ZINKPOWER Calbe office building

An idea born out of necessity still continues to be totally cutting-edge even after many years. Portacabin offices form a functional base for the administration department at the ZINKPOWER site in Calbe. They were positioned 6 metres from the southern external wall of the 350-metre long production building, with the visual connection between the two parts of the building created by the design of the façade.

Large hot-dip galvanized sheet steel panels, which run like a ribbon across the east-to-west façade and the roof of the intermediate space, allow the individual elements to blend together to form a cube. The intermediate space is glazed at both ends, providing views into the depth of the space and serving as a transition between old and new, between hot-dip galvanizing and administration. The concept of the hot-dip galvanized façade was also continued on the inside. Metal grilles clad the external walls of the container, creating a single unit inwards.

Eight years after its construction, the polished silver surface of the sheet steel panels has long since altered, now covered by a patina, which protects the steel underneath from corrosion. The hot-dip galvanizing of the façade at ZINKPOWER Calbe provides the best advertisement for its own services. Current measurements of the layer thickness confirm erosion of less than 1 µm over the entire period and, accordingly, the façade will reliably be protected maintenance-free against corrosion for the next 100 years.