Heat and glare protection for an indoor rooftop terrace
The Kenzo building juts out between the Belle Jardinière property and the Samaritaine department store in Paris. Its old zinc roof has been transformed by Jean-Jacques Ory Studio, into a huge Zeppelin-like glass roof providing patrons with an exceptional view over the banks of the Seine and the Pont Neuf Bridge.
The building’s crowning glory is its top two floors which house the famous Kong Bar, a stunning indoor rooftop terrace bar and restaurant, with its abundance of natural light and its interior designed by Philippe Starck. The Kong Bar and Restaurant was put on the map when it was featured in the final series of the hit US show, Sex in the City.
Guthrie Douglas were approached by CYB Stores to collaborate on the challenge of providing solar protection which would ensure suitable comfort and protection for diners, while maintaining good visibility to the outside.
The solution chosen for its optimal performance in reducing solar heat gain was to fit 18 external technical shading systems on the outside of the 100 square-meter curved glass roof, fitted with high-performance fabric.
The TESS 420 system was selected for its strength and weather resistance, as well as its ability to minimise the load imposed on the structure. Retaining the tension force of the blind with its aluminium frame, it distributes weight evenly through multiple fixing points.
Serge Ferrari’s Soltis 92 fabric used on this project is a remarkable screen offering an exceptional degree of transparency, whilst managing light flow in a way that guarantees visual comfort and a comfortable indoor atmosphere. The light transmission coefficient of the Kong Bar is only 6%. All aggressive lighting is eliminated.
The combined performance of the retractable systems and the high-tech fabric provide exceptional solar control. The use of air-conditioning is limited and total energy costs are significantly reduced.
When fitted to the external façade shading systems allow the architectural effect of curved glass to remain striking even when the blinds were deployed, as well as working as a heat shield on hotter days. Read about another project where Guthrie Douglas worked with designers to apply exterior shading to a curved glass facade.