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The Elective Affinities of Travertine
An entire wall of travertine decorates the facade of the new building of the J.W. Goethe University Campus in Frankfurt, also used for the university canteen.
The project, designed by architect Ferdinand Heide, involved the creation of a ventilated travertine facade: it was a very complex work because the required material would decorate a prestigious public building and the quality and color standards were very strict.
The choice of travertine
Initially, all necessary tests were conducted for mechanical resistance, frost action stress, and wind resistance. For the definition of colors and chromatic limits, within which the tone variation of the pieces was considered acceptable, a full-scale test wall was constructed, comparing the aesthetic and dimensional requirements of the design studio with the actual dimensions of the pieces obtainable in production.
The aim was to optimize final costs while meeting aesthetic requirements. Therefore, it was decided to use all the colors that come from the Rapolano quarries, eliminating only pieces that were too light or too dark.
With the pieces, a composition was created for the design of the facade that maximized the dimensions of the slabs obtained from the blocks. The model was used in the factory for the entire production, and the sample was displayed on-site during the installation of the ventilated stone facade.
The final effect is certainly impactful: the imposing facade features the textures and colors of the Tuscan countryside that define the image of the entire architecture. Even on a technical level, the choice to use travertine was optimal, despite the city of Frankfurt being subject to a continental climate with hot summers and harsh, icy winters, as travertine has excellent resistance.
The cladding slabs are anchored to the building by means of a metal structure that creates an air curtain between the actual building and the stone cladding.
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