An enigmatic construction
The Liechtenstein Substation competition specified a circular, compact construction which would be compatible with the open spaces of Riet and radically different from that of conventional stations, usually spread over a large area.
This part gave priority to the shell and cladding of the building over the structure of the facilities, which remained orthogonal. Situated in the countryside, supplying the town, unoccupied and with no defined end, the station is an enigma. The doors, glass walls, solar panel and façade contribute to its air of mysteriousness.
Pilkington Profilit™
Cylindrical in construction, the building is girded by rings of galvanised steel sections and intermediate bands of Pilkington Profilit™ Wired reinforced profiled glass. The bands impart luminosity to the building and accentuate its rounded form. For the assembly of the Pilkington Profilit™ façade, a system similar to that of sheet piles was selected: the sections are mounted vertically, edge to edge, with the textured surfaces alternating with smooth surfaces. Pilkington Profilit™, tinted blue, appears to reflect the natural environment.
An exemplary and harmonious building
A large solar panel completes the building’s shell, rotating to follow the sun’s path during the day and reverting to its initial position in the evening. The stable relationship between the solar panel and the sun creates the impression that the building itself is turning with the Earth. The additional installation generates a significant amount of electricity, reinforcing interest in solar power.
The Schaan Substation is unusual in being clad with durable, hence economic, industrially manufactured components. Functional, and of a technical construction, the building is nonetheless in harmony with its natural environment.