Category: Danpalon Kinetic

Buildings That “Move”—That’s Kinetic Architecture

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The concept of a building which contains movement within its design might sound like something out of science fiction, but today’s kinetic architecture accomplishes that feat. The installation of a kinetic façade allows parts of the building to maintain their structural integrity while operating independently. Sometimes, the intention of a kinetic façade system has a purpose; other times its objective is to create an esthetic effect. With a Danpalon kinetic panel, a building’s color, lighting, translucency and opacity change, depending on the angle from which the panel is viewed.

How Kinetic Architecture Has Evolved From Its Medieval Beginnings

Innovative technology has led to the invention of polycarbonate, a building material that’s key to the mystery of what makes a building move. Polycarbonate that’s superior in quality employs an extrusion technique which allows the Danpalon kinetic panel to integrate colored surfaces alternately so that they are arranged in a diagonal formation between the outer skins.

Of course, polycarbonate wasn’t around in the Middle Ages, and the defensive fortifications of the time were not built with a dynamic façade. There’s not much of a market for drawbridges in today’s commercial sector, but the architecture of that time period created parts of buildings which moved for a specific purpose. However, not until the early 20th century did architects find ways to advance that rather primitive form of kinetic architecture into something exciting and contemporary as the futurist movement redefined the landscape.

Today’s Danpalon kinetic panel owes its unique properties to the research and development of the Danpal company, but kinetic architecture has its roots in the architectural theoretical aspects explored by famous academics like Buckminster Fuller. It took awhile, but by the 1980s, the kinetic façade system so familiar to 21st century design was making its imprint upon the cutting-edge architectural landscape, and the public liked what it was seeing.

Kinetic Architecture And Its Moving Parts

The knights in armor of the Middle Ages valued their castles and keeps—and drawbridges—as part of their military defense network. The movement that takes place in today’s buildings has quite a different purpose.

Now, as different technologies like robotics have become more commonplace, kinetic architecture is a familiar sight all over the globe. Buildings today are designed to function in harmony with the environment. Occupants of a building aren’t threatened by battering rams or flaming arrows; the contemporary threat facing consumers comes from environmental conditions that can cause damage. A kinetic façade enables a building to adapt its responses to the environment.

A dynamic façade might present a particular function that a static structure is incapable of offering. Consider the stadium where your favorite team plays. Some have roofs that can retract or be deployed based on the weather conditions at the time of the game. A retractable roof can ensure the comfort of spectators if the weather turns from sunny to stormy. The playing surface itself can actually be stored safely during the off season, when poor weather might inflict damage upon it. This feature protects the playing surface.

Esthetics also matter in today’s kinetic architecture. The Danpalon kinetic panel’s animated facades create a dazzling esthetic image which turns a building into a work of art. An impressive range of integration options meets high light transmission, thermal, and sound insulation standards thanks to Danpal’s quality technical and mechanical properties and connector system.

What To Expect When You Install A Danpalon Kinetic Panel

With the animated façade, a building takes on a dynamic appearance that redefines architectural esthetics.

  • The ventilated exterior cladding system meets energy efficiency requirements.
  • The skylight, which fits all the Danpal skylight systems, creates functional roofing with flair.
  • Two colors in a single Danpalon kinetic panel transform the building into an eye-catching wonder to behold. And the sky is the limit when it comes to choosing the colors, because Danpal offers so many combinations.

Kinetic architecture had its beginnings in the long-ago past, but today has come into its own by meeting today’s environmental standards and dazzling esthetics. No drawbridge could ever have achieved that!

Dynamic Facades Systems Build With Nature In Mind

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The term “dynamic façade” reflects a vibrant new philosophy of architecture, one which mirrors the increasing awareness that members of the public apply to the buildings in which they work and live. Dynamic façade systems create a visual impact that makes an impression not only on architects, who would be expected to recognize this innovative movement, but also among the ordinary layperson, who sees a building as part of the intrinsic environment of the community.

The Structural Symbiosis of Sustainability and Dynamic Facades

Engineering and architecture, combined with the enhanced public commitment to sustainability, promote the role of dynamic facades. The contemporary architectural surfaces that comprise dynamic façade architecture function as a sort of structural skin. This exciting architectural feature functions as a filter between the interior and exterior of the building, employing the external attributes of sunlight, shade, and ventilation from outside to serve a purpose inside.

The concept of a constructed building and its natural setting having a holistic bond is one which could only have come to fruition with the advances brought about by dynamic façade architecture. As Danpal works with its research and development teams to advance its slogan, Global Vision, Local Focus, we envision the role that the construction industry can play in minimizing energy consumption by interacting benevolently with the environment.

The combination of dynamic façade detail and the solar angle can minimize the negative effects of glare, particularly in urban settings or near airports. Glare is often an undesirable result of highly reflective materials, but the angle at which sunlight hits a dynamic façade system can be a transformative feature of the structure’s esthetic personality.

The New Frontier Of Dynamic Facades Systems

Now that dynamic façade systems have effectively brought architecture into a bold new frontier, Danpal, a pioneer in daylighting architecture, is pushing the envelope when it comes to a building’s envelope, or façade. Imagine the possibilities if a dynamic façade building actually is responsive to natural elements such as sunlight, wind, even climate itself? Consider the impression that a dynamic façade design could create if it was in a constant state of reaction to its surroundings and, on its own, formed a pattern of movement?

Types Of Dynamic Facades

  • The user-control dynamic façade system operates via a building’s internal electronic controls and responds only to the occupant input. The façade performs as a shading device that gives users control of the panel’s angle to manage the amount of light that is transmitted inside.
  • The light projection dynamic façade creates an optical illusion whose appearance can change depending upon the spectator’s view.
  • The light control dynamic façade at work in Abu Dhabi’s Al-Bahr Towers, uses a shading system that is projected to lower the entry of solar energy into the building by 20%.
  • Wind has the capacity to deliver a pattern of motion without wasting energy. A wind responsive dynamic façade can create an interface between the natural environment and the structure. As the wind moves, the façade remains in motion.
  • Nature’s calendar is in force with the seasonal green dynamic façade without depending on a high-tech system. Instead, plants turn the dynamic façade building into a living habitat. This dynamic façade design creates a visually appealing structure that serves the needs of the occupants within, the neighborhood outside and the environment.

Uniting a physical structure with its natural setting is a Danpal tradition, as we develop dynamic façade detail that nurtures the health of our planet and the comfort of the people who live upon it.

A Word from the GM Boaz Rubel

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2019 A YEAR OF CHALLENGE

Looking back over the year we have just shared, I am proud to be in the position I am, and to tell you that DANPAL has successfully risen to meet the year’s challenges head-on. Running a global world-class operation is no easy task, and so my focus is continually split between the operations, logistics, production, sales and the marketing of our DANPAL solutions.

With the right team at my side, together, we have faced and overcome issues such as currency instability, slow economies and political unrest – prevalent in some of our global markets. DANPAL is a private company and so by its very nature, we are often exposed to these poor market conditions. The key to our continued strong growth has always been, to focus on the fundamentals of what makes our company so great… by this, I am referring to our employees.

It is by having the right people in the right places, that DANPAL has been able to successfully evolve from being a panel-based manufacturing company, into the global leader in daylight solutions for the building envelope. You have all heard this term before, but it bears repeating – ‘Light Architecture’!

We have invested heavily in developing exciting new products, such as our RK7 Roofing System, the DP650 and exotic Danpalon Kinetic Panels. These are but a part of the reason, why we are today the world market leaders in our field. These new products launched in 2019 are not by chance, but are rather the result of intense research and development, carried out by our in-house engineers. Our R&D team, with their years of expertise, keep us ahead of the game and leaders in the industry.

Despite the tough market conditions, the year has seen us establish new subsidiaries, such as DANPAL India. Whilst on the other side of the globe in Colombia, we took the decision to partner with our distributors, and buy controlling shares in their business. So we look forward to the growth opportunities that both DANPAL Andina, and DANPAL India, will bring us in 2020.

Some of you might remember the conferences we hosted in both Thailand, for our Asia-Pacific partners and the Dominican Republic, attended by our Latin American partners. These conferences have provided us with the platforms needed, to engage directly with our global DANPAL family. During the days spent together, our team of DANPAL experts have offered up their expertise to further educate our distributors and installers.

2019 has also seen us achieve many international performance certifications, for our various systems. This continuous drive to meet new standards has been necessary for keeping us positioned as market leaders, ahead of the competition. An example of this has been our GREEN certification, bestowed on us by both the relevant Israeli and Australian authorities. We won’t stop there, as, in 2020, mush of our R&D is focused on Next-Generation Green Solutions.

2020 Our Future Together

So what can we expect from DANPAL in 2020? I can tell you, that my focus is to drive our key programmes to deliver both expert marketing and unsurpassed technical support. DANPAL understands how important it is for us to engage professionally with the market, and that our subsidiaries along with our distributors are the face of the company.

With this in mind, we have invested heavily in the development of cutting edge digital marketing tools, as well as, employing the right support staff to help implement our global strategies. One of our more exciting projects in development will see 2020 as the year we officially launch our very own BIM library. As you might know, BIM is becoming ever more relevant in the architectural market and our responsibility is to lead the industry in this endeavour. At our core, we develop and supply architectural products, and so I am happy to tell you, that our range of bespoke solutions will continue to reflect this.

We have other products in our R&D pipeline, which we will continue to perfect throughout the year… Without giving the game away, I can say that these systems in development, are geared toward the global GREEN BUILDING trend. Our next-generation DANPAL solutions will go a long way to futureproofing your offerings. We believe in developing for the long-term, whilst supporting our partners in their day-to-day endeavours.

On a final note, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support and faith in DANPAL. It is great pride, that I look upon our various partnerships and with my own eyes, witness the continued growth of our DANPAL family. We also want to wish you all, a blessed festive season and we look forward to engaging with you again in 2020. Our team of managers, headed by our VP of Sales & Marketing, will continue to support you, by driving our initiatives forward in the New Year.

Boaz Rubel
Chief Executive Officer
Danpal Group

Danpal Sweeps Award at K Fair for Innovation

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Background

K 2019, The World’s No. 1 Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber, was held in Düsseldorf from 16 to 23 October 2019. The trade fair, is the performance barometer and global innovations marketplace for the entire industry, presenting over 3,300 exhibitors from more than 60 countries on approximately 178,000 m² of exhibition space. K 2019 featured lectures, keynotes and panel discussions, by experts from science, industry, politics, local authorities and non-governmental organizations. By featuring this broad panel of experts, they could deliver on global, European, regional and local answers to some of the mega-trends in society, currently impacting people.

2019 Awards

The 9th edition of the EPSE Awards Competition was also announced on the 21st of October 2019 at the K Fair in Düsseldorf. After a warm welcome, the EPSE President introduced EPSE formally to all attendees and highlighted the main goals of the association: innovation, development, and quality. Before long, the evening reached its climax, when DANPAL was announced as winners in the category of INNOVATION. The award was proudly received, and seen as recognition for our efforts in bringing our Danpalon KINETIC panel to life!

It is DANPAL’s leadership in innovation that shone through, as taking top honors and winning the category for innovation, was no small feat. Our KINETIC panel is a first of its kind, with our color-shift technology, opening the doors for truly unique design possibilities. While the physical performance of our panels is never in question, the focus to develop a panel with unique aesthetic appeal would always be a challenge. Fortunately, DANPAL has a very active internal R&D team of engineers who were up to the task!

A project such as this spends sometimes years in development, behind the scenes, constantly being worked upon. For good reason, these projects are kept secret and receive no media attention, until our new product is ready for launch. Such was the case with Danpalon KINETIC, a panel type that allows you, to have the best of both worlds. We are excited to see the limits of our new panel, as architects develop conceptual designs, with KINETIC in mind.

The Future..?

No doubt, we will be entering the next round of awards scheduled for 2022, as we currently have other innovations in development with R&D. These next-generation products will again push the boundaries of what is thought possible. Our upcoming offerings will provide you the possibility to future-proof your business and will secure our DANPAL brand as global market leaders, in both design and innovation. Congratulations to our team at DANPAL for another remarkable achievement!