Silhouette Lens Lab, Linz, Austria

With this building, Austrian architecture firm X ARCHITEKTEN has created a striking contemporary landmark on the premises of the long-established family business. Silhouette has been manufacturing eyewear in Linz since 1964 and is renowned for its high standards of craftsmanship and its contemporary, innovative designs.

The new production and storage facility was built at the heart of the company site, replacing an old single-storey hall. Even from the outside, the building clearly reflects what happens within: it is all about the lens.

The shape of the building takes its cue from a spectacle lens. Its south-western side features a gently concave indentation that naturally guides visitors towards the entrance, located within a joint between the existing building and the new structure. The circular openings in the façade also evoke the shape of spectacle lenses, deliberately creating a strong visual link to the product manufactured inside.

The approximately 1,400 m² façade is made entirely of white concrete, with each side following a different design principle.

On the south-western side, facing the main access road, a precast concrete wall is positioned in front of a glazed façade. Around 1,300 circular, conically shaped openings arranged in a regular grid allow daylight to enter the building while also providing privacy. Behind the concrete screen is a maintenance walkway, followed by the building’s actual glass envelope with external solar shading.

The north-eastern side forms a deliberate contrast. It features 21 large circular windows with convex glazing that can be rotated around a vertical axis. They bring daylight and fresh air into the interior workspaces.

Like a brise-soleil, the textured façade creates an intriguing interplay between inside and outside. By contrast, the northern façade features large circular openings with convex glazing.

X ARCHITEKTEN

The 81 large-format precast panels were produced using self-compacting white concrete containing white cement and titanium dioxide. A key requirement was to achieve a virtually pore-free, seamless surface without visible formwork joints. The façade was intended to appear as though cast in a single piece.

RECKLI formliners were used to produce the precast concrete elements in accordance with the architectural design. RECKLI Unique enables bespoke formliners to be manufactured according to individual dimensions and design specifications, including the two different opening geometries developed for the Silhouette Lens Lab. The formliners ensure that the structures can be reproduced precisely and consistently while maintaining a uniform level of quality.

The new building is therefore more than simply a production facility for the company: it also serves as a three-dimensional expression of the Silhouette brand.