Pioneering work on the sunny island

With around 300 days of sunshine per year, indoor climate and shading are key topics when constructing a building in Majorca. A local architecture firm is performing pioneering work here and has used metal fabrics from GKD in their designs for years.

Should someone fall sick in Majorca, the first stop is generally a state healthcare center. There are around a hundred such centers on the island, which are used for treating general medical complaints, such as colds or minor injuries.
One of these centers is located in the Sant Agustí area of the island’s capital of Palma. The functional building at the Sant Agustí Health Center stretches over three floors. While the long side of the building facing Joan Miró Avenue is largely glazed, the narrow sides with the entrances employ discreetly shimmering Omega 3320 stainless steel fabric from GKD. This material combination lends the building a clear and timeless appearance that blends in harmoniously with its surroundings. The Sant Agustí Health Center has been standing proud since 2005 as one of the reference projects of the Majorca-based architecture firm, Jordi Herrero Architecture Studio (JHA), which has since completed a number of large public buildings on the island – many of which employ similarly innovative façades.

A light and airy atmosphere without overheating

JHA focuses on two key aspects of façade design: the interplay between exciting outward and inward views, as well as climate-conscious effects on the inside of the buildings. When designing the Sant Agustí Health Center, the architects working were looking for a material that not only impresses visually, but also acts as a second skin for the building – providing shade and lowering room temperatures. “When the Centro was being built, metal fabric façades were still a novelty in the field of architecture. I therefore considered it important to find an experienced manufacturer that has a great deal of expertise with the material and its properties – which turned out to be GKD,” says Herrero. Following intensive consultations, they specified the finely woven Omega 3320 stainless steel mesh – which allows some light to pass through, while at the same time offering effective protection from high solar radiation. It also facilitates outward views from all rooms. The architect employed a total of 150 square meters of metal fabric panels, all produced from Omega 3320.

Even now, some seventeen years after the original construction, Herrero is more than happy with the results: “As promised, the metal fabric has proven to be easy to look after and extremely weather-resistant, while also meeting the requirement to deliver sustainable and climate-conscious construction.” GKD is also very happy. “The Sant Agustí Health Center in Palma is a strategically important example of how our metal fabrics can also impress with exemplary durability in a Mediterranean island climate,” comments Stefanie Thomas, Sales & Application Manager Spain at GKD.