Deutschlandhaus, Hamburg

Facade consultancy can help bring design intent and technical constraints together early in an architectural competition. Depending on its role, Priedemann either supports the design team or advises the client side on clearly defined facade questions. Material and construction directions, technical requirements and possible cost implications can be considered. The role and assessment criteria should be agreed clearly at the outset.

Sound facade decisions start with a clear understanding of the project’s starting point.

• Priedemann organises the available project information, design intent, use, and facade-related technical and external requirements.
• Together with the project participants, objectives, priorities, constraints and unresolved questions are made visible.
• This creates a reliable basis for the next design steps and for decisions before the facade concept is developed in greater detail.
• Priedemann identifies and structures the project information, requirements, objectives and constraints relevant to facade planning.
• These may include design intent, use, technical and energy-related requirements, local conditions, and quality, cost and programme objectives.

Early facade design begins once the strategic objectives and principal requirements of a project are sufficiently understood for possible directions to be developed.

• Priedemann translates this basis into options for design, materials and construction, considered alongside technical requirements and project-specific constraints.
• The comparison makes differences and trade-offs visible, and a preferred direction is developed further.
• The purpose is not to complete the technical detailing, but to establish a traceable design basis for subsequent development.
• The criteria, sketches and documentation included depend on the project and agreed appointment.

Facade design for statutory approval develops an existing facade concept for the project’s approval and coordination context.

• Priedemann brings together available design information, technical requirements, materials, facade types and interfaces.
• Depending on the project, fire, safety, building-physics and acoustic requirements are also considered.
• The result is a clear facade basis for coordination with the relevant disciplines and for subsequent design.

Technical facade design develops an agreed facade solution into coordinated technical information for implementation.

• Details, components, connections and interfaces are brought together with requirements for construction, materials, building physics, acoustics, fire and safety.
• The required level of development depends on the project, procurement model and appointment.
• This creates a consistent basis for subsequent shop, production and installation planning.

Facade specifications and tender documentation translate developed facade design into clear technical requirements for tendering and bid comparison.

• Priedemann structures information on construction, materials, details, interfaces and quality criteria and brings the relevant design documents together.
• Depending on the project, this can include technical preliminaries, specifications, quantity information or trade boundaries.
• The scope and function of the documents depend on the procurement and responsibility model.

During technical tender evaluation, Priedemann compares submitted facade bids with the previously defined requirements and tender documents.

• The review can cover technical content, qualification evidence, bidder alternatives, proposed systems and identifiable deviations.
• Unresolved points are structured for tender interviews and the findings are documented clearly.
• Price-related or commercial assessment is included only where it is expressly part of the appointment.

After a facade manufacturer is appointed, Priedemann reviews its shop drawings, system planning and technical submittals against the agreed design basis.

• This includes comparison with project changes, assessment of structural assumptions and energy/acoustic performance values, and review of technical data sheets for materials and components.
• Priedemann comments on discrepancies and coordinates change management as the facade contact point for the planning team.

Priedemann supports the execution of facade mock-ups during the planning phase, ahead of the usual appointment of a facade manufacturer. For physical mock-ups, Priedemann helps prepare tests, takes part in testing and reviews test reports. For visual mock-ups, Priedemann supports comparison with design requirements. The aim is greater planning and execution confidence at an earlier project stage.

The supervision of assembly and installation is particularly important for us, to ensure the agreed quality. Our principle is that deviations from the agreed planning must be identified at an early stage, documented and the implementation corrected. This controlling refers both to production and manufacturing as well as to the assembly on the building site:

• Verification of compliance with the approved design, ensuring compliance with the agreed qualities, standards and test series
• Regular reporting on production progress; the reports contain recommendations for possible improvements as well as a list of unfulfilled services, performance arrears, defects identified

Facades need to remain cleanable, maintainable and repairable throughout their service life.

• That is why maintenance logistics and safe access belong in the design from the start.
• Priedemann considers not only cleaning and maintenance equipment, but also the facade design itself, moving or electrical components and the future replacement of glazing.
• This helps prepare operation and maintenance in a practical way over the life of the facade.
• Priedemann considers maintenance, cleaning and facade access during design.
• Moving and electrical components, glazing, cleaning methods, access routes, fall protection, walkways and building maintenance units are coordinated with use, safety and construction interfaces.
• Depending on the appointment, the work produces maintenance and cleaning concepts, access strategies and technical requirements for subsequent design.