Assignment: Research & Design project for the refurbishment of the facade of the Rijkswaterstaat Westraven building in Utrecht. In the development the facade, construction and climate system should be integrated. Solution: By replacing the excisting façade with an aluminium-glass façade and introducing a second façade of louvres, all requirements can be met in an integrated intelligent façade design. The louvre façade is used for sun protection, noise protection, bringing more light in the back of the offices, pre-heating air, producing energy (with PV cells), allowing sight and preventing glare. This project was designed as educational project within the Architecture, Urbanism & Building Sciences master program (1st semester) at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).

1. Refurbishment of the façade Rijkswaterstaat Westraven Utrecht
Refurbishment task:
Investigate the chances and possibilities
of the application of the façade material
and construction method on the given
building envelope. This assignment is a
combination of research (analysis) and
(re)design of an existing building façade.
This façade design stands not for itself and
should be considered in combination
with a designed main construction and a
climate installation.
The to be redesigned building: The build-
ing is owned by the ‘Rijksgebouwen
dienst’ (RGD); the Dutch government. The
RGD leases the building to different users.
This constellation leads to the fact, that
the owner is mainly concerned with keep-
ing the building flexible and adjustable to
the demands of the user.
<< Case study building in its context
Jasper Moelker | 1178466 | TU Delft | Faculty of Architecture | MSc-1 | Technical Studies | Refurbishment of the façade | October 2006

2. Refurbishment of the façade Rijkswaterstaat Westraven Utrecht
Requirements Situation Rijkswaterstaat Westraven Utrecht (1:2000)
Heal sick building syndrome Good insulation
The syndrome is mainly caused by will reduce the energy cost and
indoor air pollution, abscence of sun- losses. Next to insulation material
light and poor ventilation. the louvre façade acts as a second
skin.
Installations - Individual Removing asbestos parts
The installations (sun protection/ Part of the excisting façade (the
tubing etc.) will be integretad. The balustrade) contains asbestos and
climate will individually adjustable. will therefore be removed.
Reduce noise pollution Reduce air pollution
A12
The A12 highway is on the north The A12 highway produces air
side of the building. Therefore this pollution. By using air filters in the
side will be a closed glass façade. air intake system this is reduced.
Openable windows Flexible use
On the higher floors manually The building needs to be adjust-
openable windows is a must to able to the demands of the user.
heal the sick building syndrome. Therefore the sizing of the façade
will correspond with the construction.
Concept - Louvres
By replacing the excisting façade with an aluminium-glass façade and introducing a second
façade of louvres, all requirements can be met in an integrated intelligent façade design. The
louvre façade is used for sun protection, noise protection, bringing more light in the back of the
offices, pre-heating air, producing energy (with PV cells), allowing sight and preventing glare.
Louvres - Reflective hydrides
Transparent Reflective
In the normal situation reflective When electricity is guided through
hydride glass is transparant and the ions in the glass the outside will
allows light and sight to penetrate reflect light but sight can still pene- Floorplan - Upper levels (1:200)
from both directions. trate from the inside.
Shaft with
Louvre façade PV cells
PV cells
Electricity
The louvres with
PV cells rotate
with the sun and
produce electric-
ity for the build-
ing.
Glass façade
Heat air (closed)
Air cools the PV
cells. Heated air is
used for the
offices and for the
chimney effect to
suck air out of the
offices.
Electrical installations
Sensor - actor system manual
In the louvre system sensors are override
integrated so the climate can be
regulated centrally. The system
has a manual override so people
can adjust climate to their own
wishes.
Building - 3D impression
Wiring
The wiring of the louvres etc. is
placed in the air intake boxes, the
suspended floor and roof. On the
air intake boxes are all the sockets
and switches needed by the user.
Louvres system
Summer day Night
Active façade
The louvre façade is
divided in three sec-
tions. The sections
react to the outside in
different ways.
- They rotate with the
sun.
- The 2 upper sections
become reflective
when they need to
bring in light further
Cloudy day or keep it outside. Sun near horizon
- The lower section
has PV cells on it and
follows the sun. When
te sun is standing low,
the façade shuts and
acts as a second
façade pre-heating air
for the offices.
- During the night the
façade closes to keep
the warmth inside.
Air system
Breathing façade
Air is guided between de louvres
and the glass façade (and is
heated when the façade is
closed). Then it is guided inside
through the noise reduction box
where the air is also filtered and
brought to the right temperature.
The air get sucked out through a
box on the ceiling and goes to
the vertical air shafts where the
sucktion is created by an air
stream which is created by the
rising temperature of the shaft.
Jasper Moelker | 1178466 | TU Delft | Faculty of Architecture | MSc-1 | Technical Studies | Refurbishment of the façade | October 2006

3. Refurbishment of the façade Rijkswaterstaat Westraven Utrecht
Fragment of the façade: elevation; long-section; cross-section (1:20)
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5
1 6
7
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10
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12
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16 15
4 Legend:
1. Louvres - PV cells
2. Louvres - Hydrid reflictive glass
3. Louvres - Hydrid reflictive glass
4. Vertical ventilation shaft - PV cells
5. Suspended floor
6. Concrete floor and beam (construction)
7. Suspended ceiling
10 11 8. Cable gutter
9. Air (out) shaft
10. Vertical aluminium window frame, rubber strips,
15 clickable cornice
11. Horizontal aluminium window frame, rubber
strips, clickable cornice
12. Noise reduction box, with louvre, heating and
cooling by tubing, electral and network sockets
13. Angular profile for montage of vertical window
frame and louvre frame
14. Insulation
15. IPE-column with fire protection cover
16. Maintainance rail (for automated cleaning)
Impression façade materials: glass, aluminium, PV cells Schematic assembly of the façade
Detail of the façade - floor: (1:5)
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10
11 5
8
13 6
14
9
7
Jasper Moelker | 1178466 | TU Delft | Faculty of Architecture | MSc-1 | Technical Studies | Refurbishment of the façade | October 2006