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Mots clés
The Neuer Gehren retirement center in Erlenbach offers modern living space for older people. The new building was planned by Graber Pulver Architekten AG of Zurich and completed in 2017. Steiner AG was responsible as the general contractor. The center comprises around 5,500 m² of floor space and offers 61 care studios and 18 apartments for the elderly. It serves as a central point of contact for retirement issues in the community. The facade consists of prefabricated, carbon-fiber-reinforced fine concrete elements.
Why carbon concrete?
The balconies and balustrades are a special feature of the building. They have large concrete balustrades that shape the appearance. These elements should be light, stable and corrosion-resistant. Steel would have been unsuitable here because it rusts and requires thicker concrete cover layers. The solution: carbon reinforcement from solidian. The reinforcement grids were individually manufactured and cut to size for the special shape and design. Sulser AG produced the prefabricated parts and achieved excellent results with the highest quality.
Carbon replaces steel as reinforcement and makes the concrete particularly durable and long-lasting. It enables slender but strong components. This meant that the balustrades could be made thinner and lighter – without losing any stability.
Technical data
- Material: concrete with carbon reinforcement solidian GRID
- Size: up to 2.3 m x 3.4 m
- Thickness: 4–6 cm
- Quantity: 170 pieces
- Weight: up to 50% lighter than reinforced concrete
- Corrosion protection: no additional protection necessary
- Production: prefabricated elements by Sulser AG
- Installation: installed with a crane
Advantages of carbon concrete
🟠 Non-corrosive – No steel, no damage.
🟠 Lighter than steel reinforced concrete – Less weight saves on transport and assembly costs.
🟠 Less material used – Thinner components, less concrete used.
🟠 More design options – Fine, filigree shapes are possible.
🟠 Sustainable – Less concrete means lower CO₂ emissions.
Modern construction with long-lasting technology
Carbon concrete is a sustainable solution for construction. It saves material and lasts longer than reinforced concrete. At the Neuer Gehren retirement center, it ensures that the balconies are light yet stable. At the same time, the building will be protected from rust damage for many decades. With solidian GRID, a technology was used here that supports modern architecture. It combines long-lasting quality with aesthetic design.
Photos: © Sulser AG und Graber Pulver Architekten AG, Fotograf: Georg Aerni
