H&M Palace Rehabilitation in Rome • Constagable Instagram

Una nueva arquitectura redefine el paisaje urbano del centro histórico de Roma. Una la "linterna" de acero y vidrio recorre las cuatro plantas del edificio Unione Militare, situado entre la Via del Corso y Via Tomacelli, que recientemente ha sido rehabilitado para albergar una mega tienda de moda.

La multinacional sueca de H&M, que abrió su tienda a finales del año pasado, adquirió a Benetton este antiguo palacio de más de 4.000 square meters for 180 million euros.The prestigious Italian architect Fuksas, author among many other works of the Twin Towers of Vienna, of the Rho de la Feria de Milan enclosure or recently of the new and spectacular Shenzhen International Airport in China, has made the rehabilitation of this old palace.

This contemporary interpretation of the Historic Center of Rome has resulted in a minor intervention outside the building whose original construction dates back to the end of the 19th century, focusing on the renewal of the interiors and the roof.The restoration of the outside has been limited to the recovery and revaluation of the original architectural elements of the building

Interiors have been designed as bright elements inspired by children's toys.They are sculptural objects with mostly fluid shapes made of fiberglass and that are characterized by a bright white color.Tables, desks, PUF, visualization racks for clothing and accessories that are gently adjusted in the exhibition areas.A staircase of glass and LED steps, with bright surfaces, connects and beautifies the spaces.

The great "flashlight" is the symbol of the project, the heart of the intervention.A triangular structure of steel and glass that crosses the entire building and contains vertical connections, service rooms and accessories, as well as part of the plants.The full -height vacuum created by the "flashlight" generates a vision along the structure of the different floors, which are interconnected by catwalks.

The part of the flashlight that works as a cover reaches a maximum height of 7.50 meters from the ground and hosts a restaurant space with 300 square meter panoramic views.From the city's panoramic viewpoints, the glass dome bathed by natural light acquires the appearance of an irregular mirror, while at night it is illuminated and acquires the shape of looks like a large lamp.

The Spanish company TVITEC participated as supplier of the glass of this structure.For this intervention, Isolar Glass, the largest association of independent insulating glass manufacturers in Europe, has recognized the work of the Spanish company TVITEC as one of the main transformers in the sector in the field of architectural projects of facades and commercial interiors.The association, which is based in Germany, awarded TVITEC its main prize for the most representative glazing of 2013 in the use of isolar products.

The award -winning work is registered within the emblematic constructions portfolio in which the Castilian and Leonese company intervenes on international scale.Not so much for the volume of glass in this case, but for its complexity for manufacturing.All the pieces used in the design, more than 1.500 and most triangular cut, are completely different sizes from each other.The structure has been mounted by the facadist Stahlbau Pichler.

Energy control glass used

TVITEC supplied for this intervention a total of 1.800 meters of both laminated and double glazing, manufactured in its factoring of the Bayo Industrial Polygon, in Cubillos del Sil (León).For the double glaz.Ht.8mm Duritec, with 20 mm chamber and lamistar 5+5.2 DURITEC.

The laminate used was a 6+6 extra -crash.2 DURITEC.The laminated glass is formed of two or more glass panels that are attached to each other by one or several layers of PVB sheets (butiral polyvinyl).The PVB offers good adhesion to the glass obtained by temperature and pressure and provides a high level of elongation before breakage.These characteristics give the glass some impact resistance properties, with the purpose of protection of people, in addition to improving the behavior of both acoustic insulation, and UV filtering.When the glass is subjected to a blow, it can break but the breakage is located exclusively at the point of impact, maintaining its transparency.The PVB sheet ensures that broken glass is kept together in a piece avoiding fragments or even penetration of objects that can produce risks of cut wounds to people.

The superneutral sunguard HS 51/28.Ht.8MM DURITEC HS 51/28 of Guardian, used for double glazing, from the point of view of its energy performance, is characterized by its exceptional selectivity and transparency combined with a 1.0 w/m2k.It is a glass of layers on extraclear ™ base that has a natural transmission and reflection of color, excellent selectivity: optimal solar factor and maximum transparency.That is, with a very high natural light transmission but with sun protection and thermal insulation.

Technical characteristics of layer 51/28 hs

Visible light.Solar energy.U value (in 673):

This thermal transfer coefficient represents the heat flow that crosses 1 m2 of glass for a temperature difference of 1ºC between the exterior and the interior of the same.This coefficient is minimized by reducing thermal transfers, using glass with low emissivity layers or replacing the gas inside the chamber with a gas with less thermal conductivity, such as argon.In this glass:

Solar energy:

Solar factor in 410 [28%].U value (in 673):

The solar factor of a glazing is equivalent to the percentage of energy that passes through the glazing with respect to the one that affects the same.It is the sum of direct solar transmission more absorbed by glass and irradiated inside.The lower the solar factor, the lower the solar contributions.

The most representative work award of the year was delivered during the Annual Convention of Isolar members, which this time was held in Austria.The general director of TVITEC, Javier Prado, was in charge of collecting the important distinction, together with the company's international commercial director, David López, who thanked the jury's assessment to Isolar executives.

Project photographs: © Orch Chemollo