Spectacular and visually harmonious glass façade
The MSV Arena is a high-tech football stadium equipped for multi-functional use. Principally intended as the venue for MSV Duisburg’s home matches, the stadium takes its architectural inspiration from Germany’s many newly built stadiums. It can hold around 31,000 spectators, but the Arena is more than just a football stadium.
Thanks to its multi-functional design, the venue can also host concerts and other social events. The open, glazed design creates a well-lit and bright foyer providing a spacious meeting place for visitors. The building adjacent to the west stand houses hospitality suites, catering facilities, restaurants, a business area, merchandise shops and MSV offices.
Modern glass design element
Glass plays an important role as a modern design element. The main entrance to the west stand has an eye-catching glass façade, 120 m wide and 11 m high, comprising Pilkington Activ Suncool Optilam™ Neutral 53/40. This glass was selected due to its dual beneficial role. The solar control properties ensure maximum light transmission whilst providing essential protection from solar transmission. Incorporating Pilkington Activ™ self-cleaning glass will result in savings incurred from glass façade cleaning costs.
The lifts linking the four levels of the main building allow an unobstructed view down into the lobby below. The open-plan design of the floors also makes it possible to look from the ground floor right up to the third floor. Access to the players’ changing rooms is located opposite the entrance. A glass wall in this area makes it possible to watch the players coming out of the changing rooms on their way to the pitch. The architects have thus achieved their objective of creating an open, visible atmosphere where players appear to ‘mingle’ with fans.
High-tech
The functional architecture is typified by elegance and airiness, which at the same time meets spectators’ needs perfectly. The main entrance to the west stand, with its glass and aluminium façade, is eye-catching. The glazing includes complex functional glass technology, combining sun and noise protection with thermal insulation and self-cleaning properties.
Transparency and natural light
The glass façade fulfils a variety of functions. From an aesthetic point of view, the glass provides transparency and natural light. Functionally, it provides solar, acoustic and heat insulation, whilst having an additional self-cleaning property. Self-cleaning Pilkington Activ™ was selected for this application to keep costs for future façade cleaning as low as possible.
The result, in combination with the insulating glass units, is a spectacular and visually harmonious glass façade.
Details:
In order to meet the technical requirements for the use of fall-proof glazing, insulating glass units with the following structure were used:
Outer pane: 12 mm laminated safety glass Pilkington Activ Suncool Optilam™ Neutral 53/40
Inner pane: 8 mm toughened safety glass
Thanks to the high performance solar control coating with low-e properties, the technical performance of the unit is the following: Ug value = 1.3 W/m²K (according to EN 673), g value = 34% (in this unit structure) and a light transmittance = 47%. The sound reduction index is Rw = 41 dB.
Please note: The Pilkington Activ Suncool™ Neutral 53/40 glass is no longer in the current delivery program of Pilkington Deutschland AG.
Photography: Pilkington Deutschland AG/Gabriele Petrick/Jochen Helle