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newsThe architect’s office conceived a complex of buildingswith 13 houses and about 170 individual units.These buildings were supposed to form a sort ofborder around a closed inner courtyard which itselfshould be structured in several smaller atriums bythe arrangement of four further single buildings.Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of modern bookprinting using movable type printing and the printingpress, and the company Heidelberger Druck ma -schinen AG, the former owner of the area, are historicallyintrinsically tied to each other. Thus, it isquite obvious to remind this historical importantcombination, creating a lasting memory and anidentification with the new accommodation for theresidents. Detail Façade House C

Each of the 13 houses is named after a well-knowntypeface. Thus, the buildings now bear names likeHelvetica, Nimbus or Avenir.Original master illustrationApart from this, there is another direct optical indicationon two street-façades of the residence. Theportrait of Gutenberg is shown as a 6,72 x 5,06 mrelief on the exposed concrete panels of the façade.The architect’s office originally conceived a portraitmade of a unique big plate. However, due to reasonsrelated to transport, this idea was replaced bycreating a relief realized on three or four exposedconcrete panels, depending on the side of street.Draft for the Photo-Engraved formlinerThe technical conversion of Gutenberg’s portraitwas realized by the help of the Photo-EngravingTechnology of the company RECKLI. This technique,being on the market for many years andalready used in numerous objects, is a computerbasedmethod for transferring image data ontosheet materials by means of milling technology. Forthis, first of all an image template is scanned andconverted in 256 grey scales. Each grey scale isdefined by a cutting width and a cutting depth. Inorder to transfer the image onto the sheet material,a machining file is generated from the identified greyvalues, whereby the file includes milling commandsfor a special CNC milling machine. The milled modelis then used as a master for casting the elasticRECKLI ® -Formliner. Depending on the resolution,this formliner creates a smooth or raw relief-likestructure of surface on the concrete. By the movementof the sun creating light and shadow, thephoto seems to be projected on the concretefaçade.Concrete elementIn order to combine the portrait harmonically withthe façade, all the other facing tiles used in theground floor have been equipped with the samestructure of V-shaped grooves, which forms thebasic structure of the Photo-Engraving Technique.

newsIn this way, an estheticallyappealing façade has been developed,on which the portrait ofGutenberg does not directlystand out as a solitaire picture.The elements of exposed concretewere built by Zuber Beton -werke in Crailsheim, a companylooking back on a history of 50years and having specialized inthe fabrication of high quality elementsof facing concrete. Thecompany also delivers specialparts needing a high precision inconcrete formwork and treatmentof concrete. This knowledge wasextremely useful in the realizationof the Gutenberghöfe. The staff ofZuber Betonwerke cast andassembled the portrait panelswith highest precision. Apart fromthis, IfT, a sister company ofZuber Betonwerke, was responsiblefor the planning of the bearingstructure and thus calculated thewhole static of the façade.The result is a verysuccessful example ofexposed concrete.

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Object:Gutenberghöfe, HeidelbergConstructor:HOCHTIEF Projektentwicklung GmbHArchitect:ap88 Architektenpartnerschaft Bellm-Löffel-Lubs-Trager, HeidelbergRECKLI-Formliner: Photo-Engraving TechniqueFacing concrete elements: Zuber Betonwerke, CrailsheimRECKLI GmbHEschstrasse 30 · 44629 Herne · GermanyTel. +49 2323 1706-0 · Fax +49 2323 1706-50info@reckli.de · www.reckli.de