Austrian facade fabricator Reider has unveiled its new timber–concrete hybrid production hall, designed by architecture practice Kessler. The building expands the company’s production capacity and introduces a new approach to sustainable design and material reuse.
The hall was built using a mix of wood and concrete, which Rieder said “has allowed for optimal use of both materials.” Wood Central understands that concrete was chosen for its durability, while timber was chosen for its environmental credentials and warm aesthetic.
“Together, they form a high-performance, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly construction method that has been exemplarily implemented in this project,” Rieder said. “Through the intelligent interplay of the two materials, a building has been created that is technically convincing, sets ecological benchmarks, and at the same time offers a high quality of stay.”
The new hall complements two existing facilities at Rieder’s headquarters and was designed to support a modern working environment. “With the completion of the second timber-hybrid hall, we were able to create numerous new jobs and strengthen the region as a business location,” said Rieder owner Wolfgang Rieder.
Inside, the ceiling features 180 geometrical timber pyramids designed to maximise natural light. Rieder said this has created optimal working conditions and a “harmonious spatial concept.” The building is also fitted with a humidification system to reduce dust exposure, improve air quality and maintain optimal humidity in the production hall.
Externally, the hall is clad in scrapcrete, a material made from offcuts of Rieder’s glassfibre reinforced concrete production. “Repurposed into new applications and given a design value,” the offcuts were transformed using generative design techniques developed in collaboration with design studio Certain Measures.
“Scrapcrete follows a radically new design approach: instead of the usual process of creating a design first and then producing the necessary components, the process here starts with what already exists – the so-called leftover materials,” Rieder said.
“Under the motto ‘creating from what you have’, not only is waste reduced, but a new design language is also developed. The use of digital technologies rethinks the design process based on the resources available.”
According to Reider, scrapcrete has significantly reduced waste while establishing a new cladding material. “The result is not only a significant reduction of waste volume but also a high-quality architectural language that fuses sustainability, functionality, and aesthetics – demonstrating how material scarcity can be turned into creative diversity.”
