The potentials of our concrete

Concept Visualization of the coming expansion of Hi-Con’s main office in Hjallerup (DK) – Model and concept by Frier Architecture.

 

Last week I reported on the difficulties in casting very complex shapes for the Experiment R project.

But advanced design and production concepts are not limited to experimental sculptures – at Hi-Con we are quite capable of challenging ourselves!

Hi-Con is growing, and consequently need more office space – and what is more natural than creating the space using large office modules of CRC i2® elements floating in mid-air!

 

Originally the concept was conceived by Group Business Development Manager Hans Bruun Nissen:

Right from the start the general situation plan was conceived with a reference to an airport expansion plan. This was a way of incorporating the future needs for space and scalability by adding “fingers” to the existing main building plan. Because of the airport reference, this first expansion is also known as the “Finger A”. In the future we hope that we can also present Finger B, C & D… in new and challenging structures.
The tree structure of Finger A also has a reference to the Hi-Con growth strategy – where new business models are successively added to the Hi-Con Group as new apples growing on an apple tree – the Hi-Con Family Tree.”

 

To get the most out of the design, Frier Architecture, a small Aarhus based architectural firm was asked to elaborate on the concept, especially to create a connection and coherence to Hi-Cons brand values, the existing office building, and highlighting the aesthetic potential of the lightweight CRC i2® structures.

The concept conceived was a growing branching structure, using the shape and pattern of angled columns transforming into reliefs at the facades to create a lightness to the box structure in both interior and exterior.

 

Concept section view (top) showing the columns branching through the interior, and exterior in dark grey CRC i2® (bottom) of the office expansion. Illustrations by Frier Architecture A/S.

Since the concept sketches were finalised the design team at Hi-Con has spent hundreds of hours detailing the elements to make a structure that is as close to the concept as possible, while respecting the limitations of the original office building that it will be attached to – this did lead to several necessary adjustments along the way, particularly to the column configuration.

The final model of the building is shown below.

 

3D model view of the final building and its placement relative to the existing building.

 

Casting of the elements is well underway, and erection has already started with the columns in place – the image below is from the erection process of the complex column system:

With the columns in place, installation of the main elements will start up soon. An animation of the installation sequence can be seen in the link below:

 

Hi-Con expansion – installation sequence

 

The three main modules of the expansion are in fact designed to be erected as complete modules, but since the elements are produced right next to the building site, the pre-assembly into modules will be omitted.

I will be back with more updates during the erection and assembly as the project is completed.

 

Tommy Bæk Hansen
Group Product Development Manager
tbh@hi-con.dk

Read about Tommy’s 20 years of experience with UHPC right here