and price.
The main mission of ETEM is to design and manufacture
state-of-the-art products sustainable enough to improve
the environment and living conditions in the building. All
products of ETEM are designed with care to the future
and the efficient use of resources. The software developed
by ETEM for specific purposes, ETEM Energy Pro, is used
to determine the general energy properties of complex
façade structures, to project the energy effect, and to
prepare an analysis of the changes and optimisation of
combined structures.
ETEM is constantly developing its
technological know-how and state-ofthe-
art facilities in order to provide an ever-
expanding range of products in its three
product directions: architectural systems,
profiles for different industries, and car
manufacturing◀

1
ETEM AT BAU MUNICH
1 2 3
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2
3
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New Anodised Collection of etalbond®
New E68 Opening Windows and Balcony Doors System with Thermal Break
New Tailor-Made Retro Design of E75 Premium System for Windows and Doors with Thermal Break (more information on p. 37)
Innovative Water Flow Glazing System Concept, under the InDeWaG Project (more information on p. 55)
Samples of etalbond®
Special Colours
New Anodised Collection of etalbond®
New E68 Opening Windows and Balcony Doors System with Thermal Break
New Tailor-Made Retro Design of E75 Premium System for Windows and Doors with Thermal Break (more information on p. 37)
Innovative Water Flow Glazing System Concept, under the InDeWaG Project (more information on p. 55)
Samples of etalbond®
Special Colours

7
2017
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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7
8
9
10
E75 Flat Door with Digitally Printed etalbond®
in collaboration with Geze Door Systems
Ventilated Façade System BRAVO Y for mounting etalbond®
cassettes
Samples from ETEM’s portfolio: E70, E70SG and E50 Sliding Systems, E99 Unitised Façade System and the new E39 Bi-Fold Doors System (more information on p. 51)
Ventilated Façade System VARIO Lamella for mounting Extruded Aluminum Lamellas
Ventilated Façade System BRAVO W with the new etalbond®
A2 cassettes (more information on p. 41)
E75 Flat Door with Digitally Printed etalbond®
in collaboration with Geze Door Systems
Ventilated Façade System BRAVO Y for mounting etalbond®
cassettes
Samples from ETEM’s portfolio: E70, E70SG and E50 Sliding Systems, E99 Unitised Façade System and the new E39 Bi-Fold Doors System (more information on p. 51)
Ventilated Façade System VARIO Lamella for mounting Extruded Aluminum Lamellas
Ventilated Façade System BRAVO W with the new etalbond®
A2 cassettes (more information on p. 41)

1
INSPIRATION
This is an interesting and not that famous quote of the Ger-
man philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche which occured to him as
he was sitting at his typewriter and working. In this memora-
ble moment, Nietzsche has just substituted handwriting with
these new modern machines, quite strange to the 19th centu-
ry. The philosopher discovered and shared his insight that he
was thinking differently when using a typewriter.
Nietzsche’s quote is very topical in modern society and the
conditions of the digital work we live and work in. The stateof-
the-art technologies in the area of modelling and architecture
do not just change design as a process, but also provide un-
limited possibilities for the architect to change its own percep-
tions and express his or her own nature, whilst paying no heed
to the spatial and geometric limits.
That is why we, ETEM, decided to challenge and provide a
playing field for students and architects who would like to
challenge their own “parametric thinking”, using the new digi-
tal design and modelling tools. Together with the manufactur-
er of aluminium composite panels etalbond®
, ELVAL COLOUR,
we have supported the international workshop for parametric
design and prototyping strategies, Intelligent Tectonics V1.0,
organised by Design Morphine.
The challenge of this workshop was the creation and modeling
of a pavilion, which both ETEM and ELVAL COLOUR could use
to participate in the biggest exhibition of Europe, BAU Munich,
2017. The task was assigned with the requirement to remove
Our tools are beginning to affect how
we think.
- Friedrich Nietzsche

9
all limits to imagination and parametric thinking. These three
elements were unified in a uniform graphic concept, and they
built an overall visual image.
A leading element in the graphic vision of the stand is the con-
tour adaptation of an image of the original module wall from
the winning project, finely existing as a print over the encircling
walls. In order to create the modules of the wall with the para-
metric design, a aluminium composite panels etalbond were
selected along with a transparent material, emphasizing the
etalbond variety of colours and textures.
The presentation corner of the pavilion also accommodates
an interesting sample structure: a demonstration system
from the European financed innovation and research project
of ETEM, InDeWaG (Industrial Development of Water Flow
Glazing). The project is financed under Horizon 2020, the big-
gest European Research and Innovation Programme. The
unique approach of InDeWaG is the maximum utilisation of
the daylight from a transparent fluid-filled glass panes, its
use as a solar collector, and also covering the criteria for near
zero-energy building (nZEB).
All of the client and partner areas and exposure elements of
the ETEM and Elval Colour's pavilion are connected by a matrix
marking on the floor. This makes it easier for visitors to navi-
gate and find different samples of the companies through this
“information system” for visual orientation.◀
The concept of the stand of ETEM and
ELVAL COLOUR is exactly what the win-
ning Project, Prospective System Pavil-
ion, is based on. The very completion of
the pavilion balances the elements of the
parametric “prototype”, the presentation
of the new products of ETEM and ELVAL
COLOUR, and a comfort area for having
conversations with clients and partners.
Inspiration

1
PRESENTATION OF
THE PROJECTS
THAT
PARTICIPATED
AT THE
INTERNATIONAL
WORKSHOP FOR
PARAMETRIC
DESIGN
July 2016, Sofia

11
The second project that was presented
managed to dismay the jury and the
audience with its reconstruction of the leaf of a lily. “In
order to create the Leaf project, we studied the organic
structure of the leaf of a water lily, and we tried to create
this unique grid of “veins” resembling the veins in the leaf
of a lily. The deliverable is a system of folding panels, which
provides stability of the structure and aesthetic finish at the
same time”, shared Clarissa Evans, architect in the Norman
Foster Studio in England, and Teodor Andonov and Stefan
Georgiev, Bulgarian students of architecture.
“We were striving to create interrelation-
ship between materials and respond to
the requirement for reuse of the pavilion. We were inspired
by the work of the sculpture Erwin Hauer. Observing his
projects we decided to check what the effect of tension
of the surface of the installation would be. This made us
create a double grid, outlining a curved topology. For us,
the uniqueness of this project comes from its spatial quali-
ties and its structural efficiency”, shared the architects Ivan
Bonev and Hristina Kamenova, and the student of archi-
tecture in Skopje, Zvonko Vugreshek, in the presentation of
their project, the Hedgehog Pavilion.
Project1
And the Projects Are...
Project2

1
Тhe third project presented, Prospective
System Pavilion, which finally won the
first prize, was created by the Turkish
architect Ertunç Hünkar and the Hun-
garian architect Adrian Auth, and the
youngest participant in the workshop
Sebastian Comanescu, an architecture
student from Romania. “We decided to
stake on the simplicity of our concept.
We transformed a typical rectangular
panel into a structural element through
a diagonal fold and applying minimum
efforts. The final form and the colour of
our design are, to a great degree, result
from the resemblance of the folded pan-
els to scales”. This is what the three par-
ticipants shared and they added that all
parts of the design could be assembled
without the need for any screws or tools.
Project3

1
“Destructive Tectonics was inspired by
our visit to the ETEM factory. We wanted
to showcase the hidden potential of the material etalbond®
,
i.e. that the only limitation of working with this material is
your imagination. We know that usually it is used for building
façades. In this case we have created an independently erect
structure, consisting of a hexagonal structural grid, which
allows visibility from all sides”. These were the words of the
participants in the fourth team, the Polish student Monika
Kalinovska, architect Arec Keshishian from Armenia, architect
Elitsa Dimitrova, and the student Miroslav Naskov.
The Flow project was the fifth project pre-
sented. Its authors shared that they were
inspired by the natural forms and the art of origami. “Ori-
gami are forms which are both plastic and dynamic, and
this made us think that if we stick to them it would be
easy to meet the requirements for completing the project.
To achieve this flexibility of elements, we used only three
standard angles to fold and cut the etalbond – 45, 90 and
145 degrees”. The Flow project was presented by the Bul-
garian students of architecture, Iliana Aleksandrova and
Yana Veleva, the Czech student Ondřej Pokoj, and architect
Aleksandra Babunska.
ID
Project4
Project5

15
The jury was tasked with the very
difficult decision of selecting just one
of the six projects, and the first prize
was awarded to the Prospective System
Pavilion project. The team authoring
the project will have the opportunity to
further develop it with the participation
of workshop experts and to take part in
the operational and construction phase
of the pavilion in Munich in 2017.◀
EAS
And the Projects Are...
The last project presented was entitled
Performative Plate Morphology. Its authors,
the students Matiz Carmen Cristiana and Desislava
Chusheva, from Romania and Bulgaria, respectively, together
with the architect from Saudi Arabia Assem Afify, shared
that their main inspiration came from the etalbond®
material
itself, and its aesthetic and structural properties. “In order to
achieve stability of the system, we developed and optimised
an algorithm for reproduction of hexagonal joints between
the panels, without using any other additional materials”,
summarised the team members.
Project6

1
THE
PARAMETRIC
SUBCONSCIOUS
The rise of parametric design in the architectural field has
changed the workflow of architecture forever, and for what
I believe the better. As we know, architecture or any product
design field is considered by many as a slow art. For this,
any tool that can improve the timeline of architecture pro-
jects while preventing more unforeseen error is welcome.
Traditionally, architecture is not a linear profession with one
anticipated workflow. However, until parametric design, the
software produced for and used by architects was conceived
in a linear fashion. The new paradigm shifts toward pro-
grams which allow workflows more similar to the profession
is greatly improving the performance, cost, and execution of
current architectural projects.
Pre parametric design software is often referred to as
computational design because it uses a computer. This is
a false labeling, as the work is the same as using a pencil
and paper except it is on a screen. If something needs to
be changed in the design, the designer must go back, de-
lete, re-draw, and edit all other parts in relationship to the
edit. Following this, the designer must back track within
the drawings and also manually coordinate drawings that
may have a link to this change.
Pavlina Vardoulaki, Arch.,
Co-Founder & Creative Director of DesignMorphine,
Graduate of the Architectural Association School
of Architecture’s Design Research Laboratory

17The Parametric Subconscions
This workflow is one of the greatest bottle-
necks in the design industry. For instance,
if a detail of a door needs to be changed
the designer has to re-draw this door in all
instances of its existence, going to each
drawing plan, section, details, and sched-
ules. This is an exhausting amount of work
for each little change making it possible to
make many mistakes or provide misaligned
information across a documentation set.

1
Pavlina Vardoulaki, Arch., &
Norman Foster, Arch.
The issue of going back is that the 19 steps that occurred
after that action also need to be removed. Therefore, the de-
signer has to repeat the work they already did. In parametric
design, the entire time line is accessible in some way or an-
other. This means that the designer can review all the steps
they made throughout their work, access any step, edit it,
and for the most part, the steps that occurred thereafter will
be updated in accordance with the change. This is a power-
ful workflow that saves lots of valuable time. This sense of a
history existing all at the same time is why Grasshopper3D,
currently the most popular parametric software for archi-
tects, was originally called Explicit History Editor.
Before parametric software, each operation was in-
dependent of the other. In parametric software, each
command relies directly on the previous command. For
instance, if you create a sphere and cut a hole in it but
then you decide to convert the sphere to a cube instead.
Parametric software links the action of cutting a hole to
the previous action of creating a primitive geometry. So,
no matter what geometry occurs in step one, step two of
cutting the hole will happen to it. In non-parametric soft-
ware, the process of manually cutting a hole would need
to be re-done each time the designer wanted to change
the initial geometry. This logic is especially ideal for ar-
chitecture and design of buildings. In a way, we can con-
sider parametric design as a system of relationships as
opposed to actions. Building elements pass information
about changes between each other in a seamless corre-
spondence of data. If a floor level changes height, the re-
lationship of the stair to floor plate will change requiring
the stair to need more steps. A parametric relationship
The live history states of parametric
software also have another great effect
which is that the pieces of information
talk to each other. Each action is linked
to subsequent actions

19
knows that the stair, no matter what, needs to reach from
one floor to the other and will update the step accordingly
by adding more steps and adjusting the stairwell size to
accommodate the new steps. So, in one move of a floor,
parametric elements have also changed the stairs, the
stairwell, handrails, material sizes, wall heights, and any
other part of the building that is affected by this change
via parametric links. In non-parametric software, all these
changes would need to be manually updated by the user.
In many cases, this will lead to errors in design, such as a
busy designer moving a floor but forgetting to remake a
stair that relies on this floor height.
Consider a runner who is running very fast, the action he is
in control of is the speed and motion of his legs; this would
be the design changes the designer is focused on. The
runner’s body subconsciously knows to sweat, increase the
power of breaths, and swing the arms in opposing direc-
tions to the legs. Those subconscious actions would be
parametrically linked actions that occur because of the
user controlled action of running. The runner does not
need to think about those secondary actions as they are
a direct result of the primary action of running, and this
frees him up to concentrate only on the running. It is the
same with parametric design in which the designer only
needs to focus on the primary design task and the second-
ary linked tasks happen automatically in sync.
You can consider parametric design as
our designer’s subconscious, picking
up all the little things that rely on our
changes, freeing up the designer to
focus on larger design moves without
getting bogged down on tracking and
fixing secondary design updates.
The Parametric Subconscions

1
Before parametric design tools, designers had to study the
actual paths of the sun on site and make educated guesses
about how the sun would affect the façade. In parametric
design, we can input sun path information and have façade
updates from them, making differentiated size openings
and orientations to block or allow sunlight. In terms of
structure, we can apply the simulated weight of geometry
onto the system and receive stress analysis information.
This information can be absorbed by the parametric soft-
ware and automatically thicken, thin, add, reposition, or re-
move elements of structure as needed. These simulations
provide the designer with more confidence in design and
less fear of the risk of liability. Along with these changes,
the data can also be easily stored and accessed via organ-
ised spreadsheets and document sets, relieving the design-
er of the daunting tasks of manually inputting the informa-
tion. With that, a large margin of human error is removed
from the transition of design to construction. Parametric
design is not new but it is just now becoming a standard
in design fields, especially in architecture. With these new
“subconscious” design tools, the designer is free to focus on
the bigger picture of large design moves. Parametric design
gives the designer confidence in design decisions by ensur-
ing that secondary design elements are always updated.
Workflows become faster and more efficient and the tools
designers use are more suitable to the way architecture is
as a process. Design now becomes about intelligent rela-
tionships as opposed to a linear string of commands. The
designer is free to work in both past and present of a de-
sign system simultaneously.◀
The other great advantage of parametric
design is having the ability to influence
and document design with data. The
biggest factors to consider with design
are environmental and structural factors.

1
ABDULMAJID
KARANOUH, AE,
DIRECTOR OF
FAÇADES AND
INNOVATION
DEPT.,
RAMBOLL
GROUP, MIDDLE
EAST
Blitz interview for ETEM

23
ETEM: What made you decide to become an
architect/engineer?
A.K.: I have always been passionate about forms and colours
and what things are made of. As a child, I often found myself
picking up a pencil to sketch the things that I visualise in my
mind, and I would later do physical models to express those
visions more tangibly. I guess I took a spontaneous and un-
planned path to becoming an architectural engineer.
ETEM: Which are now the trends in façades?
A.K.: The industry is increasingly showing more interest in de-
veloping context inspired solutions that offer more original/
innovative and context friendly solutions. There is also more
interest in integrating biological and adaptive systems into
building façades as opposed to traditional static solutions.
ETEM: How would you define your signature style?
A.K.: I’d rather be known for a signature approach as op-
posed to a signature style. I am a student of nature which
offers many lessons and brilliant examples in terms of beau-
ty, functionality, sustainability and adaptivity which we can
draw upon to inspire our designs. That said, the signature
approach is being considerate, responsive, and adaptive to
resolving any design, engineering and construction challenge.
ETEM: Regarding the state of the planet in the
face of climate changes many people are very
pessimistic about the future. How do you see
the urban building of the future?
A.K.: Climate change is a natural cycle that our planet con-
tinuously goes through. What is more concerning is the direct
destruction of nature that we practice as a result of abusing
and over-consuming our planet’s natural resources in a highly
irresponsible and unsustainable manner. Mass deforestation
due to cutting down trees in huge numbers, water and air
pollution due to the use of large quantities of toxic chemi-
cals, and contamination due to radioactive emissions are a
Interviews

1
few yet highly critical and more urgent issues that we face
– none of which is a result of climate change, but perhaps
the other way round. That said, we need to rethink urban
planning (macro-scale) and building design (micro-scale) in a
way to avoid wasteful solutions and cut down on the use of
construction materials and methods that result in unsustain-
able consumption of natural resources and in emitting toxic
chemicals that pollute our environment.
ETEM: The engineering progress and the dis-
covery of new materials in the past decade are
enormous. However, are there specific forms
or shapes which are still impossible to build in
the conditions of modern technologies?
Every era will always have its limitations because inven-
tions and solutions will always be trailing ideas and visions.
ETEM: What is your advice for young architects?
A.K.: Architecture requires highly driven and creative yet high-
ly conscious and conscientious individuals. The buildings that
you will design and eventually build will have a direct impact
on their inhabitants and everything else that surrounds them
for decades to come. Contrary to the stereotypical ego-cen-
tric and highly subjective attitude that mainstream architects
tend to portray – it is a great responsibility that requires a lot
of humility and consideration.
ETEM: What to expect from you in the near future?
A.K.: The world is experiencing major geopolitical and eco-
nomic changes which are directly impacting the building in-
dustry. My role as an architectural engineering consultant is
becoming more like a martial artist, where positioning myself
in the right place at the right time and preparing myself for the
next move is most critical in order to steer any decision in the
right direction. In that respect, you would expect to see my role
and position evolving in the near future in order to adapt to the
paradigm shift that the industry is currently experiencing.◀
CRE

25
ЕТЕМ: Which was your most challenging
project and why?
A.K.: The Al-Bahr Towers is one of the most chal-
lenging projects that I have designed and delivered
due to its highly complex nature and context. The
political nature of the Client and Project Team made
the task of communicating innovative ideas very
challenging indeed – one that required developing
an innovative communicating method. In short, it
required innovation to communicate innovation!
ATIVITY
Interviews

1
KAS
OOSTERHUIS,
ARCH.,
CO-FOUNDER
ONL,
OOSTERHUIS
LÉNÁRD
STUDIO

27
ETEM: What made you decide to become an ar-
chitect/engineer?
K.O.: My architect father did not encourage me to study
architecture, instead he suggested that biology would have
future. Maybe that drove me towards becoming an archi-
tect who is very interested in rule based design and natu-
ral physics. Recently a major contribution was made by a
Dutch natural physicist named Erik Verlinde who claimed to
have found a new theoretical basis for the universe. His the-
ory was based on straightforward information exchange, no
particles, no atoms, no quarks, but complex dynamic aggre-
gations of information only. I was simply excited since that
resonated so much with what I am deeply interested when
developing my designs.
ETEM: Which was your most challenging proj-
ect and why?
K.O.: The most challenging was the foundation of the Hy-
perbody research group in 2000. I introduced a completely
new view on real-time dynamic systems in architecture. I
proposed the Trans-Ports project which was a flexible pro-
grammable structure that changed shape and content in
real time. I still need to find an opportunity to realise that
concept on the grand scale. My mission is not complete
before I have achieved that goal. After the iWeb and the A2
Cockpit which meant nothing less than a revolution in how
to design to produce a building, Trans-Ports 3.0 will mean
a true revolution in real-time programmable architecture.
K.O.: I cannot see façades as a separate thing from the
structure and its behaviour and performance. Structure and
skin must be developed as one coherent system. Whether
this is a trend I do not know, but it certainly needs to be-
come a trend. Otherwise all our efforts will end in window
dressing, in fashion, in holding up appearances.
Interviews

29
enormous. However, are there specific forms or
shapes which are still impossible to build in the
conditions of modern technologies?
K.O.: We do not build shapes, I am strongly opposed to the
idea that a design starts with a complex shape. For me, the
complexity is based on simple rules. My work is based on rule-
based design, algorithms, lean data exchange, and above all
it is open-ended and aiming at possible surprising outcomes.
That is why our fusion of art and architecture on a digital plat-
form makes sense. I am strongly opposed to architects who
present their fantasies but do not yet know how to make them
happen. I call that the “position of the spoiled child architect”;
that attitude is especially harmful for my own practice, since-
noutsiders think they see parallels between them and us, while
in fact we are almost at the opposite ends of the spectrum.
K.O.: Make sure you develop a fundamental skill, think like
an entrepreneur, not as a consultant. Think and act as a
maker. What to expect from you in near future? Probably I
will design and build the straightest building in the world,
yet at the same time fully parametric and dynamic in its
behaviour, like a multimodal transformer.◀
K.O.: My signature style is best defined as a simultaneous
force from within and from without. It is based on a deep
empathy with the constituting components and their mutu-
al relationships, which is a bottom-up process. At the same
time the dynamic swarm systems of components are subject
to external forces which are the drivers of their billions of
possible configurations. We call these drivers the Powerlines.
K.O.: Understanding and control of the internal and exter-
nal constituting forces will lead to an affordable, green,
sustainable appreciation of the natural beauty. There is
nothing more natural than diversity, multimodality, hy-
bridity, and nothing more natural than complex adaptive
systems that are part of an ecosystem of other complex
adaptive systems, both on the small scale as on the grand
scale of the planet. The urban building of the future must
acknowledge such complexity and understand the mutual
relationships between all players, both people and things,
that constitute a city.
JUST DO IT!
Interviews

1
THORSTEN
HELBIG, ENG.,
CO-FOUNDER
AND PARTNER,
KNIPPERS
HELBIG

31
ETEM: What made you decide to become an ar-
chitect/engineer?
T.H.: It is fascinating to see the progress of an idea from
first sketches to drawings and models which become more
and more refined, then to fabrication, and finally to see the
project take shape on site. One’s contribution as an architect
or engineer is visible and physically present in the built project.
T.H.: We are interested in further activating the building en-
velope. The façade should support the specific performance
requirements of a building. Façade systems have to be able
to meet these specific requirements.
T.H.: I am interested in supporting interesting and ambitious
architectural projects, and I embrace exploration and innova-
tion through the design process. I don’t think engineers should
have any signature style, even if I see some of my colleagues
aspiring to do so. We are influencing design decisions and
sometimes our input significantly shapes the design.
T.H.: There is a global trend to create more urban density
which enables further reduction of the carbon footprint of
people living in the cities. Building technology and espe-
cially advanced façade technology can further support this
development. Today’s buildings should be considered as ho-
listic systems in a larger urban network.
Interviews

1
T.H.: We are exploring and experimenting with GFRP, CFRP-
and textile-reinforced concrete. To us, it is interesting to un-
derstand and develop approaches to how these composite
materials could be used to provide better performance than
traditional materials. We have built the first carbon fibre-re-
inforced concrete bridge without any steel reinforcement
spanning over 15 metres. The thickness of the deck sec-
tion is 70-90mm. We were able to fully replace steel, which
avoided any issues with corrosion. The reduced concrete
quantity and reduced the cement in the bridge by about
two-thirds compared to a steel-reinforced concrete bridge.
The carbon footprint and embedded energy are therefore
significantly lower.
We are interested to further explore the potential of such
‘new’ materials to lower the carbon footprint of the built
environment.
T.H.: Stay a ‘teenager’ in our profession; be curious and
question accepted limits. You can find innovation by taking
risks and looking beyond conventions of safety if your ap-
proach is based on a deep understanding of material per-
formance and the latest technology.
T.H.: I am looking forward to see the new Academy Muse-
um of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, where we supported
Renzo Piano’s team, start construction next year. And we
are excited to now realise four integral mass timber bridges
in Germany near Stuttgart. We have been developing the
concept of mass timber bridges, which provide long-term
carbon dioxide storage, for more than five years now, and
these will be the first in the world to be built.◀

33
ЕТЕМ: Which was your most challenging
project and why?
T.H.: It’s always the most current one. But
Shenzhen Airport T3 with architect Massimiliano
Fuksas was the largest and, in terms of
integrated design, the most complex project
our team had done until then. We were able to
approach structure and façade holistically.
The Shenzhen project also shaped our team and
the way we approach complex tasks.
Interviews

1
TOBIAS
WALLISSER,
ARCH.,
FOUNDER
OF LAVA
LABORATORY
FOR VISIONARY
ARCHITECTURE

35interviews
ETEM: What made you decide to become an
architect/engineer?
T.W.: When I was six years old, my parents built a new
house. I was fascinated by two things: playing in the con-
struction site on the weekends imagining other functions
for the spaces and figuring out how to build the house with
LEGO-blocks. I enjoyed the combination of working with
your hands building models or sketching ideas and the more
analytical approach of trying out how to predict, explain or
calculate the way things will work.
ETEM: Which was your most challenging proj-
ect and why?
T.W.: In 2001, as the creative director of UNStudio, I was
in charge of the competition for the new Mercedes-Benz
Museum in Stuttgart which we won. From the beginning,
the budget and the date of the inauguration were set – it
simply had to be ready for the Soccer World Championship
in Germany with games being played right next to the
building! The building is a geometrically complex structure
integrating all technical parts into walls, floors and ceilings
to achieve clean spaces as backdrop for the exhibition. It is a
prototype in many ways, trying to figure out how to transfer
the way cars are conceived into the building industry using
many parametric tools that were programmed especially
for the museum. It was one of the first buildings being
coined a building of the era of a “digital modernity” in 2006
when it opened. I spent five years of my life working on
this project and learned an incredible lot – but the biggest
challenge would have been the Jebel Hafeet Glacier, a solar-
powered ski-resort on a desert mountain near the equator
in Abu Dhabi. We started working with some members of
the team of the Mercedes Museum and had the design
development almost ready when the financial crisis hit the
market and the project was abandoned. The challenge to
build a skin for a 2.5 km long building with 500 m height
difference and a temperature difference of plus 55 degrees
outside and minus 2 inside was extreme…

1
T.W.: For some time now, façade elements have taken up
more and more functions integrating technical features
into a seamless skin. At the same time, the geometrical
possibilities for façades have greatly been increased al-
lowing architects to design more complex forms. For me,
the most interesting trend is the emergence of adaptive
façades that are able to respond to environmental condi-
tions. Changes in temperature, solar conditions, noise, hu-
midity, or even the seasons trigger different configurations
or performative qualities. This is all possible through the
application of nanotechnology to façade materials.
T.W.: I am not sure if we have such a distinct style. Our de-
sign philosophy can be summarised as: MORE WITH LESS:
more (architecture) with less (material/energy/time/cost).
To achieve this we try to merge future technologies with
the patterns of organisation found in nature.
Computation allows you to simulate natural behaviour, such
as growth and adaptation of species. It is often misunder-
stood as superficial mimicry, but the potential is in under-
standing the principles behind nature, not only the appear-
ance. Our projects range from a solar station to a city in
the desert, illustrating that it is not the scale of the proj-
ect that’s the decisive factor for us, rather the opportunity
to create innovative approaches to solutions. From small
changes we see the potential to create something great.
Naturally evolving systems, such as
bubbles, spider webs and corals, are
the basis of our building typologies and
structures; these geometries in nature
create both efficiency and beauty.

37Interviews
the urban building of the future
T.W.: We are facing an unprecedented increase in the global
population. Within the next twenty years, an additional 2 bil-
lion people will require housing. This is an increase of more
than 60 percent. Never in the history of mankind has so much
needed to be built – generating even more of a necessity for
controlled, consistent development of new buildings and cit-
ies to compensate for the enormous amount of material re-
sources which will be required. Sustainability is therefore not
a question of ecological outlook, but sheer necessity. We see
this as a huge opportunity, but also a huge responsibility. As
designers, we can help shape the lives of many and in so do-
ing implement changes along the way. We see the potential
to achieve great things, for instance, in creating man-made
landscapes on rooftops, integrating alternative energy and
new transportation concepts within urban design.
T.W.: We dream of buildings that work like a piece of na-
ture. I am less concerned about a particular form or shape
but about the performance of elements. As mentioned be-
fore, one area is building envelopes – being no longer mere
façades they are both smart and educational. Like a skin of
a snake or a spacesuit for a new environment, they address
contemporary needs for flexibility, light, air and views. A new
skin can react to the environment, to temperature, humidity
and air pressure, and can have embedded layers of technol-
ogy and sustainability, saving water, producing energy and
communicating information to occupants inside the building
as well as to the outside world.

1
T.W.: Never stop dreaming but never dream without
being acknowledged for it. The world’s future depends
on the ingenuity of its inhabitants. The contribution of
architects to this is the search for suitable spaces for
tomorrow’s challenges. Don’t wait for anyone to ask,
just be active!
T.W.: LAVA has been named as laureate of the European
Prize for Architecture in 2016 which was a great suc-
cess for us and confirmed us to continue the path we
are on. Our architectural motto is: Man. Nature. Technol-
ogy; efficient, beautiful and sustainable. Our next step
will be to focus even more on the integration of natural
principles and the latest advances in technology with a
bottom-up support from users. On the drawing boards
there are some large-scale housing projects, small-scale
prototypes and new types of iconic structures like an
energy-storage tank for the IBA in Heidelberg.◀

39
WHAT
DESIGN
NEEDSE99
BY:
Unitized façade system

1
The exclusive retro
design of ETEM's
E75 system
preserves the
uniqueness
and authenticity
of historic buildings
Е75

41
The Е75 premium system for doors and windows of ETEM
has an entirely new design developed specifically for the
reconstruction of a building – a cultural monument in Sofia.
In regard to this, ETEM, using all of the advantages of
the Е75 system, has prepared a special design of profiles,
which repeats the design of the previous wooden joinery in
its complexity and uniqueness.
The Е75 system is distinctive with a very wide interrupted
thermal bridge, and excellent heating and technical
features, and is designed entirely to respond to the state-
of-the-art requirements of residential construction in the
era of energy efficiency. The additional internal insulators,
multi-chamber EPDM central seals, and 39 mm polyamides,
provide excellent heating insulation, and they make the E75
system compliant with the highest possible standards. One
of the main advantages of Е75 could be found in its elegant
straight line, its reliable opening mechanism, and multiple
openings points, the great diversity of colour solutions, and,
last but not least, the option for installing casings to protect
against breaking and entering.
All of these distinctive features of Е75 made possible the
partnership between ETEM and the principal for the project
for reconstruction of the building of Bulgaria Hotel.
ETEM was the only company which
managed to offer a solution, which
coveredallrequirementsoftheprincipal
regarding the technical assignment,
and to protect the shape and the
authentic façade of the Bulgaria Hotel
in its entirety.
E75 Retro

43
The building was erected in 1880-
1881, designed by the Czech architect
Adolf Václav Kolář, who developed the
first urban plan of Sofia. After 1944,
the building was used in succession by
the Economic Council of the Council
of Ministers, the Bulgarian Telegraph
Agency, Sofia Press, the Bulgarian
Airlines, etc◀
Е75

1
etalbond®
А2
ALUMINIUM
COMPOSITE
PANEL BY

45
Modern construction undergoes a process of constant de-
velopment searching for yet more sustainable solutions
which may change not only the appearance of buildings,
but also their residents’ quality of life. The emphasis in
material improvement during the past years is put on the
greater safety of people in residential buildings or in public
facilities, such as metro stations, shopping malls and com-
munication centres. Buildings of the future will meet the
latest technical requirements and standards in the fields
of energy efficiency, noise protection, fire protection and a
number of other safety requirements.
etalbond®
A2 is the new aluminium composite panel by El-
val Colour. It meets the need for innovative and sustainable
materials in the construction of buildings and projects of a
new generation. In case of fire, etalbond A2 provides max-
imum safety to human life, as well as to the protection of
the building and the buildings nearby. The material com-
The composite panel etalbond®
A2 has
a non-combustible core which makes
it incombustible according to the most
stringent European standard for fire
protection EN 13501-1.
bines unique innovative features in design, and also meets
the latest standards and requirements for fire resistance of
materials.
The panel is rated A2 for incombustibility, s1 for lowest possible
smoke emission and d0 for no droplets when the panel is ex-
posed to fire. These parameters make etalbond®
A2 perfect for
high-rise buildings, high visitation buildings, such as shopping
malls and airports, buildings of high sensitivity, such as hospi-
tals and schools, or buildings having a high-tech design.

1
At the same time, the etalbond®
A2 panels provide a com-
bination of rigidity and flexibility giving the architects ab-
solute freedom during the project design and construc-
tion. The new etalbond®
A2 is light and resistant, perfectly
smooth and easily processed. It is formable in the most
intricate 2-D and 3-D shapes. Furthermore, it has excellent
insulating properties and is the appropriate cladding solu-
tion for various interior and exterior surfaces in new con-
struction projects and renovation activities.
The etalbond®
A2 material was developed to satisfy the
need of innovation in modern construction and improve-
ment of the materials used. Modern buildings must not only
meet the highest design standards, but also the latest tech-
nical requirements.◀
In architecture, colour is the main means
of expression and it may render unique-
ness to each and every project. etalbond®
A2 is available in a large variety of co-
lours and textures for different coating
surfaces, while special colours may be
developed according to the customer’s
requests and requirements.

1
Dating back to the Pyramids in ancient Egypt and now to
the contemporary parametric designs, buildings have been
designed and constructed under the influence of different
changing external forces – culture, religion, calamities, wars,
moods, climate, technologies… In fact digital technologies
did not give birth to parametric design, neither have they
redefined forms in architecture. The computer, digital and
software technologies are just tools enabling architects
and engineers to design and construct innovative buildings,
compliant with the current more demanding conditions of
the general and urban environment.
In the 21st century, humanity is challenged by the global
climate change, which not only requires sustainable con-
struction, but also an entirely new appearance of the urban
environment. Buildings themselves are the highest energy
consumers, they consume more than a third of the total con-
sumption of energy and approximately a half of the global
electric power. As a result of this, buildings are responsible for
approximately one third of the global carbon emissions.
Energy and environmental influence are now taking their
very important place in the future development of architec-
ture and construction. Our present has an ever-expanding
need for solutions which are applicable in future projects
and developing buildings not only providing higher quality
of life for the inhabitants, but also harmony with the envi- VISI
The form of the house is not amorphous,
not a free-for-all form. On the contrary,
its construction has strict boundaries
according to the scale of your living.
Its shape and form are determined by
inherent life processes.
- Frederick Kiesler

51
ronment. In this context, façades are the privileged building
components, which can offer solutions. Building envelopes
have a great effect over the levels of energy consumption
and provide the desired environmental parameters. Cli-
mate-adaptive building is not something new and it has a
long-standing history, because people have been trying to
survive by counteracting climate conditions using clothing
and shelter. Applying climate-adaptive design is now dom-
inant as increasingly more important alternative in the aim
to achieve higher sustainability goals in the architectural
environment. In comparison with the conventional façades,
this design method provides different opportunities to save
energy and improve the environment. Climate-adaptive
façades are no longer just building barriers, separating the
interior from the exterior. Integral systems can be devel-
oped using the climate-adaptive façades, which create con-
venient spaces by using the environment, including natural
resources, for example lighting, shading, heating, etc.
Among the main functions are: providing natural light, view
to the outside, natural ventilation, and producing energy.
Therefore, the conceptual design of the building envelope
will unify the different functions of the façade and will in-
clude a series of elements which are part of it, including
shading elements, windows, photovoltaic panels, connect-
ing flexible components.
The modular development of façades is a standardised
approach in design and construction creating matching
modules and repeatable connection elements. The modular
approach in design can help in the successful implemen-
ON
Each façade performs a wide range
of functions, which are defined by
the location of the building and the
conditions needed by the inhabitants
of the building.
It’s All About the Skin

1
tation of serious climate-adaptive characteristics of the
façade. The building envelope itself can be “personalised”
according to the specific conditions and “modules” can be
produced using the specific characteristics. This approach
helps architects to make the façade compliant with any of
the design specifications. Last but not least, the modular
design will facilitate essentially a follow-up repair, because
it allows the removal or the addition of elements. At the
same time, the separate modules allow for flexible inte-
gration of various factors. Reviewing the construction and
the decrease of energy consumption from a large-scale
perspective, a single building with its climate-adaptive
façade is just an unit against the background of the total
urban environment. Therefore, it is very important that the
separate characteristics of the building are to be reviewed
against the background of urban forms and the total sus-
tainability level.
EExactly in the context of the current rapidly changing
urban environment, the creation of innovative and imple-
mentable solutions in the development of climate-adaptive
façades is both a necessity and a mission.◀
In the foreseeable future, the design
of every building will be subjected
to preliminary evaluation of its
contribution and its place in the
context of different urban forms for
sustainability, thus developing a
framework for eco-cities of the future
– cities with green infrastructure, high
density, and mixed use of the land,
environmental and cultural diversity
and passive solar design.

1
Bi-fold doors
New addition to
the ETEM portfolio
Е39

55
The Е39 system is the newest solution in the ETEM Portfolio
designed to provide more freedom as regards the selection
of the type of opening. Е39 is a bi-fold door that not only
allows to differentiate and adapt the exterior of a house,
hotel, or restaurant, but also guarantees interior solutions
according to their needs and purpose.
Besides being distinctive with its elegant straight design and
providing the desired look to the premise, the ETEM’s system
also enables the realisation of many unconventional ideas in
design and architecture, which at the same time combine
the demanded unique vision and comfort.
The main advantage of the system is the freedom to open
a certain room to the maximum extent possible during the
warm days and, respectively, close it and protect it during the
winter season.
The Е39 aluminium system can partition or open a surface
area of up to 20 sq.m. using a maximum of 8 consecutively
opening partitions with a width of 1 metre, and a height up
to 2.8 metres. The heat insulation and the sound insulation
have been guaranteed due to the thickness of the glass
casing, which is 34 mm – dimensions allowing the use of
special glasses and panels. Because of the very high quality
of aluminium, the stainless steel and the EPDM seals, Е39 is
highly resistant to corrosion.
E39: New Addition to the ETEM Portfolio
Е39 allows the use of natural light,
provides sound insulation, adaptability,
it is energy efficient, and last but
not least, due to the high quality of
materials, it guarantees long-term and
fault-free operation.

1
The ЕТЕМ experts share that due
to its adaptability and reactivity to
outside influences, the Е39 Harmonica
has a very wide possible scope of
application. It is appropriate for
private houses, villas, hotels and all-
season swimming pools, as well as for
establishments, public event premises,
stores, galleries, etc.◀
Е39

1
ETEM
IN THE EU
PROJECT
InDeWaG
InDeWaG - Industrial Development of Water
Flow Glazing. The project has received funding
from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Re-
search & Innovation Programme under Grant
Agreement No. 680441.

59
ETEM is part of the 3.5-year research and innovation
InDeWaG project where universities, research institutes
and industrial partners from Germany, Spain and Bulgaria
join forces together to develop, on industrial scale, a new
façade system for near Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB).The
industrial development of an innovative façade technology,
Water Flow Glazing, is the main objective and the ambition
of ETEM Bulgaria together with B+G Consulting Germany,
HTCO GmbH Germany, Cerviglas S.L. Spain, Architectonika
Studio Ltd Bulgaria, GMAE Transforma SL SVC Spain,
Fraunhofer ISE Germany, CL SENES Bulgaria, Universidad
Politecnica de Madrid, Spain and The University of Bayreuth,
Germany. nZEB buildings will become a “must” in Europe
by the end of 2020. The unique approach of InDeWaG is
to enable maximum use of daylight by a transparent glass
façade and at the same time meet nZEB performance with
decreased production costs. The project is coordinated by
the University of Bayreuth, Germany.
Within the project ETEM has the ambitious task to design
and produce a new aluminium façade system.
The cost-reduction goal and nZEB performance will be
achieved with Fluid Flow Glazing façades (FFG) and Ra-
diant Interior Walls (RIW), while minimising the size of
heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and PV-in-
stallations. InDeWaG is following a dual strategy to bring
down the costs of ZEB: the project is focused on industrial
production of standardised building components, which
can be used for multiple types of ZEB in different climate
zones and on the development of a simulation tool for
precise early stage planning of buildings using these in-
novative glazing building envelope and interior elements.
These components will be tested on demonstrators, one in
Spain and one in Bulgaria.◀
More information can be found on the InDeWaG official
website: http://www.indewag.eu
Veneta Novakova, MEng.,
Director R&D Department, ETEM, vnovakova@etem.com
Ina Gencheva
Specialist European Projects, ETEM, igencheva@etem.com
Theprojectaimsattechnicalinnovation,
introducing a new building envelope
system which has at least 15% building
cost-reduction potential and could be
brought to industrial ripeness.
InDeWaG

1
MAGIC
OR GOOD
STONE
BALANCE
Michael Grab from Gravity Glue (http://gravityglue.com/) is
a real magician or just a master in the art of the stone
balance. He began balancing rocks in the summer of
2008 while exploring Boulder Greek in Boulder, CO, USA.
Michael shares that only simple curiosity has involved into
the creative passion and daily meditative practice, which
allows him to feel all surroundings in a very different way.
“I quickly noticed the unique effect that my creations had
on myself and others, often inspiring a sense of magic and
peace, often a sense that anything is possible. Further, I
wish to highlight the idea that we are the creators of our
own reality”, Michael said.
Michael reveals his secret weapon against gravity. He
explains that balance requires a minimum of three contact
points. Every rock is covered in a variety of tiny to large
indentations that can act as a natural tripod for the rock
to stand upright, or in most orientations you can think
of with other rocks. But through the physical element of
finding tripods, the most fundamental non-physical element
is likened to meditation. Achieving a challenging balance
requires contemplation of both mental and physical
elements in real time.

61
MICHAEL GRAB
FOR ETEM:
ETEM: Do the stones symbolise something
special for you?
M.G.: The stones are like teachers in a way. Zen masters.
Old and wise. Other than that they are simply chunks of
earth. I find it fascinating to ponder their lives over many
millions and even billions of years.
ETEM: How and when did your passion for
the art of stone balance appears? How long
did it take you to develop all these special
skills – patience, adaptation, slow breathing
and steady hands?
M.G.: My first stone balance experience happened in the
middle of a psychedelic state of mind. Quiet. Meditative.
Sitting in a creek on a summer day. The skills mentioned are
an ongoing learning process. Many of them began naturally
as a human being. Many of them developed more significantly
through my balance practice since the first time.
ETEM: Have you tried to overcome the gravity
with something else (from nature or not)?
M.G.: I began overcoming gravity since my first days of
walking I guess. We all have an innate dependence on
gravity. Walking upright. Running. Skateboarding. Riding
a bicycle. All these examples are ways I’m constantly
collaborating with/overcoming gravity.
ETEM: How long do your stone structures remain?
M.G. The lifespan of each structure ranges anywhere from
10 minutes to many days. The longest recorded lifespan for
a single creation was 3-4 months. Which was an arch. But for
a regular point balance, the longest I’ve seen was 3 weeks.◀
Magic or Good Stone Balance

1
ETEM
FOR THE
AUTOMOTIVE
INDUSTRY
ETEM is developing a more extensive range of
products for the automotive industry.

63
ETEM is not only a leader in the production of aluminium
profiles, but also an important supplier of aluminium
components of the automotive industry sector. Thanks to their
rich experience in the area of automotive sector, the company
is cooperating with one of the largest global concerns, starting
from the preliminary stage of the design to the supply of
completed and semi-completed products for the purposes of
car manufacturing. Engineering, extrusion, surface processing,
packaging and transportation are only some of the services
which ETEM is providing to their partners.
Considering the global trends, it is not strange that ETEM, as
a leader in the manufacturing of architectural systems, will be
developing in car manufacturing. On a global scale, architecture
and car manufacturing are two closely related sectors, and they
are influencing one another. Innovations in automotive design,
such as colour, purity of elements and resistance of materials,
are also reflecting on the trends in façade engineering. The
aerodynamic forms of motor cars inspire architects more and
more, and this is evident in the façades of many of the modern
buildings, both in and outside Bulgaria.
In 2005 and 2006, ETEM started working on projects with
extrusion of aluminium for AUDI A3 Sportsback, AUDI TT
and Cabrio. The company has never stopped developing
technologically and in 2011, in the factory of ETEM in
Bulgaria, it started manufacturing specialised solutions for the
ETEM: Architecture and Automotive
In 2004, ETEM started manufactur-
ing products for the automotive in-
dustry in Greece, and the first compo-
nents delivered were for BMW Series
1, BMW Series 3, and the Smart For-
Four model of Daimler.

1
automotive industry. From that moment in time, the company
has more than 7 current projects for AUDI MSS Lamborghini,
Jaguar-Land Rover, BMW Series 5 and 7, AUDI Q7, etc.
During the full manufacturing process, technologies specially
developed by the company will be used. During and after the
production, the separate components will be subjected to
thermal processing in order to achieve the required specific
properties of the products. A series of simulation methods will
be used in order to optimise the manufacturing process. And,
last but not least, a laboratory with high level of technology
equipment will be observing the quality of the products.
The company will deliver components for doors, chassis and
suspension parts, which require exquisite characteristics,
profiles for rails on the car roofs, decorative profiles with special
covers, and others.
During the production process, the company is relying
exclusively on the quality and precision. ETEM has implemented
certified and standardised procedures of the highest level, and
will comply with the strict regulations and requirements in the
automotiveindustry,incooperatingwithapprovedorganisations
and laboratories in Europe (Institute für Korrosionsshutz in
Dresden, NTUS –National Technical University in Athens, etc.)◀
Together with all this, ETEM is also cer-
tified for the manufacturing of alumini-
um profiles subjected to special “crash”
tests, and is currently a direct supplier of
international automotive giants, such as
BMW, Porsche , Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar,
Daimler, etc.

67
NOVEMBER
SOFIA
COMING SOON….
Stay updated: faÇadeconference.com

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