Gulf Construction Online - Red-hot Reynaers wins Ferrari race

Cladding & Facades

The Ferrari World Abu Dhabi ... a prestigious project for Reynaers.

Red-hot Reynaers wins Ferrari race

Reynaers had to overcome many technical challenges while supplying its world-renowned facade systems to the world’s largest indoor theme Park – the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.

01 May 2010

THE Ferrari World Abu Dhabi at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi holds pride of place in Reynaers’ project portfolio, not only because of the prestige of the development but also because of the numerous technical challenges the aluminium systems provider has successfully tackled in ensuring an eye-catching installation.

The project, expected to be world’s largest indoor theme park when it opens later this year, features a stunning roof designed in the style of a classic double-curve body shell of a Ferrari GT car.
The theme park is being developed by Aldar Properties and ProFun Management Group and has been designed by Benoy Architects. The managing contractor on the development is Aldar-Besix while the façade designer and fabricator was JAP (Jungbluth Alu Partners).
Supporting the huge red metal roof is a space-frame under which is a funnel-shaped glazed roof feature. The entire façade is dressed in a glazed shield façade.

About 11,000 sq m of funnel facade went into the project.

Reynaers Middle East supplied 18,000 sq m of shield façade and about 11,000 sq m of funnel façade for the project, which is one of its biggest in the region. Additionally, a walkway was also part of its assignment. Reynaers’ CW86-based OS-design system (bespoke) was utilised for the shield façade while a new OS-design system was developed for the funnel façade.
“About 35 new dies have been cut, 12 new gaskets and eight to 10 new accessories have been produced specifically for this project,” says Ali Khalaf, managing director of Reynaers’ Middle East. “These were designed at our head office in Belgium and produced by us in the region. The project has involved some 500 tonnes of aluminium.”
“As the project was to be constructed on a fast-track basis, we cut the dies even before signing the deal in October 2008. Hence, by November we had the first profiles on site. Al Taiseer of Saudi Arabia produced the profiles. In fact, fabrication was started on site even before the tests were conducted – as the fabricator was confident of our engineering solution,” he adds.
Elaborating on the project, Khalaf says: “The main challenge in implementing the project, which required custom-made solutions, was the short time frame.

Reynaers supplied 18,000 sq m of shield facade.

“Due to its special shape, the funnel was installed on a 3D space-frame, so that the curtain-wall allows enough dilatation to accommodate movements. The general shape of the mullion was fixed (visual architectural aspect) but the final size was determined by the inertia calculations. Also given the predetermined shape, Reynaers needed to meet requirements such as movement, connections with transoms (which come with different angles), anchoring and, of course, AWW (air, wind and water) performance.”
The number of panels used to create the structure increases gradually towards the top of the structure, starting with 30 panels required to make a full circle at the bottom, to 60 at one-third the height, and 120 panels at two-thirds, he says. The elements were heavy and were required to be fixed firmly to the frames. Most of the panels are trapezoidal in shape.
The curtain-wall for the shield façade, which was fixed to the main outside steel structure, was a unitised system insulated with glazing beads. Soundproofing was applied between the floors. As with the funnel, the general shape of the mullion was fixed.
Reynaers air-freighted the mock-ups for AWW testing at its state-of-the-art testing facility in Belgium and tests for the installations were carried out according to the highest European standards.
“The test facility at our recently expanded headquarters in Belgium is one of the biggest of its kind for an aluminium systems manufacturer. It has three test chambers and can carry out six tests simultaneously. Curtain-wall mock-ups measuring 5 by 6 m can be tested within the facility,” he says.
The walkway for the complex – basically for cleaning and architectural purposes – is made of steel but has a large bullnose in aluminium that accepts light fixtures.
“The size of the front bullnose was so big that it had to be designed with several profiles fitting together – we produced this in three sections. Lights were also integrated in the front bullnose. The steel was connected to the inside steel structure,” Khalaf says.
Reynaers completed its last delivery on the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi project in June last year.
Another landmark project that Reynaers has clinched recently is the Qatar National Convention Centre. This is its fourth project with partners Besix and JAP, the others being a Bank in Libya, the Aspire Tower in Qatar and the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. The contract for the extension and link bridge to the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) involves supply of a system for the skylight and a suspended curtain-wall. The project involves supply of bespoke solutions.
Commenting on trends in the market, Khalaf says: “The market has swung round from wanting little or no aluminium showing on the facades to now wanting big exposed sections in curtain-walls. There is also a demand for horizontal aluminium design features on facades as also unitised systems with large panels.”
Its parent company in Belgium, meanwhile, continues to innovate and has recently produced a ‘breathing’ façade as a special solution for a project in Europe. Other innovations include the AS50-BR “breathing windows” with built-in Venetian blinds, which are targeted at the hospital sector.
Another new launch is the CF77, a state-of-the-art standalone folding door system, which replaces the current MP-system. Compatible with Reynaers’ existing CS product range, it meets stringent market requirements.
The company is now focusing on launching the new CS77 smoke doors by the third-quarter of this year.