Steely resolve
Stockholm Royal Institute of Technology Architecture School by Tham & Videgård Arkitekter, 2015. The six-storey building features curving walls that enhance openness.
Stockholm Royal Institute of Technology Architecture School. The building looks contemporary but still matches the red and orange tones of its neighbours.
Redcliffs House, Christchurch by MAP Architects. 2010. The angular, modern home floats above its sloping site, providing shaded landscaped space beneath.
Redcliffs House, Christchurch. The red rust has been allowed to bleed into the raw finish concrete block base, which gives the building a rugged look.
See-through church by Gijs van Vaerenbergh, Belgium, 2011. Made from 100 layers and 2,000 columns of weathering steel, it could be considered ‘a line drawing in space’.
Interior of the see-through church, Belgium. Depending on perspective, the church is a massive building or dissolves, partially or entirely, into the landscape.
Third Wave kiosk by Tony Hobba Architects, Torquay, 2012. The building has a sculptural quality that blends into and harmonizes with the surrounding cliff environment.
Third Wave kiosk. Sustainability and reuse is addressed by the use of recycled sheet piles that were procured from the 2010/11 Victorian floods.
Offset printing factory refurbishment, Beijing, China by Origin Architect, 2014. The weathering steel easily integrates with the surrounding old brick walls.
Offset printing factory refurbishment. The outdoor theatre adopts the structure of an industrial warehouse, featuring massive column steel and Corten steel panels.
Rānui Library, West Auckland by Jasmax. The Corten steel wraps the upper storey, and is perforated at two corners by a tree pattern that reflects the Waitakere Ranges.
Rānui Library. Nelson artist Nic Moon designed the perforated tree pattern, which also continues on the interior through a large forest sculpture.
Geological Institute of Catalonia, Spain by Oikosvia Arqutiectura, 2012. The exterior skin is formed by weathering steel plates perforated with holes of different diameters.
Geological Institute of Catalonia. The plates of the facade reproduce a monochrome version of the geological map of the region.
Church of Santa Monica by Vicens + Ramos, Spain, 2015. A cluster of north-facing windows allow a vast amount of indirect light to filter into the chapel.
Church of Santa Monica. The vibrant red-orange tones created by the use of Corten steel cladding contrast magnificently with the blue sky.
Ferreteria O’Higgins by GH+A and Guillermo Hevia. Situated in Chile, 2011. Perforated Corten steel sheets move in the wind, creating a dynamic dimension to the building.
Ferreteria O’Higgins. The structure is surrounded by a Corten double skin, which regulates interior temperature and direct solar radiation.
Broadcasting Place by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Leeds, 2009. A mixed-use development that uses Corten as a solid, sculptural material, constructed as a rain-screen façade.
Broadcasting Place. The oxidising surface will eventually weather to a deep red colour, creating aesthetic beauty and enhancing the urban landscape.
Weathering steel, also commonly known under its trademark name Corten steel, has become something of a darling in the architecture world over the past couple of years. Architects and designers have chosen it as a primary material in a diverse range of projects, from residential homes through to large office buildings and churches.
Corten steel is a group of steel alloys, developed to eliminate the need for painting. The material has a rough, rust-like appearance that appears after being exposed to the elements for several years. The rust that appears after the steel has been exposed to the weather for a time forms a protective coating that slows the rate of, and eventually completely stops, corrosion. Wet weather increases the speed of rusting.
Traditionally weathering steel has been used in projects such as large outdoor sculptures, bridges and marine transportation. The first use of Corten steel for architectural applications was the John Deere World Headquarters in Illinois, United States. The building was designed by architect Eero Saarinen, and completed in 1964.
While it is practical and visually attractive, there are several disadvantages to using the material. If water is allowed to accumulate in pockets, those areas will experience higher corrosion rates, so provision for drainage must be made. Corten steel is also not suitable for use in humid subtropical climates or environments laden with sea salt, and has a tendency to stain surrounding areas.
Despite the downsides to using Corten in architectural construction, architects have embraced weathering steel wholeheartedly. This unique material has the ability to create an antique yet interesting facade that can be patterned or perforated if wished, and saves the time and money associated with ongoing painting and maintenance. Weathering steel is also conveniently high strength and cost effective, making it a popular choice for a range of different building typologies.
See the slideshow above and the images below for 10 masterful weathering steel projects from different parts of the globe.
