Rotterdam De Rotterdam

Facade louvers. A gap in the wall for ventilation but also meant to keep rain and pests outside. JAZO Zevenaar BV has engineered and manufactured all 771 facade louvers for De Rotterdam.

Design

OMA architects had a clear vision with regard to the (safety) vents in the facade of De Rotterdam.  An important aspect of the louvers was uniform lines. For every facet of the facade we came up with a specific solution. During an intensive design process, OMA and JAZO searched for the optimal balance between functionality and aesthetics. Completely new louver lines as a result.

Realization

The louvers are made of specially designed aluminum extrusions according to a labyrinth structure to protect people's privacy. We developed different louvers for the upper portions in addition to the requirements in the field of wind load and weir. A wind load of 6,000 Pa requires extra attention. A sophisticated R&D process developed the JAZO HFR-40/45. Internal tests with EFD software, rapid prototyping and wind tunnel testing have led to final certification (NEN-EN 13030: 2001) by the BSRIA in the UK.