Emporia

The impressive architecture solved with 3D structure and glass free form is the new landmark building in the next future of the city. The whole shopping complex integrates into the fabric of the city.

The project houses offices, housing, and retail while the retail is organized around a three-story; the shops are grouped together around boldly colored atriums. A ramp leads into a rainbow-colored parking garage.

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Emporia is first and foremost an urban planning project in which offices, housing, and retail come together in a mixed-use development along Boulevarden and Stationsgatan in Hyllie, on the south side of Malmö. The main idea of our winning competition entry was to hide inward-looking retail behind a wreath of residential and commercial buildings. The whole shopping complex would thereby eventually become integrated into the fabric of the city.

It is a huge development, of which only the corner building with the Amber Entrance has yet been completed. This entrance will be the only part of the Emporia shopping center that remains visible when the development is completely built out. The idea of lining the streets with mixed-use buildings demanded a strong form that could attract visitors from Station Square to come in and shop. A sequence of vaults from a previous competition proposal, along with a memory from the Pantheon, reemerged in a bronze-ochre tone. Double-bent glass encloses the diagonal slit that cuts through the building. Here the weather of the Öresund Strait, its fast-moving clouds chasing glimpses of sun, becomes present and tangible.

The diagonal entrance from Hyllie Station Square leads deep into the block. Inside, retail is organized around a three-story figure eight. Shops are grouped together around boldly colored atriums, each with a different theme. On the north side of the complex, a ramp leads into a rainbow-colored parking garage (for 2500 cars) with direct access to the figure eight. To the east is a surface parking lot (for 500) right outside the supermarket.

The rooftop park is designed as a bit of cultivated nature. Its vegetation (sedum, prairie grass, and trees) and its sun-facing, wind-sheltered patios are accessible from both inside and outside the building. The hills that provide protection from the wind are actually hiding mechanical rooms. In the future the roof will be developed with outdoor dining and a spa facility—like amusement parks, shopping centers need to offer new attractions at regular intervals.

Emporia can expand upward and to the west, but not in any of the other directions. The freestanding residential buildings facing Boulevarden have yet to be built, as do those that will stand atop the podium along Stationsgatan on the south side.

Emporia’s interior challenges established shopping center conventions. Its bold colors and bent sightlines break with the norm, as do the project’s size and ambition—which have made it possible to do custom designs for everything from ceilings, floors, and storefronts to signage, ropes of hanging plants, furniture, and cast glass door handles.

Our motto has been “no intermediate scale”—because that is the realm of the products on display. Large-scale patterns and intricate details characterize the interior. The terrazzo floor is typical of this approach, with its oversized triangular joint pattern, its gradual shift from white to graphite in seven steps, and its flashing inclusions of colored mirror glass. The design has been wrought with extraordinary attention to detail, down to the leather-wrapped handrails and the color of the stitching on the built-in seating.

Emporia also includes a quantity of art seldom seen in a commercial environment. A lighting installation (ninety-nine bollards) by Petteri Nisunen and Tommi Grönlund lifts the Amber Entrance, bronze sculptures by Joep van Lieshout and a glass art piece (4 x 81 m) by Silja Rantanen adorn the Sea Entrance, and a line painting on film at an extremely outsized format (20 x 114 m) by Per Mårtensson clads the façade of the parking garage. On the interior is a series of photos by Signe Maria Andersen.

Green Fortune has cooperated with Wingårdh in providing solutions for PLANTWIRE-The urban hanging garden, PLANTWALL- A vertical garden on autopilot and the plant tree- greenery for the food court

they have also produced the light solution for the entire green installations.

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Starting back in 2007, Green Fortune has cooperated with Wingårdh regarding Emporia. Wingårdhs ideas for the space matched well with Green Fortunes product ideas for free hanging Plantwires which could be combined with the existing Plantwall product. At this time, no installation like Plantwire was made anywhere and Emporia became the first realized project. Key factors for making a first installation of a brand new product is a daring customer and an open and trustful cooperation with the architects. Both those factors have been in place here. Wingårdh was also our partner when we made our first Plantwall back in 2006.

The project consists of one two-sided Plantwall on the elevator and seven Plantwires, all 16 meters high. Four of the Plantwires were fitted inside the stair and three outside the stair. The idea has been to create a strong impression with plants, without occupying any floor space. The plant installations and the stairs are also supposed to attract visitors to leave the entrance floor.

During the process, necessary conditions to establish greenery in the square have been designed. Here we include solutions for suspension of Plantwires, the light solution and how to incorporate the watering solution and its tubes in a discrete way.

In 2011 a prototype was made and tested for several months. This prototype was half of the 16 meters that the real installation later would be. During this time, we could evaluate for example light conditions similar to the ones we could expect in Emporia and how well the plants adopted to them, the watering solution and of course also the plant selection and the visual impression of the product.

During a late phase of the project, an idea occurred to add some greenery for the food court as well. After some sketching, it became the ‘plant tree’.

The installation process took place during 2012. During this time, minor details were designed, all components produced and the plant selection was made. The planting pattern relates to shapes that also occur in for example floors and ceilings. Besides the Plantwall, the seven Plantwires and the plant tree, Green Fortune also produced the light solution for the entire green installations. We are very happy with the final result. Both the fact that the original ideas could be realized, but also that the installations are looking good over time.

PLANTWIRE The urban hanging garden. Plantwire is inspired by hanging plant structures in the rainforest. It offers a possibility to add greenery where it was not possible before. Free hanging greenery hanging through several floor levels is now possible. Plantwire is especially suitable for big volume spaces like atriums, indoor squares or big office entrances. Here, walls are not necessarily available for Plantwalls, or floor space for traditional indoor plantations. Vertical Plantwires adds lots of green without losing the transparency of the open space. It is also favorably to use Plantwires in combination with Plantwall. Both products use the vertical dimension and do not use expensive floor space. Emporia, which opened in October 2012, was the first completed Plantwire project.

Emporia, which opened in October 2012, was the first completed Plantwire project.

PLANTWALL A vertical garden on autopilot. Plantwall from Green Fortune is a modern way of integrating greenery in public spaces. This vertical application of greenery provides a powerful impact in any space. Green Fortunes idea is to virtually bring a piece of nature indoors. It is almost like being outside inside. Each Plantwall is custom built both in size and shape. Depending on the size of the wall and the impact one wants to create, the choice of plants can be adjusted. It is possible to create anything from a monochrome look to a more exotic impression. Plantwall makes it possible to have lots of greenery without losing floor space. Besides the impression of beauty, plants also provide oxygen, humidity to improve the air quality as well as air cleaning properties. Since our first Plantwall was realized in February of 2006, Green Fortune has completed over 250 projects in 16 countries.

The façade target was to engineer and make compatible a free 3D shape façade with a back suspended steel structure and a laminated curved colored glass. As a consequence of the variation of curves and dimensions, a bespoke structure and glass panels all unequal were required.

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The new iconic building in Malmo, was inaugurated 24 October 2012. Its impressive Architecture solved with 3D structure and glass free form at their main entrances is the new landmark building in the next future of Malmo. The façade target was to engineer and make compatible a free 3D shape façade with a back suspended steel structure and a laminated curved colored glass. As a consequence of the variation of curves and dimensions, a bespoke structure and glass panels are needed and where no single piece is equal to each other.

When we start our collaboration when the Owner representative and Project Manager Advansia, Mr Ingvar Nohlin, challenged Folcra to make reality the dream of the Architect and Owner. At that time most of the involved staff in the project did not believe any Company was capable to achieve such an iconic and fancy façade. But he personally knew very well Folcra due to the previous experience in the Turning Torso Folcra realization, the other icon of Malmo. We accept the challenge and start working together with the Architect, first modelling the 3D geometry to make it buildable and after designing the most convenient systems and materials. The second step was to make a Mock up of a portion of the façade 1:1 scale, to confirm the feasibility of the proposed project and take final decisions of finishes and colors. Once everything was decided Folcra start with the back engineering office for the design and calculation of every single piece and finally we started with the production and installation on site. The whole process took around two years and a half.

The green space is the work of Landskapsgruppen who used fillers to create rolling hills and these hills are covered with vegetation. The rooftop park provides a welcome contrast to the busy retail environment inside and makes it possible for the visitors to add a walk among rolling hills and flowering plants, to relax on one of the green lawns or enjoy the sea view

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High above the commercial space of Emporia is a large, open, public green room. The rooftop park provides a welcome contrast to the busy retail environment inside and makes it possible for Emporia visitors to add a walk among rolling hills and flowering plants, to relax for a while on one of the green lawns or just enjoy the view of the sea.

This green space is the work of Landskapsgruppen, who did the design and detail plan. The starting point was the large air conditioning units that are located all over the roof. To minimize their harsh presence, Landskapsgruppen used fillers to create rolling hills that hide almost all the hard edges of the units’ walls and roofs. The hills are covered with vegetation that is primarily made up of Sedum plants. Sedum is able to thrive despite the challenging environment.

Sloping surfaces extend from the air conditioning units and continue their form when reaching the horizontal surfaces via slits that are filled with grasses, flowering perennials and concrete pavers. The pointy shapes dominate the roof top park and are supported by the pattern created by the different colors of the concrete pavers.

The roof top landscape is grand but relatively barren. To counteract that barren impression and to create a more human and welcoming environment, surfaces with decorative grasses and flowering perennials are scattered among the hills. These surfaces provide a dramatic contrast during the year, especially during the main flowering season of spring and summer. Equally important to the experience are the grassy areas which visitors are invited to use.

Landskapsgruppens goal was to minimize plants in containers and behind walls, but instead, as in any park, have plants that blend into the landscape which, for the roof top park, include both horizontal and sloping surfaces. The same concept applies to the grassy areas that seamlessly blend with the concrete pavers. This concept provides a cohesive and impressive green experience for the visitor.

Early in the project, the idea of a lookout tower for the most remote hill emerged. The idea became a reality and the tower is now a favorite destination for the many visitors to the roof top park. You can reach the park via two entrances from the retail space below as well as via a large staircase directly from Stationsgatan.

Emporia Rooftop Park won Scandinavian Green Roof Award 2013.

CRICURSA, Barcelona-based international curved glass specialists produced 804 bespoken freeform glass panels for the building. 473 of them had a yellowish butyl interlayer and the rest, 331 panels, were laminated using a bluish one. To curve all the glass panels, Cricursa manufactured close to 600 different moulds.

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CRICURSA, Barcelona-based international curved glass specialists with long glass bending tradition that goes back to the foundation of he company in 1928, produced 804 bespoken freeform glass panels for Emporia. 473 of them had a yellowish butyl interlayer and the rest, 331 panels, were laminated using a bluish one. To curve all the glass panels, Cricursa manufactured close to 600 different moulds.

The procedure to manufacture these freeform panels starts laying a flat glass lite on steel mould, this one with the precise geometry designed by the architect. The oven is slowly heat up to around 540°C whereby the glass softens and slumps down by its own weight, by gravity. One of the key points to achieve an excellent final product (meaning good reflexion and refraction but, most importantly, a strong molecular structure meaning no residual stresses throughout the panel) is the cooling process known as “annealing”. The whole bending process can easily take 5 hours but it also depends on the complexity is each panel's geometry and the thickness chosen. Afterwards, once the glass gets down to room temperature, a plastic film known as PVB (polyvinyl butyral) is placed in between the two glass lites to bond or laminate them together to confer the glass with its safety characteristics. In this case, the PVB used is coloured for the resulting laminated glass product to have the right amber or ocean blue shade chosen by the designer.

When we think of curved architectural glass, there are five main types we should take into account: 1) Curved annealed glass 2) Curved toughened glass 3) Cold bending 4) Warm bending 5) Curved chemically toughened glass

The first was the one Cricursa recommended for the Emporia façade as it met all the project requirements in terms of geometry, strength, dimensions required, optical quality and cost. This process allows Cricursa to deliver any 3D shapes the architect designs.

The second one, curved toughened (also known as curved tempered), is only available for cylindrical geometries, hence single radius, consequently not an option in a freemform geometry as in the case of Emporia.

The one known as “cold bending” (flat tempered glass is forced at the site to a certain deflection/shape) would have been an interesting alternate but just for some of the shallow panels, with very large radius, so it was quickly discarded. It is true it would have brought the benefit of the toughening but the thermal stress analysis showed us we were already on the safe side with annealed glass.

"Warm bending" would be a similar concept to the "cold bending" but in this case flat toughened glass is forced to a certain shape at the factory, into the autoclave. After the lamination process, where we have to use very strong and still structural interlayers like DuPont™ SentryGlas®, the glass may spring-back a little bit but it still keeps the bending.

Finally, we also would have had the option of the chemical toughening, always kept in mind when a unique solution is required in challenging applications like this, overall when high strength is a must. The two main drawbacks of the process are, on the one hand, the extremely high cost and, on the second hand, the small dimensions available with current equipment (around 2.000x3.000mm).

The lamination of the curved glass is always done with vacuum bags to achieve the maximum quality of lamination. In this case, using coloured PVB interlayers from Saflex® (Vanceva® Color) to get precise colour and light transmittance the architect asked for. The usage of tinted polyvinyl butyral helped in giving the façade a solar protection with a g-value of around 0.53 for the blue glass and 0.58 for the amber glass.

The project has been a real challenge due to the size of some of the panels (2.712 x 3.384 and 2.879 x 1.945 and 1.018 x 5.640mm the largest ones) but also due to the perfection and tight tolerances required, fact that Cricursa solved with 3D scanning of each of the bending moulds and, afterwards, scanning also a large percentage of the finished curved panels with the aim to guarantee each one was within specs.

Geberit provided products that helped to meet the high standard for the BREEAM certification; Bicycle parking, lights, Geberit Mepla piping system, cisterns with a flush of 3–6 etc.

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“Emporia” is one of the largest shopping malls in Europe. However, the impressive shopping center not only sets itself apart thanks to its striking architecture – it also fulfills all aspects of a sustainable green building. For this it has received the BREEAM certification.

Geberit provided products that helped to meet the high standard for the BREEAM certification. We’ve talked to the architects Gert Wingårdh and Joakim Lyth on the architectural concept and the importance of Geberit products for the BREEAM certification.

Q: With its unique architecture, “Emporia” clearly sets itself apart from normal shopping malls. What was your inspiration when creating this unusual design? Our inspiration for the architecture of “Emporia” was the sky. We played with light and space and used glass to open up and bring the sky into the building. Natural materials such as fabric and leather give the visitor a sense of belonging to nature. Our goal was to create a place where everybody would feel at home and yet still find surprises around every corner.

Q: “Emporia” has received BREEAM certification. What measures were implemented in order to meet the required standards? BREEAM certification entails fulfillment of a variety of targets. Everything from bicycle parking to lights has an influence on the final result. The technical installations plays an important part and it was essential for us to create a building that does not waste energy. Each product must have a purpose and function and thereby contribute to the sustainability of the architecture.

Q: What contribution did Geberit make to the construction of the “Emporia” shopping mall? Were there any particular technical challenges that were solved using Geberit products? It was important in the “Emporia” project that the materials used were light and easy to work with in order to avoid any unnecessary burden for the installers. We therefore chose to use Geberit Mepla piping system rather than traditional piping which entails the welding and lifting of heavy pipes. Mepla piping system not only made it easier but also a lot faster to install the piping.

Q: To what extent did Geberit products make a significant contribution towards achieving BREEAM certification? In order to receive BREEAM certification, all materials had to be assessed and approved. Geberit products made it easy to achieve this approval. In particular, cisterns with a flush of 3–6 liters are required in order to achieve BREEAM certification, and with Geberit cisterns this was possible.

The Products

Geberit Mepla More flexibility, longer duration and very light

The Geberit Mepla multilayer pipe system combines the advantages of synthetic and metallic materials. This enables fast work progress on the building site in compliance with applicable standards and regulations. Mepla can be used flexibly and quickly and is permanently leakproof.

Geberit Mepla is corrosion-resistant and light, but more inherently stable and durable than plastic pipes. The system has been tested to EN ISO 21003 and therefore complies with all common standards. It is suitable for use with all drinking water qualities without requiring a previous drinking water analysis and can be used for drinking water and heating installations.

Economically superior

Flexible pipes and fast, reliable connection technology make Geberit Mepla economically attractive. In comparison with other installation techniques it can achieve cost savings of up to 20 percent, as less pipe material and work as well as fewer fittings are necessary. Geberit MeplaTherm supplements the product range with pipes and fittings for heating installations. Pressfittings made of PVDF, brass and gunmetal are available.

Watch how Geberit Mepla piping system is working: http://youtu.be/xd8fwdRKkx4

Geberit Actuator Plate Sigma10

A single, round flush button for more sustainability

Manual or touchless operation or dual flush, mains or battery operation – there are almost no limits to the possibilities with Geberit Sigma10 flush plates. The button size increased and makes the new Geberit Sigma10 more elegant and modern looking. All Geberit Sigma10 touchless flush plates are equipped with water-saving dual-flush technique. Depending on the customer's wishes, the electronics in these flush plates can be powered by a mains connection or by two 1.5 V batteries.

Geberit Sigma80 For those who want the best in design, hygiene and convenience

Geberit's Sigma80 actuator plate is a true gem. It is simply beautiful and beautifully simple: a shiny black or metal-coated glass plate – nothing more – that appears to float in front of the wall and creates a magical feeling of depth. Passing a hand across the elegant, colored light fields is all that is needed to actuate flushing. Since the slightest fingerprint would interfere with the plate's interplay of light and reflections, the Sigma80 features touchless operation.

The Geberit Sigma80 is designed for operating a dual flush system. Instead of pressing different sized push-buttons, the user holds a hand in front of either the larger or smaller light field to actuate the flush. The integrated servo technology releases the appropriate flush volume according to which field is activated. The actuator plate lights up to signal that the flush has been activated.

The Sigma80 can be customised to trigger the flush automatically each time the toilet is used. Switching the plate to cleaning mode allows it to be cleaned without triggering an unintentional flush. This mode temporarily disables all functions. End users can set and modify the various functions conveniently with just a few hand motions. They can also specify features such as whether the two LED light fields should be lit up continuously or only when the plate's sensor technology detects that the WC is in use.

Functionality Film: http://youtu.be/HrQkpchuxSM