The impressive new Richter headquarters has garnered well-deserved attention in architectural publications. Designed with functionality, restraint, and innovation at its core, the 17,400 m² building incorporates various raised floor solutions to bring the high technical content of the architectural vision to life with elegance and precision. Under the general contractor Epronex Építő Zrt, 10-12 specialists from ProInterier Kft., led by construction manager Zoltán Boros, installed 9,000 m² of raised flooring across six floors, completing 1,500 m² per level in just 2-3 weeks.
Gypsum or chipboard panels?
In the six-storey office building, different raised floor solutions have been developed depending on the intended function and cladding of the space. From the first floor upwards, chipboard raised access floor (removable) and gypsum hollow floors (non-removable) alternate, all fire-rated.
The load-bearing capacity of the raised floors on each floor is 3kN, which corresponds to the general office design and use. On the first floor, a single layer of Knauf FHB38 non-removable gypsum hollow floor suitable for cold covering was installed. From here upwards to the sixth floor, there is a Prosystem 38PA0 removable chipboard raised access floor suitable for modular carpeting. In the latter solution, both the raised floor and the modular carpet can be dismantled and removed at will, allowing both non-destructive repair of the mechanical and electrical installations running underneath the raised floor and quick and cost-effective replacement of the modules in the carpet.
In the server rooms, Knauf DB40 gypsum board panels and ventilated steel floors alternate with rubber-coated Knauf DB40 gypsum board panels, as the ventilation capacity and load-bearing capacity of the air space under the underfloor system is a key factor in this application.
Design Challenges and Safety at the Richter Headquarters
The exterior and interior waveforms that define the building’s dynamic design also had to be followed by the raised floor system, which was achieved using templates. Precision was critical to ensure that the originally square and high-strength raised floor panels were precisely cut and installed along curved walls, stairs, corridors, plant boxes, and floor convectors, all starting from the concrete subfloor. Additionally, the raised floor system follows the expansion joints of the floor covering plan throughout the building.
The floor on its feet
In the new Richter Gedeon headquarters, the average height of the floors is 15 cm. The bridge connecting the new building with the adjacent Chemical Research and Office Building, inaugurated in 2007, is different, where the non-removable Knauf gypsum panel is set on 35 cm high feet.
In general, the foot height of raised floor systems is not only influenced by the local conditions or the layer arrangement, but also by the accessible structures running in the floor. As an illustration, in the case of this building, the design trail showed that each raised floor foot was fixed to the floating heat cable with plastic protective caps, so this aspect also had to be taken into consideration when determining the height of the feet.
Whether it is a renovation or a new construction, raised floor systems represent a modern, safe, cost-effective and elegant solution for the long term.
This article was published on Realista.