| ARCHITECT | Diller Scofidio + Renfro |
| Facade/Daylighting Engineers | |
| INSTALLER | Action Impact |
| PHOTOGRAPHY | Drawings and images courtesy of DSR |
| LOCATION | Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. |
| PANELITE PRODUCT | B-TCCTS Bonded Series Core: Tubular Clear / Facing: Clear, Transparent one side, Satin one side |
“Panelite panels played a central role in the successful realization of our Cityscape project. The structural connection fin and pre-fab mitered corner details allowed us to create a seamless, lightweight skin for the installation. Once installed and backlit, the piece was free of distracting structural shadows and remained easy to disassemble and move.”
Charles Renfro, Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Challenge
- Execute DS+R’s seamless, ethereal, luminous aesthetic for the “floating”volume.
- Backlight the panels with a diffuse, even light quality and without structural shadows.
- Make the structural system and connection details as minimal as possible for visual elegance, ease of transport and efficient installation and de-installation.
Process
Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed a clever double-sided installation for media company twofour54: one side of the luminous volume lifts up from the ground to provide shade for a projection viewing booth, while the other side encloses a raised kiosk space that visitors can step into for additional information.Panelite worked closely throughout the design process with the team at Diller Scofidio + Renfro to develop a material solution that achieved their design intent, adapting our Bonded Series structural connection fin detail to the precise needs of the installation, conducting a full-scale mock-up review, and delivering the pre-fabricated system to the show site in Abu Dhabi, on time and on budget.
Panelite Solution
- Bonded Series B-TCCTS panels – satin facings on the back side – provide even, diffuse light transmission.
- Panels weigh only 1.25 lbs per square foot, facilitating transport and handling.
- Integral honeycomb makes the panels self-structural, allowing minimal structure in the overall design.
- Panelite’s installation details – a pre-fab mitered corner and a structural connection fin at the panel joints – simplify installation and create a seamless wall, free of structural shadows when backlit.
Sustainability = Resource-efficiency
Bonded Series panels consist of approximately 70-85% air by volume due to their honeycomb cores and contribute to LEED credits. Panelite’s self-structural honeycomb panel solution with integral connection details, compared to the same design executed with solid surface resin sheets and a supporting framework erected on site with steel framing:
- Requires 33% less translucent sheet material
- Saves 402 linear feet of aluminum structural metal
- Saves labor and energy in installation
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