The GKD Wire Mesh Atlas

The textile-like structure of wire mesh fascinates builders and architects alike all over the world. Supple, shimmering, highly reflective, transparent or opaque - interpretations of wire mesh as claddings for whole buildings, ceilings, walls or columns, as a floor covering, and as partition walls or sunscreens reflect the endless scope for design ideas. In interaction with light, the mesh surface can appear transparent or opaque as desired, can act as a projection screen in decorative or high-profile contexts, and lends both rhythm and tension to architectural form. In addition to this abundance of aesthetic arguments, the industrial raw material itself is just as convincing through functional advantages like fire-resistance, a practically unlimited service life, easy maintenance, robustness and resistance to weather, and also in view of the dimensions in which the wire mesh can be produced, allowing it to fit to every architectural form without any visible seams. There are, therefore, practically no limits on application potential, a fact which presents a special challenge to planners, metal workers and architects alike. In addition to considering the range of optical and functional qualities required, conceptualization of a project must also make the optimal choice between the different materials in terms of their specific properties and application potentials.

Practical experience for practical applications

It is for this reason that GKD - Gebr. Kufferath AG, the world's leading weaving mill for high-quality technical meshes with its headquarters in Dueren, Germany, now presents the GKD Wire Mesh Atlas, a technical manual offering practical experience for practical applications. Covering everything from the properties of the material through installation and handling to examples of accomplished projects, this competent reference work provides answers to all the important questions concerning the use of metallic architectural fabrics. It explains everything you need to know, as a processor or metal worker, as an architect or a builder, in order to be able to plan the use of metallic fabrics in your projects. It describes the range of products, the choice of working materials and their specific properties, and the possibilities for the processing, installation and handling of the mesh - rules, norms and regularities. How can wire mesh be cut? How does it behave in storage? How is it delivered and installed? What needs to be taken into consideration? This manual describes what products GKD offers and how to process them. It shows, through numerous examples of accomplished projects, what solutions are possible in practice and how these have so far been achieved.

  • Chapter 1 puts the spotlight on the company GKD - Gebr. Kufferath AG, describing its innovative approach to new markets and new challenges, its service-oriented closeness to the customer, and, last but not least, the unique qualities of the material itself.
  • Chapter 2 provides an initial survey of the range of possible uses and of the reference projects which GKD has already accomplished.
  • Chapter 3 describes GKD's material types and their specific characteristics.
  • Chapter 4 explains the handling of the material and describes the range of services GKD provides with its products, like tested and tailor-made attachment techniques.
  • Chapter 5 uses selected examples to demonstrate reference solutions in practically all areas of application so far accomplished. For a quick survey and to answer urgent questions, an appendix is also provided with frequently asked questions as well as all the relevant norms.

Planning with wire mesh

The GKD Wire Mesh Atlas is a compact reference work which provides technical data for planning as well as detailed information on mesh types and patterns, materials, attachment techniques, detailed solutions and site management. In addition, the exemplary applications documented in the atlas cover all the major areas of use for wire mesh in architecture: external façades, sunscreens, ceilings, walls/partition walls, ballustrades, floor coverings, column claddings and roller shutters.

Transcending the limits of conventional building materials, unlimited scope for design ideas and practical-pragmatic realization of projects with a partner who is as much at home with the language of metal workers and processors as with the language of architects - these are the core statements of this manual available in the form of a CD-ROM. It provides suggestions, help and ideas for planning, and will thus hopefully inspire and encourage the reader to develop and try out new ideas.

Survey of facts:

  • 10 construction examples
  • material-specific solutions for planning with wire mesh
  • more than 90 detailed drawings and around 140 photos
  • technical data for planning

For further information, please contact us.