2015-03-12

LANXESS held Colored Concrete Works Forum in Korea

Latest case studies of colored concrete using Bayferrox®, including 2015 CCW Award winning project, have been presented to architecture and building industry

Seoul  – A global forum introducing the latest case studies and the benefits of concrete colored with Bayferrox®, which has become one of the global architectural trends, has been held in Seoul.

LANXESS, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of inorganic pigments, held the  8th Colored Concrete Works (CCW) Forum at K-Biz center in Yeouido, Seoul, on  March 5th, 2015. This forum was cosponsored by Wooshin Pigment, the local distributor of LANXESS Inorganic Pigments business in Korea.

It was the second time for Korea since 2011  to host the Colored Concrete Works Forum. About 150 interested professional audience such as architects and city planning as well as development-related officials participated in this event. The forum introduced case studies of colored concrete in international and domestic construction projects and the versatility and aesthetic properties of concrete colored with Bayferrox® pigments.

Dr. Carsten Rosenhahn, Vice President for global Product and Business Development at the Inorganic Pigments business unit, presented a wide range of benefits of Bayferrox® pigments used in construction applications as well as international case studies that LANXESS has introduced through this campaign. Case studies include ‘Museum Paula Rego‘ in Portugal, designed by architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, and ‘City of Justice‘ in Spain, designed by David Chipperfield. Domestic professionals, including Mr. TaiWung Chung, President of C-space C&E, introduced various application methods and domestic case studies using colored concrete.

Also, at the event, the prize-winning architectures of the ‘Colored Concrete Works Award 2015’ was introduced. LANXESS has presented the Colored Concrete Works Award to architects or developers who used colored concrete to implement new and interesting facets of their respective projects. This is the second award since its launch in 2012. This year, the Alp apartment complex in Akabane-Nishi, Tokyo, Japan, by Akahisa Hirata was selected as the 1st place winner, and one of the representative examples, ‘Space.1,‘ the headquarters building of Daum Kakao, by Cho Min-seok was ranked 2nd.

Korean professionals, including Mr. TaiWung Chung, President of C-space C&E, and Mr WeonKeun Jang, director of Wooshin pigment, introduced various application methods and domestic case studies using colored concrete.

The ‘Colored Concrete Works’ campaign is a LANXESS initiative for more color in architecture which aims to present the versatility and aesthetic properties of concrete colored with Bayferrox® pigments. It is accompanied by forums that provide a platform for architects and construction experts to exchange ideas and discuss the possibilities of coloring concrete with pigments.

New Arsta Bridge in Stockholm, Sweden, a masterpiece by Norman Foster, ESO Hotel in the Chilean desert by Fritz Auer from Munich, and the Soccer City Stadium in the Republic of South Africa are international case studies that were introduced through this campaign. Paju Heyri Art Village and the headquarters building of Daum KaKao, Space.1 were the first case studies from Asia that have  been introduced as global case studies.

Colored concrete is the latest construction method that maintains natural colors permanently by mixing inorganic pigments with achromatic concrete and coloring architecture, unlike the existing method of painting a color on surface after the completion of construction. Bayferrox® pigments are well-known as an economical, sustainable, and aesthetic material since it saves maintenance cost due to its outstanding durability and offers colors that creates harmony with the surroundings.

As colored concrete is receiving attention as a new architectural trend in Korea, the exclusive weather stability, the outstanding color consistency, and the great color formation of Bayferrox® is receiving greater attention. It is applied not only to architecture, but also to various infrastructures like road guardrails, asphalt, roofs, and artificial turf.

Rafael Suchan, Vice President of LANXESS’ Inorganic Pigments business unit in Asia Pacific, says, “The use of  our iron oxide and chromium oxide pigments is playing an increasingly bigger role in the design and construction of private and public buildings, city infrastructures and  at mega events such as the Soccer World Cup or the Olympics.” He continues, “Korea, which has various case studies of concrete colored with Bayferrox®, is one of the most important growing markets in Asia. LANXESS can contribute to the development of Korea’s modern architectural culture with our high-quality inorganic pigments, our technical expertise as well as our outstanding customer service..”

LANXESS’ iron oxide pigments are marketed under the brand name Bayferrox® and have been produced for 89 years already.. The premium iron oxide pigments increase the unique and aesthetic value of architecture by adding natural and warm color to achromatic concrete. Colored concrete using Bayferrox® offers exceptional heat- and weather-stability, light-fastness and chemical resistance for easy maintenance.

More information on LANXESS inorganic pigments and the Colored Concrete Works campaign can be found at www.colored-concrete-works.com.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 8.3 billion in 2013 and about 16,700 employees in 29 countries. The company is currently represented at 52 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals. LANXESS is a member of the leading sustainability indices Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI World and DJSI Europe) and FTSE4Good.

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