GRC Project Case Study
Sky Park, Bratislava
Slovakia
Observing Bratislava’s skyline, it could be easy to initially mistake the architecture of the city as formulaic with the rigid forms of ‘paneláks’ housing – fast-built, prefabricated housing blocks – dominating much of the urban landscape. But then, amongst these standardised blocks, stands the towering organic forms of the Sky Park complex – a contemporary counterpoint to the ubiquitous post-war architecture of Bratislava.
Located in a former industrial area, the Sky Park complex has transformed a once-abandoned site into a dynamic, thriving community space. Its mixed-use facilities consist of 20,000m² of vibrant public park, soaring 105 metre tall condominiums accommodating more than 700 apartments, a 79 metre tall office tower with thousands of square metres of office and retail space and the renovated national cultural monument, Jurkovič Heating Plant.
Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and developed by Penta Real Estate, construction of Sky Park commenced in 2016 with work nearing completion as of time of writing.
Ambitious Architecture
Hadid’s vision of a timeless, organic construction rings true in the soft silhouettes of the Sky Park towers, a far cry from the rigid surrounding utilitarian architecture. Despite this contrast, the design still forms a connection with the bordering urban area, fluidly enriching it with new and extraordinary opportunities. As Patrik Schumacher, principal of Zaha Hadid Architects, put it: “Sky Park is an important link to Bratislava’s contemporary culture, emerging nature and history”. Rather than being a cultural reset, the complex represents a metamorphosis of the city’s architecture – a deliberate evolution and clear statement of its architectural ambitions.
Much of what lends the towers their iconic, sculpture-like silhouettes are the curvilinear, abstract forms of the design, consisting of a de-saturated bronze façade encased by a crisp white rib-like structure, framing and forming windows into the latticework of vibrant community spaces inside.
To form the immaculate façade of the rib structure, a material which is commonplace in many of Hadid’s designs, once again found its way into the project specifications: Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete.
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Utilising Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete
BB Fiberbeton A/S were responsible for manufacturing the Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete for the project. 3,500 GRC façade elements were produced – the equivalent of 13,700m² – in 650 variants, relying on the malleability of GRC to meet the challenging specifications of each element. The GRC was finished with a standard smooth surface and coloured a cool, crisp white, beautifully complementing the underlying warm, metallic bronze façade of the towers.
Installation of these façade elements proved effortless, mounting the panels using a combination of an embedded steel frame, embedded steel brackets and recessed holes. This system ensured that not only was installation an easy process but also allowed for a clean, uninterrupted exterior finish.
Conclusion
Sky Park is a stunning addition to Bratislava’s architecture and a revelation in its efforts of establishing a thriving community hub for the area. The once-derelict site of its construction now holds host to an amphitheatre, sports field, dog park, orchards, playgrounds, picnic sites and running tracks, all overseen by the soaring towers of the complex.
The construction of the three residential towers clad in BB Fiberbeton’s immaculate GRC façade elements and the office building reached completion in 2020 with the fourth residential tower concluding construction in 2024. Now, all that remains is the fifth and final residential building: the ‘Sky Park Tower’, construction of which is expected to conclude in the near future.
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