The Cube

“The Cube” is the name given to the new glass lobby of the head office of Banco Santander Central Hispano, located in the “Ciudad Financiera” financial district just outside Madrid, and designed by Alfonso Millanes Mato. This imposing structure is 21.6m long and 30m high, and contains trees up to 12 m tall, which as well as creating dynamic shadows help create a pleasant room climate. The facade has been constructed without any framework structures for the glazing itself. Instead, a so-called “space frame system” is used called “Octatube”, which connects the structural glazing facade to a filigree support structure made of steel. So-called “Quattro Nodes” connect each inner glass pane to the stabilizing main structure via four screw points.
To protect the lobby from intense solar radiation, the cube’s sides are made from neutral solar control glass Interpane ipasol 48/27, while the roof is made from ipasol sky glass 30/17, which offers a much higher protection from the sun’s radiation. The ipasol glass guarantees a neutral transparency and a high level of illumination, as it permits most of the daylight to pass through, while also offering a high degree of solar control. Due to the low solar energy transmittance of this glass, far less air conditioning is needed than normal, and this leads to considerable energy savings. In winter, the Ug value of 1.1 W/m²K ensures effective thermal insulation of the entire lobby.

Interpane
Sohnreystraße 21
D - 37697 Lauenförde
Tel. + 49 (0) 5273809-0
Fax + 49 (0) 527385 47
E-mail: [email protected]
www.interpane.com