The “Depot No1” from the 19th century was mainly used as repair and storage space for steam locomotives. In order to give the historic building a new function, it was decided to renovate these halls and make them usable as an administration building. For the design architect of this project, Tatyana Pankova, it was particularly important to preserve the historic building and its atmosphere as much as possible.

The challenge of the conversion was not to put too much stress on the corners of the building and to limit thermal bridges as much as possible. The solution chosen here was the Knauf Exterior Wall ventilated facade with AQUAPANEL^® Technology and an aluminium substructure from Hilti.

Since the Knauf Exterior Wall is a lightweight solution, the load to be incorporated is significantly lower for both the primary structure and the foundation work. In addition, the Knauf Exterior Wall allows for better thermal insulation compared to traditional constructions. The discharge of hot air over the ventilation gap of the facade prevents potential heat accumulation or heating between the facade and insulation. Furthermore, the exterior wall warms up to a lesser extent and more slowly than in the case of direct contact with solar radiation. As a result, the temperature inside the building remains comfortable even in summer, the indoor climate is less susceptible to fluctuations in the outside temperature, and the energy demand for cooling is reduced.

AQUAPANEL^® Cement Board Outdoor, which is the core product in each system, is freeze-thaw cycle proven and could therefore be used without any problems in the widely fluctuating temperatures during the project's construction.

Throughout the renovation phase, Knauf Aquapanel's team of technical experts provided significant planning and design support to the architects. Thanks to the fast and efficient installation of the Knauf Exterior Wall, even the complex reconstruction of a cultural site was implemented quickly and smoothly.

To guarantee perfect execution of the project, AQUAPANEL^® technical specialists were on site during the planning and construction phases to support the contractor in the optimal implementation of the project.