"paints and primers"

With a glass façade symbolising the transparency of justice and a glossy metal exoskeleton, the new Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats (House of the Paris Bar Association) is a stunning addition to the French capital’s new Batignolles judicial city. For the building owner, safety is a top priority. Therefore, the exoskeleton needed a proven passive fire protection coating that would enable the steel to maintain its load-bearing capacity for up to 60 minutes during a fire, giving those inside valuable extra time to evacuate.The challenge Specialist paint application and surface treatment company ROTH & Cie was contracted to apply the passive fire protection coating system. ROTH & Cie has worked with Hempel for many years and was keen to work with us on this project. However, due to the project schedule, the tubular exoskeleton framework was delivered to the construction site with a competitor’s epoxy primer already applied. ROTH & Cie therefore wanted a Hempel passive fire protection system that would work with the existing primer. Also, as building aesthetics are important in the overall design, the exoskeleton needed a high-quality matt satin finish. The solution Our solution was to specify a system of Hempafire Pro 315 and Hempathane 55750. A single component intumescent coating, Hempafire Pro 315 complies with the EN 13501-2 standard for the fire classification of construction products. It is optimised to provide 60 minutes of passive fire protection, as well as partial protection up to 90 minutes. In addition, thanks to its exceptionally low loadings, Hempafire Pro 315 requires significantly lower dry film thicknesses than competitor products. As a result, ROTH & Cie could apply the coating in a thinner coat, significantly reducing paint consumption, application time and project costs. The full system was completed with Hempathane 55750, a polyurethane topcoat with quick crosslinking properties that provides the matt satin appearance required by the specifications. Our dedicated passive fire protection R&D Centre in Barcelona, Spain verified that Hempafire Pro 315 could be applied on top of the existing primer. The entire system was spray applied using an electric airless pump, which is ideal for construction sites as it does not require an air compressor. The project is just another in a long line of successful collaborations with ROTH & Cie, which also include previous passive fire protection coating projects, most notably La Halle Secrétan covered market and La Samaritaine department store, both in Paris.At a glance Project Name: Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats (House of the Paris Bar Association) Customer: ROTH & Cie System: Hempafire Pro 315 + Hempathane 55750 Volume: 4,080 litres

Haymes paint supplied paints for the new entrance and feature wall at Mr Panda Bubble Tea House in Cranbourne, Melbourne.

A bold and significant new development has emerged in St Kilda as a ‘liveable Lego tower’, rising in tiered rainbow cubes that appear to balance like building blocks. Aptly named The Icon, the distinctive new building is wrapped in expanded aluminium mesh that changes colour as sunlight moves.The inspiration of artist Matthew Johnson, who worked with Jackson Clements Burrows Architects to conceptualise the distinctive complex, was achieved with Interpon Powder Coating on board as a collaborative partner.“My vision for the project was for people look up and see something interesting, to see something that is in a sense iconographic – as a marker or reference point,” explains Matthew.Interpon were involved with the project “right from the start”, explains Gareth Connell, Regional Specification, Interpon. Their association began after they were introduced to Pace Developments to discuss colour and product selection for the external façade.“We work closely with Interpon, and Pace asked us to quote with the product already powder coated,” says Ian Dunstan, southern regional sales manager at Locker Group, who manufacture perforated and expanded metal. Interpon were able to step in and develop the colour range separately, to meet the design brief and provide an ultra-durable coating system that meet the expectations of all parties.“The team at Interpon were very accommodating, engaged and professional in taking the concept on board,” says Matthew. “We were able to manifest unique colours based on the ratios I created with their chemist, inventing a whole new series of colours. This was crucial, as each level is depicted in different colour hue variations from earth to sky, which cross reference the nature of the geographical and environmental stratums. This flux of seasonal change is portrayed through subtle tonal gradation. Working with Interpon was a very fluid operation.”Interpon has collaborated on several high profile property developments and high rises over the years – although perhaps none quite as unique or with as many distinct characteristics as The Icon. “The nature of expanded aluminium mesh is such that it is formed by shearing and expanding aluminium sheet to create the ‘3D form’ effect. A visually appealing system for a façade, the shearing of the metal can present issues with very sharp edges, particularly in aggressive coastal environments,” Gareth explains.“Part of understanding this project was to comprehend as many elements as possible. Given the location was in St Kilda, with the bay just over 1.5km away, environmental considerations such as UV degradation, exposure to corrosive sea salts and prevailing winds needed to be considered.”After reviewing available data, such as Bureau of Meteorology weather patterns and local geography and topography maps, a specific duplex or two-layer powder finishing system was specified.“This consisted of a controlled preparation process for the expanded aluminium sheets. An epoxy barrier primer (was specified) to provide enhanced protection and to build the sharp edges in order to minimise issues associated with filiform corrosion. And the ultra-durability polyester powder top coat was developed in 34 distinct colours,” Gareth says.After the colour range was developed, it was applied by powder coating specialists Mansutti Bros. Lead by managing director Claude Mansutti, the team refinished hundreds of mesh panels over a period of nine months.“It was a major benefit to be using powder coating because, unlike liquid paints, powder is cured once it comes out of the oven and it’s ready to go once it’s cooled down. If they were painted, the drying phase could delay the process from refinish to installation by up to two weeks. It meant we were able to keep to a very strict schedule,” Claude says.“The project involved a lot of large spreadsheet work. There were 17 floors and over 30 colours, with panels in 15 sizes; it was quite a matrix to work with. But the end result is so different and so unique. It’s an interesting design and I’m sure it’s going to be a talking point for the area for many years.”

Architects from APP Arch-Studio created a building that serves as a multi-functional cultural centre, hosting important musical events, painting and photography exhibitions, as well as theatrical performances and film screenings. Combining all these functions was made possible due to a clear division of the building into two spatial modules: the glazed part acts as a philharmonic hall, while the second part is visual and exhibit-like, comprising of photography studios and a small cinema room.

Swinburne University of Technology located in Hawthorn, Victoria required a new flooring solution for its Department of Architectural and Industrial Design workshop space. To find a solution that was both durable and decorative, Flowcrete Australia was consulted.600 m2 of Flowfresh SR in a custom Ultramarine Blue was installed at the Swinburne University Hawthorn campus thanks to its robust nature and ability to be specified in a bespoke colour.The workshop, locker area and classrooms provide students with a creative space to formulate, plan and create their visions, and the custom colour was chosen to help inspire and keep the creative juices flowing!As well as being extremely hard-wearing, the polyurethane system Flowfresh SR is also chemical resistant, meaning that it could withstand spills of drinks, paints or other substances that could harm lesser floors.Although Flowfresh SR has a positively textured surface with non-slip aggregates, the flooring system is also very easy to clean, meaning that spills or dirt could easily be wiped away, maintaining a safe space for staff and students.Prior to the application of Flowfresh SR, substantial remediation works were required including the removal of timber parquetry and the filling of over 100 lineal metres of 50mm deep service trenches.

Supercar, Super FinishThe new Porsche dealership in central Hamburg provides customers with the high-level comfort, convenience and safety associated with the brand. A striking new complex is being erected in Hamburg city centre, which includes the Porsche Center Hamburg Alstergate, due to open this spring. Hamburg is a leading Porsche stronghold, reputed to have the highest density of Porsche owners in the world, with a 0.8% quota of the city’s car population and nearly 1,000 vehicles a year sold regionally since 2014. Covering almost 8,000m2 of land, the Alstergate plot has over 200 parking spaces, including an underground car park with valet parking service. Attending to the growing Porsche model range, the building will have four new charging points for electric and hybrid vehicles and will be one of the few German competence centres for the 918 Spyder supercar and Carrera GT. Along with the new building, Porsche’s workforce in the region is set to grow to 115 employees.Such a prominent Porsche dealership in northern Germany’s foremost metropolis demands extraordinary standards from the construction and décor contractors entrusted with the project. Applicators Strahl, Reinigungs & Anstrichtechnik of Kiel, with whom Hempel already has long-standing commercial relations, were required to produce the extra smooth surface finishes sought by thedesigners. Furthermore, public safety is an inherent factor that has to be considered in all aspects of construction, so applicators chose to apply Hempacore One as the intermediate coat on ready-primed steelworks, prior to finishing with a topcoat of our Hempathane 87481 enamel.Both Hempacore One 43600 and its fast-drying 43601 version provide up to 120 minutes retardation in the event of fire, a factor of great importance in buildings designed for public access. Significantly on this occasion, Hempacore One does not just offer excellent passive fire protection but also certain additional features of great value to designers and applicators alike. The fact that its full fire retardant properties can be achieved with much lowerlayer thicknesses makes for speedier work and also more natural aesthetics on visible steelwork. Lower layer thickness naturally means less paint consumption, thus allowing project managers to make significant savings.Porsche’s new state-of-the-art centre in Hamburg underlines the company’s values of Tradition & Innovation; Performance & Practicality; Design & Functionality; and Exclusiveness & Social Acceptance and the professional application of Hempel coatings help to uphold and enhance those same values.