THE “ICE CUBES” IMPRESS IN GRAND DESIGN

Known from TV…

A notable construction project where hot-dip galvanized steel has been put in focus is the spectacular “Ice Cubes” that were presented in the TV show “Grand Designs Sweden” in 2024. In the show, we get the opportunity to follow people who realize their dreams of building an architect-designed and often special home. O One such project is “The Impossible Cubes” with a facade of hot-dip galvanized steel. The Johäll family’s internationally acclaimed project, designed by the architectural firm Claesson Koivisto Rune, rises like rock crystals from the shore of Lake Öresjön outside Borås. The spectacular cubes have now made their television debut in the fourth season of “Grand Designs Sweden” on TV4 (Episode 5, Season 4).

The cubes are almost the most expressive in a winter landscape, as they resemble ice cubes with their facades of glass and hot-dip galvanized steel. The steel’s grey-mottled surface can also be compared to both stones and tree trunks. In addition, it is a durable and maintenance-free material we are talking about, which is needed in an unfiltered, close contact with nature. A wooden building would be consumed, says the responsible architect.

The facades of these beautiful and spectacular houses are manufactured by a forgin company in Sweden and hot-dip galvanized by ZinkenWeland in Ulricehamn. An exciting project that shows what possibilities are available and how the collaboration between an architect, forging company and hot-dip galvanizer can create something unique that is also environmentally sustainable.

DUPLEX TREATED OUTDOOR FUNITURE

Hot-dip galvanizing provides a long maintenance-free corrosion protection of steel in most environments. In some cases, however, it can be an advantage to combine hot-dip galvanizing with an additional protection in the form of wet paint or powder coating. It is called Duplex system and is suitable for environments that are particularly aggressive. Aesthetics – to give the gray zinc surface a more colorful appearance – can be another reason. 🌈

The picture is from the busy crowd around Times Square in New York. The outdoor furniture have been supplied by Vestre, one of Scandinavia’s leading manufacturers of sustainable, urban furniture with USA as the largest market. The surface treatment according to the standard NORSOK M-501, system 6, rev. 6, is carried out by the hot-dip galvanizing company NOT in Norway, and ensures that the furniture lives up to the high expectations. (Photo: Júlia Martins Miranda.)

THE NEW LANDMARK ON THE SWEDISH WEST COAST

Always nice when an architect with a clear environmental focus chooses to work with hot-dip galvanized steel!
The new observation tower located on the Swedish west coast has been named Kärven and is seen as a new landmark. The robust spiral staircase, made of Weland Stål and hot-dip galvanized by Zinken-Weland, leads visitors safely and securely up the 12-meter-high tower. Once up there, a 360-degree view of the nature reserve spreads out.

White Arkitekter is behind the architectural idea and design. In addition to the traditional function of an observation tower, the request from the client was that it should also be characterized by something unique and be easily accessible for visitors. The team at White translated these criteria into Kärven, which with its clear silhouette, construction and materials stands out and is unique in its kind.

Spiral stairs are a product with a large number of different applications – both in heavy industry and in pure design applications – often used outdoors in varying environments. To ensure a long maintenance-free life and good abrasion resistance, hot-dip galvanizing is the natural choice of surface treatment.

GONDOLA TRACK AT KOLMÅRDEN ZOO

The gondola track at Kolmårdens Zoo outside Norrköping in Sweden is unique of its kind and stretches 2,600 meters around the park area. The visitors are first travelling at a height of 26 meters and goes then down to two and a half meters above the ground to get close to lions, bears and giraffes.

The supplier Doppelmayr Cable Cars has manufactured 78 specially adapted, open gondolas with a sound system. A narrator informs about the animals you pass so that the traveler gets the most out of the experience.

For ropeway systems around the world, hot-dip galvanized steel is the natural choice. The products are often used in corrosive environments and the safety requirements are of natural reasons high, which means that reliable corrosion protection is of the utmost importance.

SPECTACULAR BRIDGE

AB Karl Hedin Sawmill in Krylbo is a large producer of lumber. When they planned to expand and invest in one of Europe’s fastest techniques, they had to take extra environmental considerations into account. They need to find a solution where the timber packages would be transported across a ravine, from the sawmill to the other part of the yard, where they are loaded onto trucks for transport to the customers. The solution was a gigantic pipe bridge from Scanmast.

The construction is 66 meters long, seven meters wide and has 40 meters between the pillars. The entire steel bridge weighs over 50 tons. Three masts have been tied together with a beam system, with gangways on the outside. In the middle there is a steel structure with a chain conveyor. The construction must handle timber packages that are 4.2 meters wide, 2.2 meters in diameter and weigh six ton. And it must be able to transport such a package every five minutes, around the clock, all year round!

To ensure a long maintenance-free lifetime, the whole construction is galvanized. The galvanizing work has been performed by DEFAB, Degerfors Förzinknings AB. Really an amazing construction!

THE CACTUS TOWERS

The constructions are exciting and modern and the architecture different. Kaktus Towers are luxury rental apartments designed by the award-winning architect BIG and are centered in the middle of Copenhagen near vibrant neighborhoods such as Vesterbro, Kødbyen, and Islands Brygge. The balconies, which surround the entire buildings and give them their characteristic appearance, are made of hot-dip galvanized steel. The smart technology of shifting the floors of the balconies in relation to each other affects the facade so that the balconies are sheltered from the wind and are pleasant for the residents to stay on.

The balconies of the cactus towers are a typical example where the good durability of hot-dip galvanizing has been used to create a long maintenance-free life when exposed to a harsh environment. The galvanizing is performed by the Nordic galvanizing company DOT in Denmark.

If a construction material was specifically designed for the circular economy, hot-dip galvanized steel would be a prime example! But hot-dip galvanizing is an old technology that has existed for hundreds of years and where there is a lot of corrosion data and many good examples to rely on.