Fascinating façade

Life can sometimes be quite colorful. Or at least we should try to make it so. That is why entire industries strive to bring colors into our lives. Now, PREFA Aluminiumprodukte joins them with a diverse palette of colorful facades, which will allow architects to more easily turn their creative ideas into reality.



“That facade is magical!” Exactly these words are likely to be uttered by most passersby who walk by the house of Floriana Pollaka, located in a small Austrian village called Retzbach. The construction of the house was a dream come true for Pollak and his family, involving the renowned architectural firm Maurer & Partner. The building they created is currently causing a complete sensation, although it also divides opinions a little. For more conservative eyes, the facade might be too colorful, while lovers of modern design are literally captivated by the fascinating interplay of colors and the changing facade. The house actually resembles a chameleon a bit.

Mirror, mirror, tell me…
A house for a lifetime in a single color? That’s boring, thought roofer Florian Pollak from Retz. Together with the architectural firm Maurer & Partner, he designed his own house to combine everything that is important to him: top-notch materials, high quality, and a dash of something unique and unconventional. All three conditions were perfectly met by the PREFA Reynobond facade panels.

A great cinema and intoxication with color
Depending on the light, weather, or the time of day and year, the Pollak family’s house changes its appearance and literally plays with all colors: from bronze to green to purple. This means that every view of the building feels somewhat new and surprising, not only for its owner but also for passersby. Additionally, the house perfectly fits into the surrounding landscape, standing in the midst of greenery with a small bathing pond in the foreground.

“Sometimes, when I stand in the garden, I feel like I am in a cinema, but each time it's a new film. The house just always shows me something new,” says Florian Pollak.

The variation of optical effects is enabled by a layer with a crystal effect in the color PREFA Spring Lake, which reflects light like a mirror and presents itself in a new guise each time.

Perfectly camouflaged chameleon
The lively and playful appearance of the facade in constantly new shades goes hand in hand with the strict geometric shape of the entire building. The modern two-story structure consists of several cubes and has no rounding at all. “A large building with sharp edges would look like a barracks in white. But thanks to the PREFA facade, it appears very pleasant and interesting. Moreover, it is perfectly camouflaged, adapting to its surroundings like a chameleon,” states Maurer.

A weakness for innovation
“The clear lines of the building provided the perfect conditions for the use of PREFA facade panels.” They have one more big advantage: “They can be easily bent around corners. No sharp edges, joints, or soffits are created. Reynobond panels are great for anyone who appreciates perfect execution in detail,” notes Florian Pollak. For him, as a roofer by profession, the choice of material and its processing options have always been the top priority. It goes without saying that he personally contributed to the facade of his house in proven partnership with architect Maurer, perfectly laying 450 facade panels in a team of four workers over five weeks. “We have already realized many projects together, and we value each other’s reliability and high demands for quality,” adds Pollak, who learned many new things while making modifications to the house, balancing the roles of investor and craftsman, which he will use in his profession.

PREFA Aluminiumprodukte has a perfect sense for detail – just like Mr. Pollak and Maurer. And it is precisely because of the details that the entire house looks so impressive. One example among many is the square downpipes, which are designed precisely to fit optimally with modern buildings. Architect Ernst Maurer adds: “Thanks to the new square design, PREFA downpipes can now be architecturally perfectly integrated, enhancing both flat roofs and cubic constructions.”

An important criterion called "sustainability"
In addition to its unique appearance, the aspect of sustainability was also crucial for the investor in the project. He considered the disposal of materials in the long term. “Today we still don’t know how certain types of insulation or artificial coatings can be disposed of and sorted in an environmentally friendly way, nor what costs we will incur from this,” outlines Maurer the ecological aspect.

“PREFA aluminum facade panels are a sustainable material. They can be unscrewed, the mineral wool removed, and that’s all,” adds Pollak, also pointing out the good environmental balance of aluminum material during recycling. “Any potential higher costs at purchase are definitely worth it from this long-term perspective,” he further adds.

Thinking ecologically
“Friendly to the surrounding world” for Mr. Pollak and architect Ernst Maurer is not only the technology of the building but also the interplay with the entire environment. Both building professionals are committed to the harmonious integration of the building into the surrounding nature, careful resource management, and a dignified living space for all users of the object. In Mr. Pollak's and his family's “chameleon,” the investor sees the fulfillment of all these points: the house stands on a hill in the midst of greenery, adapts to its surroundings, and still forms an optically captivating element.

Are others inspired as well?
And what does he like most about the house? “The facade,” Florian Pollak responds. “It fits here perfectly. I would love for as many people as possible to draw inspiration from my house!” And that is another thing that the builder and PREFA Aluminiumprodukte share in common…