Project Case
Lapp GmbH
A facade renovation in Basel, replacing heavy tinted solar control glass with MicroShade® micro honeycomb insulating glass. The brief demanded equal or better solar performance without reverting to a coloured product. The result is a brighter, more comfortable building with a clean, neutral facade that will last for decades.
Comfort and clarity, without any systems or screens
The atrium facade at Lapp GmbH’s headquarter needed to balance two demands that often work against each other: a genuinely comfortable indoor climate and an uncompromised, transparent glass facade. For a modern, energy-conscious building, neither could be sacrificed for the other MicroShade® was integrated directly into the inner face of the outer pane, automatically adjusting light and energy transmission throughout the day as the angle of the sun changes. The shading requires no manual control and operates entirely autonomously, making it a natural fit for a building designed around energy efficiency.
By effectively blocking solar energy in summer, the facade stays comfortable while remaining fully transparent, with natural daylight flowing through uninterrupted. With this performance built into the glazing, no external shading devices were needed, leaving the architecture of the building completely untouched. With g-values between 8 and 15 percent and light transmittance of 50 to 60 percent, the result is a carefully balanced specification between solar control and daylight.
The shading itself is barely perceptible. Only on close inspection is a faint line visible where the sheets meet. As a passive technology with no mechanical or electrical components, it requires no maintenance and remains highly cost-efficient throughout the lifetime of the glazing.
Our Project Cases
Kallmann Museum
A historic orangerie museum near Munich, comprehensively renovated to meet modern performance standards. The glazed facade overlooking the castle park gardens was the central challenge.
Traditional blinds and screens require mechanical systems, power supplies, maintenance contracts and regular replacement. They block the view when closed and do nothing when open.
MicroShade® is integrated directly into the glazing unit. Passive, permanent and automatic, it works with the angle of the sun delivering shade in summer and allowing warmth through in winter. No moving parts. No intervention required.
No. Visible light transmission of 50-60% ensures interiors remain genuinely bright throughout the year. Unlike solar control glass, the microstructure blocks high-angle solar heat while allowing diffuse daylight to pass through freely.
Colour rendering above Ra 95 means natural light inside the building stays true to its source.
Yes. The product integrates into standard double or triple glazed units and is suitable for both new construction and retrofit projects. No mechanical systems, no wiring and no structural modifications are required.
There is no impact on the building exterior and no additional trades are needed beyond the glazing contractor already on the project.
The microstructure film sits protected inside the glazing cavity and is almost imperceptible to the naked eye, though the join between sheets is visible on close inspection. From the outside the facade looks clean and as designed.
From the inside the view out remains clear and unobstructed at all times. No tint, no visible pattern and no reduction in the quality of the outlook.
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