Silicone Solution for Curtainwall Facade at Beijing’s National Centre for the performing Arts

China’s National Centre for the performing Arts in Beijing, commonly referred to as “The Egg” due to its oval design, is a complex, innovative, architectural marvel designed by world renowned architect, Paul Andreu. The National Centre for the performing Arts spans nearly 150,000 square meters, houses an opera, concert halls and two theatres, and sits in the middle of an artificial lake. The theatres is constructed of glass and titanium, and the theatre’s facade is a dramatic, shimmering, glass curtain wall.

Constructing a building of this scale, along with sealing and insulating large amounts of curved glass, often presents significant structural challenges for long-term reliability and sustainability. It is very difficult for a sealant to adhere to a titanium panel due to titanium’s unique surface features. However, Dow Corning overcame this challenge by roughing the titanium’s surface using abrasive paper and applying a primer to increase adhesion.

Sealing Combination Provides Solution
As an established technical leader in the construction industry with long-term experience in China, Dow Corning recommended its newly launched Dow Corning® 3362 Insulation Glass Sealant and its proven Dow Corning® 993 Structural Sealant, which were more suitable for structural insulated glass applications. This combination of leading materials solved structural strength concerns, such as the use of titanium panels.

The National Centre for the performing Arts project was completed in September 2007. The Chinese Government and public feel safe knowing that sealants used in the construction of the National Centre for the performing Arts will stand the test of time.

Dow Corning’s products have been used in buildings that are now over 20 years old, primarily in the United States and Europe. In China, Dow Corning helped to develop industry standards and has provide consultation and materials for numerous buildings, such as the Jingguang Center and China World Trade Center.