Germany’s Double-Skinned ARCA-Regler Facility is Powered by Geothermal Energy

When valve manufacturers <a href="http://www.arca.de/" target="_blank">ARCA-Regler</a> purchased a plot of land in a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/grupo-sp-brings-serene-living-to-overcrowded-sao-paolo/" target="_blank">residential</a> neighborhood in Germany, they set about planning an office and production facility that wouldn’t intrude on the local architecture. Designed by <a href="http://ajf.de" target="_blank">Anin Jeromin Fitilidis and Partners</a>, the mixed-use facility is segmented into two parts that curve inoffensively out of the landscape. The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/dazzling-double-skinned-wexford-council-headquarters-modernize-irelands-civic-buildings/" target="_blank">double-skinned</a> façade provides a comfortable and energy-efficient working environment.

Located along a disused <a href="http://inhabitat.com/highly-anticipated-jerusalem-light-railway-takes-its-first-passengers-for-a-ride/" target="_blank">railway</a>, the glimmering aerodynamic building reflects ARCA’s high tech design identity while furthering its environmental interests. The front portion of the building has walls of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/fantastical-new-salvador-dali-museum-in-florida-is-also-hurricaine-resistant/" target="_blank">floor-to-ceiling glass</a> which flood the offices housed in the interior with natural light from all sides.

The curvaceous metal skin which wraps around the glass is perforated on the sides to filter the sunlight. The exterior layer of the skin is printed with a pattern designed to mitigate the building's solar exposure. 55% of the surface is printed, which gives the skin an air of transparency while protecting the interior from solar gain.

The skin also extends beyond the interior box of glass, providing shelter from rain and wind for employees to take a break year round. The solid, metallic section of the complex mimics the curvature of the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/slides-perforated-skin-slides-in-and-out-to-control-solar-gain/" target="_blank">double skinned</a> office, and it houses ARCA’s production facility.

Both sections of the facility are powered with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/wind-turbines-might-not-stand-up-to-hurricane-irene/" target="_blank">renewable energy</a>.

The building is climate controlled using a field of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/transforming-truro-vacation-home-reaches-near-zero-energy-on-cape-cod/" target="_blank">geothermic</a> probes, which reduce the need for heating and cooling.

Anin Jeromin Fitilidis and Partners' resulting facility is an environmentally conscious and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/incredible-glass-office-gives-employees-a-bugs-eye-view-of-the-forest-floor/" target="_blank">modern looking headquarters</a> that keeps the residential area from looking too industrial.