Flame-colored façade with Ruukki® Patina panels in the post-industrial center of Gliwice, Poland

One of the first construction projects using Ruukki® Patina sandwich panels is about to complete in Gliwice, Poland. The new building houses Fachhandel, a company that specializes in the sale and distribution of various tools. The building envelope is made of Ruukki® Patina panels, the outer surface of which is COR-TEN® steel.

The owner of Fachhandel wanted a building that respects the heritage and references the color of the historical brick buildings in the surrounding area. Sandwich panels enable the fast construction of long lasting, energy-efficient and safe building envelopes, and so they were an obvious choice for this project. 

The customer chose COR-TEN® steel, which is perfect for this type of project and  available as a finished Ruukki® Patina sandwich panel solution. COR-TEN® was also the material of choice of Pracownia Projektowa Dawid Weretycki, who was responsible for the design. Ruukki Patina panels made it possible to combine technical, scheduling and aesthetic requirements, and the end-result is a modern, functional building that meets the customer’s high airtightness, fire safety and longevity requirements. 

Fachhandel’s Polish headquarters (Fachhandel Polska Sp. z o.o.) was built in the immediate vicinity of the old wire factory in Gliwice. The simple shape of the new building attracts attention with its vivid coloring, which from a distance resembles brick and up close emphasizes the modern, minimalistic appearance of the building achieved with the use of COR-TEN® panels. 

The external facing started to patinate and change color immediately after installation. The patina will take a couple of years to form and the color will darken from flame red to brown. COR-TEN® steel ages slowly and preserves its natural, timeless look. On the other hand, it quickly gives a unique and industrial character, which is especially important in revitalization projects and areas.    

The excellent properties of Ruukki® Patina ensure the long life of the buildings and reduce their carbon footprint. Thanks to their excellent airtightness, the panels increase the energy class of the building and allow savings of up to 30% in heating and cooling costs. Ruukki® Patina does not require any maintenance – in the event of scratches, the surface repairs itself and restores its original look.